Barnga: A Simulation Game on Cultural Clashes

By Sivasailam Thiagarajan

Book Overview

"Quite simply, Thiagi is the most prolific and creative designer of games and simulations in the world." - Glenn Parker, author of Cross-Functional Teams and Team Players and TeamworkWholly revised to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Barnga is the classic simulation game for exploring communication challenges across cultures. While playing Barnga, participants experience the shock of realizing that despite their good intentions and the many similarities amongst themselves, people interpret things differently, one from the other, in profoundly important ways, especially people from differing cultures. Players learn that they must understand and reconcile these differences if they want to function effectively in a cross-cultural group.

The "game" is deceptively simple: participants, broken up into several small groups, play a simple card, never knowing that each group has been given a subtly different set of rules to play by, nor that those rules will change yet again as the game develops and groups of players are reconfigured. Conflicts quickly begin to occur as players move from group to group, simulating real cross-cultural encounters, where people initially believe they share the same understanding of the basic rules and learn to their dismay and confusion that they do not.

In discovering that the rules are different, players undergo a mini culture shock similar to actual experience when entering a different culture. They then must struggle to understand and reconcile these differences to play the game effectively in their "cross-cultural" groups. Difficulties are magnified by the fact that players may not speak to each other but can communicate only through gestures or pictures. In struggling to understand why other players don't seem to be playing correctly, and with the aid of the facilitator, participants gain insight into the dynamics of cross-cultural encounters. Participant instructions are provided in French, German, and Spanish as well as English. The 25th anniversary edition of Barnga introduces new features: - Now, as few as 2 and as many as 40 people can play
- Revised, play-tested rules provide optimal jolt to players.
- Improved game design helps those with limited experience playing card games.
- Partnership play enables players to comprehend the impact of peer support.
- Different tournament formats raise new types of communication challenges.
- For trainers - an expanded debriefing section that takes less than an hour.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931930309
• ISBN13: 9781931930307
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: John Murray Business Academic
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A simple game that goes very far

This is a very simple game that everyone has enjoyed playing and learning from. The book offers many lead-ins for facilitators, and offers ways to 'tweak' the discussions to make them appropriate/relevant for many groups. Probably the best game out there to illustate the themes of culture shock and 'checking your assumptions'.

Great for the Board Room and College Classroom

I'm a college professor who also does diversity training. I use BARNGA in my corporate trainings as well as in my college classroom. Everyone loves it! The simulation is an excellent way of driving home the idea that every environment (an institution, a business, a classroom) has unwritten rules that we assume have been communicated to the uninitiated. When the new person experiences problems, we all too often attribute the problem to a lack of skills rather than to a lack of knowledge about the "rules." This game is a great deal of fun and allows the facilitator to engage the participants in some serious discussion afterward about diversity. Excellent! Get it today! You won't be sorry.

Frighteningly Enlightening

I was first introduced to BARNGA by playing the game at a diversity conference held in the Bay Area, CA. I was surprised at how ruthless and unforgiving I was to the people who entered my little community. I made them play my way and never took the time to understand their point of view or the rules that they knew. I am a student, 18 years old and i wish this concept had been introduced to me earlier. I didn't think that I had any prejudices but I do and BARNGA made me realize them.

Simple Yet Elegant Learning Tool

Barnga is what I call a simple yet elegant learning tool. Though the title of this simulation-game suggests that it is a simulation on cultural clashes, one can feel free to define the term "culture" quite broadly. I have used Barnga for years to help groups understand cultural diversity issues, conflict resolution styles, mental models and paradigms, and most recently the human responses to change acceptance. If you are a business/O.D. consultant, H.R. professional or a manager charged with helping a group of people to become more effective, Barnga is likely to be one of the best learning tool you'll ever own!