Lan­guage of Ne­go­ti­ations

Course content

The course aims to give students a perspective on the approaches to various negotiation techniques by helping them sift through diverse theories and evaluate their importance. They will develop critical skills to work with negotiations by giving them the competence to decide on the correct style, approach, and form of language within a particular cultural context. Ultimately, they will acquire the necessary confidence and intercultural skills to communicate and negotiate with parties from a wide array of foreign countries on issues of business and political matters. 

The course picks up on the essential phases of the negotiation journey, from the requirement to listen openly and constructively, to reframing the dispute into potentially common ground, to the win-win resolution. At each stage we look at the necessary and correct language which should be used to maximize positive affect, and pave the way for future harmony and mutual benefit. Furthermore, the course looks closely at cultural differences which impact negotiations and points out the difference in approach needed to navigate communication around the world. Cultural differences in negotiation styles cover behaviour, level of language, non-verbal language, and different ways of thinking which constitute the decision-making process.