Negotiation

Module description

Summary:

The relevance of collaborative versus competitive behaviours and approaches in reaching negotiated agreements is investigated. The role and importance of integrative approaches to finding agreement is explored in depth, alongside best practice approaches and processes to developing and managing cross-sector and multi-stakeholder agreements.  The content is communicated through a combination of interactive lectures, discussions, and group-based exercises, with practical understanding and experience developed through a group-based simulation structured as a four-party negotiation of a complex multi-sector issue.

Additional Information:

Internationalisation: There is no national basis to this module: it is culturally independent.

Employability: This is a very practical module on the subject of cooperative approaches to negotiation. You will have the opportunity to gain both practical experience and an understanding of negotiating, resolving tensions or conflicts, identifying mutually beneficial outcomes and overcoming biases held by individuals or organisations that might impede future value creation.

Full module specification

Module aims

A commonly held (mis)understanding of negotiation is that of a competitive sharing of value.   This module aims to introduce you to the challenges and benefits of managing the process of reaching agreement in environments where the creation of value is an equally important objective.  The module surfaces and explores a range of emotional and behavioural responses that can lead people to accept agreements that are disadvantageous or unsatisfactory, and introduces participants to strategies for overcoming these.  The simulation exercise aims to provide individuals with an opportunity to apply and develop their understanding of these theoretical principles.

ILO: Module-specific skills

• 1. Identify the basic principles of negotiating
• 2. Explain key areas of risk and opportunity associated with interaction styles in negotiation, how different roles and relationship effectiveness impact on success, and approaches by which these can be surfaced and managed.
• 3. Recognise the relevance of value added to interactions
• 4. Evaluate sources and types of potential conflict, and describe approaches by which they can be managed or resolved.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 5. Assess and address behavioural constraints in real or simulated negotiations

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 6. Negotiate positive outcomes competently (in a personal or work context).
• 7. Engage effectively in groups of individuals from different backgrounds.
• 8. Apply effective independent research skills

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Syllabus plan

Managing Agreements;

• Added Value
• Thinking errors and their exploitation
• Negotiation in competition – claiming value
• Negotiation in collaboration – creating value
• Negotiation as interaction
• Negotiating in the real world – Managing Agreement
• Negotiation as Dialogue

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Shapiro, D., Fisher, R. (2007). Building Agreement: Using Emotions as You Negotiate. Cornerstone, London.

Fisher, R., Ury, W.L., Patton, B. (2011). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Random House Books, London.

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Malhotra, D., (2015) Control the Negotiation before it begins. Harvard Business Review , 93(12), 67-72

McManus, S., Tennyson, R. (2008) Talking the Walk: A Communication Manual for Partnership Practitioners. IBLF, London.

Weiss, J., (2014). Negotiating is Not the Same as Haggling. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles 6/10/210 p2-5

Origin date

29/03/2018

Last revision date

17/09/2018