Political Simulations Using Excel

Simulations have received considerable attention as a tool to promote problem-solving skills, intense involvement, and high-order thinking among students. Whether semester-long exercises or a single-class session, simulations are often used in areas of conflict studies, diplomatic studies, trade disputes, electoral processes, and policy and legal debates. Asynchronous distance education instruction tends to rely on computer-mediated simulations. This article demonstrates a different approach, using a common desktop software program, Microsoft Excel, to create simulations suitable for in-class or individually distributed use that employs probabilistic scenarios and outcomes. By using spreadsheets as a simulation authoring tool, instructors can create and set the parameters for sophisticated simulations of political events and interactions. The article presents student reactions to the experiences of a simulation of trade negotiations between the United States and Japan during the 1980s that shows the process and nature of bilateral negotiations as well as the nature of "two-level games."