Jill M Purdy
T MGMT 457
Explores the art and science of reaching agreements in competitive and collaborative situations where two or more parties are interdependent. Addresses negotiation in the organizational context. Emphasizes developing skills in situation assessment, negotiation planning, distributive and integrative bargaining.
Conflicts and negotiations arise in our personal and professional lives nearly every day. This course is designed to help you respond to these situations more effectively. The study of negotiation and conflict management is multi-disciplinary, drawing from such diverse fields as economics, communication, international relations, psychology, political science, law and game theory. Ambiguous goals, political maneuvering, emotional responses, and conflicting desires are a normal part of most negotiation processes. Emphasis is placed on developing skills in negotiation planning, distributive and integrative bargaining, and negotiation strategy.
Student learning goals
•Gain a broad intellectual understanding of negotiation theory that you can use to understand and evaluate any negotiation process.
•Learn how to systematically analyze negotiation situations and develop negotiation plans.
•Analyze people’s behavior and motives to understand and predict their behavior in negotiation and conflict situations.
•Develop a toolkit of skills and strategies that enable you to evaluate the costs and benefits of alternative actions and manage the negotiating process more effectively.
•Identify your conflict management style, recognize your strengths and weaknesses as a negotiator, and build confidence in your negotiation skills.
General method of instruction
This course is designed to help you convert your experiences in class into knowledge and skills you can take with you as you encounter negotiations in the future. Class time will include (1) lecture and discussion, (2) role-playing exercises, and (3) debriefing activities. 1. Class lectures and discussions help you understand negotiation concepts and theories in depth and see how they apply in various situations. 2. Role-play exercises are an essential tool for learning how to apply theory to real-life situations and act effectively. The best way to improve your negotiation skills is through practice; thus you will participate in numerous role play exercises. To learn from these experiences, you must be prepared and actively engage in each assignment. 3. Debriefings help you learn how to analyze and interpret your experiences so you can continue improving as a negotiator over the long term.
No prerequisites; this class is suitable for all upper division students (juniors and seniors)
Class assignments and grading
Students participate in negotiation role plays and class discussions and take exams.