CM U82 - International Negotiations and Dispute Resolution*, Q3 *CLOSED FOR FURTHER ENROLMENT*

Faculty
Professor Verner Worm, Professor Anne Marie Bülow

Course Coordinator
Professor Verner Worm

None

Course Description

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.

Teaching Style

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 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. The students will through exercises learn to analyse and deal with complex, international negotiations and dispute resolutions in an increased globalized world, where many cases have an East-West dimension. The shift of the world economy towards the East will be brought to the attention of the students so that they can understand this shift in relation to international negotiation and dispute resolution.

Course aim:

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.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course participants should:

Written closed book exam using CBS computers. No aids