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2017/2018  BA-BBLCV1401U  Negotiation Skills and Conflict Management – Drivers of success and complexity

English Title
Negotiation Skills and Conflict Management – Drivers of success and complexity

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn, Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 40
Max. participants 45
Study board
Study Board for BSc og MSc in Business, Language and Culture, BSc
Course coordinator
  • Robert Ibsen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Human resource management
  • Communication
  • Strategy
Last updated on 28-03-2017

Relevant links
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors: Upon completion of the course, students – in commercial as well as in a non-commercial set-ups – will be able to
  • Analyze and map – using relevant theories, models and tools – situations where two (or more) parties negotiate or try to resolve disagreements – including constiuent elements, i.e. driving forces, such as 1) relative power balance between the parties involved, and 2) overview of alternatives, and 3) relative importance of maximized result now vs. preservation of relationship long-term
  • Prepare, plan and actively participate in processes such as negotiations and similar meetings using relevant tools and models based on relevant and up-to-date insights in this field
  • Understand, analyze, map and actively use insights to drive a succesful negotiation or conflict resolution, including complexity drivers such as 1) obstacles to and drivers of expedient communication, and 2) intercultural differences and how to them from stumbling blocks into building bricks, and 3) trust and ethics and how such elements can make or break fruitful negotiations and relationships
  • Cultivate an understanding of 1) cognitive biases and how they can impact on rational thinking and behaviour when negotiating and communicating in general, and 2) interpersonal differences regarding motivation, communication styles and related issues and how these factors have the potential to impact on negotiation processes and outcomes
  • Drive performance through a structured approach to preparing, doing and evaluating a negotiation or conflict resolution session – this way seeking incremental improvements over time in overall performance
Course prerequisites
Very good fluency in English
Examination
Negotiation Skills and Conflict Management - Success and Complexity Drivers:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter and Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content and structure

The key contents of the course will focus on these elements:

  • an overview of the field of negotiations and conflict management
  • factors that must drive the negotiatior’s choice of overall strategy
  • tools for managing the entire process (negotiation, conflict resolution etc.)
  • a number of supplementary competences related to communication in face-to-face interaction, including
    • intercultural issues
    • the important role of personality
  • trust bases and ethics in negotiations and conflict management
  • cognition and cognitive biases in business and human interaction in general

 

As for overall pedagogical framework, all content elements will be leveraged and supported by a mix of lectures, discussions and exercises. 
Teaching methods
The course and its pedagogical approach will, in essense, be built around three components, which will each contribute to the students’ successful completion of the course:
• input on and discussion of relevant theories, tools and models need in order to prepare and plan a negotiation, doing it as well as evaluating and reflecting on all aspects of the negotiation
• a large number of practical exercises and case studies to leverage the students’ understanding of learning points as well as enhancing their skills when it comes to carrying through negotiations and conflict management sessions
• articles, papers and other types of input to further lock in the students’ acquired skills and insigths
Feedback during the teaching period
Every session includes negotiation exercises done by all students present. These exercises are designed to anchor in learning points from the same session as well as learning points from previous sessions.
The reason, naturally, is that Negotiation Skills, by definition, includes a sophisticated set of skills to be mastered in conjunction with the required theoretical base (the course curriculum). Part of this is experiental learning.
During and in particular after these exercises, students get feedback on all aspects of their performance, including: correct choice of strategy, proper use of tactics, communication styles, grasp of the special elements from the curriculum, general performance and naturally suggestions for modifications/​improvements. This feedback/input is given as peer-to-peer input as well as, of course, by the lecturer.
Student workload
Lectures 36 hours
Preparation 130 hours
Examination 40 hours
Expected literature

Ibsen, Robert: Real Negotiations (Samfundslitteratur, 2014)

Slidepacks

Articles, papers etc.

Exercises and cases
Last updated on 28-03-2017