Step 1: Let’s begin the class with a situational analysis. Take 10-12 students from the class and divide the class into four groups:
Group 1: The Organization which is launching the product (define the CEO, HR, marketing and Sales Dept)
Group 2: the PR agency.
Groupc3:The advertising agency.
Group4 : are the vendors/ retailers.
Step 2: Give them the task of the pdt launch with the following things to be kept in mind:
- The advertisement of the product should be scheduled and a brief has to be given to the agency for developing the advertisements.
- The press release should be taken care of for the media and details about the pdt needs to be given in that
- The whole organization should be informed of the new product, its launch date etc.
- The retailers and different local agents have to be finalized who will be marketing the products in their area
- Time duration given for launch is 1.5 months which is equivalent to 15mins of the classroom. At the end of the launch- there should be a press release ready of 15 lines. One Advertisements about the pdt to be launched should be ready. They can get creative and make a drawing or write a slogan etc. Vendors / retailers should have the pdt with them and they should know the features of the pdt. Company should be able to coordinate with every organization with whon its working about the launch of the pdt.
- Condition 1: In case the Company feels that they are unable to launch the pdt within 1.5 months then they have the chance of pushing the launch date fwd. But that call they will be able to take in the last two weeks only before the launch (in our case 3-4 mins before deadline)
- The rest of the class will observe the role play by their peers.
Step 3: Once the role play is over ask the children who were observers what various managerial roles were supposed to be played by these 10-12 students and what went right or wrong in the scene.
Ask the following questions to them?
Elicit the roles which had interpersonal roles, informational roles and decision roles. Explain why do you call them so.
Why do you think the Company was able to launch the product on time. Or According to you what went wrong with the Company that had to reschedule the launch