LIS 0070 Organization Management

Survival Exercise

This assignment is called "plane wreck." This exercise has to do with individual AND with group decision making. The instructions on how to record and score your responses for the exercise are just below the situation description. Go ahead and read through all the material so that you are familiar with it and proceed according to the timeline.

Survival Situation:

You have just crash-landed somewhere in the woods of northern Minnesota or southern Manitoba. It is 11:32 a.m. in mid January. The small plane in which you were traveling was destroyed except for the frame. The pilot and copilot have been killed, but no one else is seriously injured.

The crash came suddenly before the pilot had time to radio for help or inform anyone of your position. Since your pilot was trying to avoid a storm, you know the plane was considerably off course. The pilot announced shortly before the crash that you were eighty miles northwest of a small town thatis the nearest known habitation.

You are in a wilderness area made up of thick woods broken by many lakes and rivers. The last weather report indicated that the temperature would reach minus twenty-five degrees in the day time and minus forty at night. The men and women in your party are wearing business attire (including pants and jacket), street shoes, and overcoats.

While escaping from the plane your group salvaged twelve items. Your task is to rank these items according to their importance to your survival, starting with "1" for the most important and proceeding to "12" for the least important. Put your individual answers in Column #1 in the chart. Your team's ranking goes in Column #2. The expert’s view will be shared at the end of the exercise.

Items:

  1. A ball of steel wool
  2. A small ax
  3. A loaded .45-caliber pistol
  4. Can of Crisco shortening
  5. Newspapers (one per person)
  6. Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
  7. Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
  8. 20 x 20 ft. piece of heavy-duty canvas
  9. A sectional air map made of plastic
  10. One quart of 100-proof whiskey
  11. Acompass
  12. Family-size chocolate bars (one per person)

You may assume that the number of persons in the group is the same as the number in your group and that you have agreed to stick together.

Chart to Record Your Responses:

Print out the chart below to record your responses.

Item / Col 1 (Individual) / Col 2 (Team) / Col 3 (Expert)
  1. A ball of steel wool

  1. A small ax

  1. A loaded .45-caliber pistol

  1. Can of Crisco shortening

  1. Newspapers (one per person)

  1. Cigarette lighter (without fluid)

  1. Extra shirt and pants for each survivor

  1. 20 x 20 ft. piece of heavy-duty canvas

  1. A sectional air map made of plastic

  1. One quart of 100-proof whiskey

  1. A compass

  1. Family-size chocolate bars (one per person)