Much managerial activity involves bargaining, negotiation, and settling of disputes. Managers bargain with superiors, peers, and subordinates; suppliers and customers; competitors and allies. Negotiation is a decision-making process in which two or more actors seek to reconcile their conflicting interests. Effective negotiation can improve outcomes for everyone involved. Ineffective negotiation, in contrast, usually leads to poor outcomes for those who negotiate poorly, can also lead to poor outcomes for others, and sometimes result in failures to agree even when agreement is possible.

In addition this course will analyze the nature of, and the dynamics of international negotiation processes. In a globalizing world international negotiations have become the operating norm. Globalization has increased the costs and benefits of interdependence for national governments, international firms, and non governmental organizations. It is the management of interdependence which necessitates negotiations. The ability to act insightfully in complex situations is critical to successful negotiations. Insightful action is in turn dependent on the managerial ability to accurately assess and appraise international negotiating situations.

The course will be taught in a seminar style cum lecture format. You are expected to have read the material in advance and be prepared for discussing it in class. Intensive class discussions will be supplemented by lectures, negotiation simulations, and outside speakers. If there is any business and/or international situation that catch your attention I would encourage you to bring it up in class for discussion. It may also be helpful to keep abreast of international developments. We will be referring to them from time to time during our discussion.

The course's development of personal competences:
The overall goals of the course are to improve students’ negotiating skills, and to do so by providing a theoretical underpinning that will help them to understand the sources of effective and ineffective approaches to negotiations. We will use the basic principles of negotiation theory in appraising national and international negotiating situations. Ensuing discussions will focus on the ways in which concepts and theory inform practice.

Recommended literature:

Brett, J. Negotiating Globally (2007). San Francisco: Jossey –Bass.

Lewicki, R., Saunders, D., Barry, B. Minton, J. (2006). Essentials of Negotiation. 4^th ed. McGraw-Hill

Articles:

Gelfand, M., Major, V Raver, J., Nishi, L. and O’Brian. (2006) Negotiating relationally: The Dynamics of Relational Self in Negotiations. Academy of Management Review 31(4) 427-451

Tingsley, C., Curhan, J. and Kwak, R. (1999) Adopting a Dual Lens Approach for Examining the Dilemma of Differences in Intercultural Business Negotiations. International Negotiation 4 (5) 5-22

River, C. and Lytle, A. (2007) Lying, Cheating Foreigners! Negotiation Ethics across Cultures. International Negotiation 12: 1-28