| Objective: | The purpose of this assignment is to have you apply the abstract concepts of our discussion of rational choice theory and collective action to your experiences in The Isle of Frio Simulation. A round by round debriefing of the simulation will be posted to the website and discussed in class. |
| Task: | Review the experience of your Region and that of the entire Island during the simulation. How were decisions made within your group and with other groups? What were the goals of your group and of the island as a whole, and to what extent did these goals coincide? How did the goals of your group coincide/conflict with those of other groups? How were the abilities of your group and of the island as a whole affected by the decisionmaking processes? Discuss the overall success of the island. How well did the regions work together? What worked; what didn't work; and why? You should consider these questions within the context of the terminology used in the class discussion of collective action and rational choice theory. How, and to what extent, were the notions of collective goods, coordination, free riding, delegation, principals and agents, and agency loss demonstrated during the simulation? |
| Guidelines: | You should present your analysis in a paper that is 3-4 double-spaced typewritten pages in length. Your paper will be graded on content as well as style. While grammar will not comprise a large component of your grade, excessive spelling and grammatical errors will detract from your paper. I encourage you to take an early draft of your paper to the UVU Writing Center, and they will be happy to go over your draft with you and offer advice. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Use your own words. You probably won't need to rely upon any outside sources, but if you do those sources should be clearly attributed. |
| Date Due: | Your paper is due via Canvas by February 12 at 11:59 PM. Late papers WILL be penalized. The later the paper, the larger the penalty. Late papers will NOT be accepted after 11:59 PM, February 19. |