Using a red-blue exercise to facilitate learning about complex systems

Simpson, Peter

Abstract

The red-blue exercise is an example of an iterated prisoner's dilemma (IPD) and is commonly used in educational and training settings to help participants to develop skills in conflict management, negotiation, and inter-group dynamics. In this paper, it is argued that the exercise is poorly suited to these learning tasks. However, the exercise does provide a powerful yet manageable example of a complex system in action. A systems analysis is offered that both demonstrates why red-blue is unsuitable when used primarily for personal development training and shows how it may be used as an educational tool to introduce the subject of complex systems. © 2000, MCB UP Limited

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2000
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2000
• Deposit Date: Apr 11, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 15, 2019
• Journal: Journal of European Industrial Training
• Print ISSN: 0309-0590
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 291-296
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090590010372065
• Keywords: prisoner's dilemma, systems analysis, learning, operational research, learning organizations
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1095942
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090590010372065
• Contract Date: Apr 11, 2019