Publisher's Price War
As department chair at a mid-sized university, you're caught in a vicious pricing dispute. Pearson Academic threatens to increase their core textbook prices from $150 to $600 unless you remove OpenStax materials from your course listings. With student affordability at stake and registration deadlines looming, you have 15 minutes to navigate this ethical minefield.
Challenges
0
Survivors
0
Popularity
0
Difficulty
B1-B2
Scenario Overview
Your Role
Department Chair of Economics
Conversation Partner
Dr. Victoria Blackwood
Setting
Modern executive office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a rainy campus, laptop screen displaying urgent email threads
Location
University Administrative Building, 4th Floor
Learning Objectives
Defend academic freedom while maintaining professional composure
Document the attempted coercion without direct accusations
Secure affordable course materials for students
About This Scenario
As department chair at a mid-sized university, you're caught in a vicious pricing dispute. Pearson Academic threatens to increase their core textbook prices from $150 to $600 unless you remove OpenStax materials from your course listings. With student affordability at stake and registration deadlines looming, you have 15 minutes to navigate this ethical minefield.
How It Starts
“I trust you've reviewed our pricing adjustment notice. $600 per unit is steep, I know, but there's an simple solution: remove those... alternative materials from your requirements. Shall we discuss this like reasonable colleagues?”
This is how Dr. Victoria Blackwood's greeting will start.
Practice Details
Scenario ID
#1110
Category
General
Location Tag
University Administrative Building, 4th Floor
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