This document describes a simulation called "Ecotonos" that is used to engage participants in multicultural problem solving. The objectives are to understand how culture impacts decision making, experience the emotions involved in multicultural collaboration, and develop strategies for effective cross-cultural problem solving. The simulation involves dividing participants into cultural groups who must solve a problem related to designing a community space while following cultural rules. Participants then debrief their experiences in mono-cultural and multicultural settings. The goal is to gain skills in negotiating across cultural differences and incorporating multiple perspectives.

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‘Ecotonos’
A Multicultural Problem Solving Simulation
Saad Aqeel Alzarooni
2010

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What is Ecotonos?
• It is a tool for engaging in problem solving and
decision making in a multicultural context.
• It is based on the recognition of the positive
potential of diversity in the problem solving process.
• It has been used successfully with business
executives, students, and faculty.

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Objectives
• Gaining a better understanding of the impact of
culture on decision making and problem solving.
• Experiencing the emotions involved in problem
solving in multicultural groups.
• Developing models and strategies for effective
multicultural problem solving.
• Enjoying interaction with people of different cultural
backgrounds.

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Competencies
• Negotiate with people with different cultural values
and to cope with unexpected situations,
• Incorporate different culture values in decision
making and problem solving,
• Handle different attitudes and emotions during the
process of problem solving,

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Processes Flow
Large Group
Aquila Delphinus Zante
Aquila Delphinus Zante
Multicultural Multicultural Multicultural
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

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Three Tasks
• Acculturation and myth creation (20 minutes)
• Monocultural group problem solving (15 minutes)
• Multicultural group problem solving (20 minutes)

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Let’s Get Started!

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Case Study
Designing an Innovative Community Entertainment
Venue at a Historical Landmark

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Approach
• Think of creative ways to integrate aesthetics,
cultural tradition and urban planning to design a
community entertainment venue within Fort
Pulaski National Park.
• Your design concept should reflect your
interpretation of passing tradition to younger
generations.
Continue to follow your Cultural Rules!

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Approach
• You will be provided with “site facility map” to help
you visualize the geographical location.
• Decide on a location to build your design and think
of what the location offers to make your idea unique
and innovative.

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Consider the following questions…
1. How will you use history and heritage to understand
human aspect of design?
2. How would the past would be represented in a way
that it could be accepted/understood by younger
generations who visit the entertainment venue?
3. How did people in the past interacted with the
Fort?
4. What are the cultural elements that could be
incorporated in your design concept?
Continue to follow your Cultural Rules!

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Debrief
• Myth/monocultural debriefing (15 minutes):
1. what did the rules of your culture help or hinder
the problem solving process?
2. How did people communicate?

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Debrief
• Multicultural debriefing (15 minutes):
1. Describe your multicultural problem solving
efforts.
2. In what ways diversity cerates obstacles to decision
making.

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Evaluation
• What was it like to play this exercise?

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‫شكرا‬ Danke Schon
ありがとうございます
Thank you
Merci
ευχαριστία
‫תודה‬
Yakoke gracias Mahalo
धन्यवाद
Obridgado
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aitäh