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2026/2027  KAN-CPOLV2501U  International Negotiations

English Title
International Negotiations

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Second Quarter, Third Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 150
Study board
Study Board for Global Business and Politics
Programme MSc in International Business and Politics
Course coordinator
  • Mads Dagnis Jensen - Department of International Economics, Goverment and Business (EGB)
Main academic disciplines
  • Communication
  • Management
  • Strategy
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 27-01-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
At the end of the course participants should:
  • Be familiar with concepts and theories about international negotiation and dispute resolution
  • Be able to use them to analyze complex negotiation situations
  • Be able to suggest realistic ways of managing the interdependencies during negotiations
  • Be able to suggest ways of overcoming cultural differences in international negotiations and to solve the issues.
Course prerequisites
Enrolment in full time master degree program
Examination
International Negotiations:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 3 pages
Assignment type Synopsis
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter and Spring
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Course Description

Much managerial activity consists in bargaining, negotiation, and the resolution of disputes. Managers negotiate with superiors, peers, and subordinates, as well as with suppliers and customers, competitors and partners. Negotiation is a decision-making process through which two or more actors seek to reconcile conflicting interests. Effective negotiation can enhance outcomes for all parties. Ineffective negotiation, by contrast, typically produces poor outcomes for those who negotiate badly, may disadvantage others, and can sometimes prevent agreement even when a mutually beneficial settlement is available.

 

In a globalised world, international negotiation has become the operating norm. Globalisation has heightened both the costs and the benefits of interdependence for national governments, international firms, and non-governmental organisations. It is the management of this interdependence that makes negotiation indispensable. The capacity to act insightfully in complex environments is critical to successful international negotiation. Such insight, in turn, depends on managers’ ability to assess and appraise international negotiating situations accurately.

 

Course aim

The overall aims of the course are to strengthen students’ negotiating skills and to ground this development in a solid theoretical framework that clarifies the sources of effective and ineffective approaches to negotiation. We will apply core principles of negotiation theory to the appraisal of national and international negotiating situations. Subsequent discussions will concentrate on how these concepts and theories inform, shape, and improve practical negotiating behaviour.
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Teacher’s own research
Research-like activities
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The course is organised as blended learning: we combine online materials and discussions with in-class lectures on core negotiation concepts and theories. Students are expected to read the assigned materials in advance and to participate actively in discussions on Canvas, as well as to prepare for in-class debate. Intensive class discussions will be complemented by lectures, negotiation simulations, guest speakers, and case-based exercises.

If any business or international situation captures your attention, you are encouraged to post it on Canvas for further discussion and analysis. It is helpful to keep abreast of international developments, particularly in the global business environment, and to upload examples of current international negotiations on Canvas. The teachers will likewise upload current cases, which we shall draw upon in our class discussions.
Feedback during the teaching period
Ongoing feedback on student presentation and student performance in relation to the exercises.
Student workload
lectures 30 hours
preparation and exam 126 hours
exam 50 hours
Expected literature

Main literature:

 

Brett. J. (2014) Negotiating Globally. 3rd ed. Jossey-Bass (available in the library as an electronic resource)

 

Lewicki, R. et al. (2021) Essentials of Negotiations. 7th ed. McGraw-Hill International Edition (not yet in library – get from bookshop)

 

 

 

 
Last updated on 27-01-2026