Applied Skills: Becoming an Effective Negotiator
| Module title | Applied Skills: Becoming an Effective Negotiator |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM159 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Deborah Goodwin (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
How good are you at negotiating? Are you ready for the needs of your chosen career? Would you like to be better prepared?Everyone talks about the importance of negotiation, don’t they? But rarely are we supported in developing our negotiation skills, especially when we can ground them in sound academic research and proven practical application. Here is your chance to get a step ahead of the rest.
This module can be described as practical academics. You will learn about negotiation behaviours and strategies, how people think and react, develop effective negotiation techniques, apply your skills, assess the effects, and witness real-world negotiations. The skills you will be taught are those used by global professionals, and you can finish this module with a professional negotiation toolkit ready for your working (and personal) life. You don’t need any prior knowledge to choose this module and it is also recommended for interdisciplinary study pathways. Negotiation is a life skill- so can you afford to just ‘get by’ when here is your chance to excel?
Module aims - intentions of the module
Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development. (Mandela) The core emphasis in this Module is empowering you to become a professional accomplished and knowledgeable negotiator. This module has the rare distinction of combining an appreciation of formal studies and frameworks together with a proven developmental and applied skillset for you to use in your chosen career. The Module convenor has significant international standing in academic research in negotiation per se, usefully combined with practical experience as a qualified crisis negotiator including supporting the UN. By undertaking this module, you will become an applied practical academic negotiator.
An effective negotiator can be nurtured and trained and is not pre-destined. You have chosen studies that require you being able to successfully and confidently influence, communicate and persuade others in many professional contexts. Here at Exeter, we offer you this rare opportunity to undertake an advanced module that will result in a personal professional skillset in negotiation competency, balanced with an appreciation of formal thinking in this subject. This module will support any work placement, and your other studies in the College of Social Sciences and International Studies. Most importantly, it will facilitate your future professional role where understanding and persuasion are crucial.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Critically evaluate at least two key formal negotiation frameworks
- 2. Demonstrate practical application of multiple negotiating skillsets and techniques
- 3. Demonstrate substantive knowledge and applied understanding of the main factors in negotiation thinking, behaviour and strategy
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Display considered appreciation of the core applied Negotiating elements of Positions, Interests, Active Listening and Influencers
- 5. Demonstrate the ability to understand and apply formal theories and frameworks to inform practical application in a negotiating context
- 6. Exhibit an appreciation of the relationship between knowledge and practice
- 7. Demonstrate critical reflection about your personal negotiation knowledge and skills
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. Demonstrate a high level of confidence and expertise in negotiating skills
- 9. Demonstrate informed self-awareness and better understanding of others
- 10. Communicate effectively, demonstrating emotional intelligence and listening skills
- 11. Evidence personal persuasiveness and influencing skills
- 12. Appreciate factors such as risk, option creation, barriers to agreement, negotiating styles, emotions, and their impact on dialogue
- 13. Demonstrate a tangible transferable skill in negotation for post-University professional contexts
- 14. Experience skills development in context relevant situations
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- The significant role of negotiation in conflict resolution, politics, crisis events, peace-making, security and de-escalation contexts
- Deep analysis of 3 significant negotiation case-studies: Munich Olympics, Iranian Embassy Siege and Waco
- Professional Active Listening and Negotiation skills applied skills delivered by qualified Module practitioner
- Understanding human behaviours, biases and schemas in negotiation discourse
- Understanding yourself and others (biases and schemas)
- Persuasive and influential dialogue techniques
- Professional negotiation planning and analysis tools
- How academic theories and models usefully inform the practitioner
- By experiencing and evaluating real negotiations opportunities, you will critically assess what you see and hear to build your own influence skills
- The value and impact of the Plan B in negotiation
- The effect of trust and risk issues in negotiation
- The impact of different personal negotiation discourse styles
- Option creation
- Building your own Negotiator’s Toolkit
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hr seminars & case-study analysis |
| Guided Independent Study | 128 | Pre-reading: preparation for core seminars, practicals and case-studies |
| Guided Independent Study | 150 | Case study and reflective analyses. Use of course resources, post seminar research, review of information from seminars and additional material chosen by student, production of assessed deliverables |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyadic negotiation (in seminar) | 1.25 hrs | 2-3,5,7-14 | verbal |
| Multiparty negotiation (in seminar) | 2 hrs | 1-14 | verbal |
| Self-reflective 2 minutes podcast summary of first 4 seminar themes | 2 minutes | 1-7 | verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case-study analysis (podcast) (Subject chosen from set list) | 100 | Podcast (15 mins maximum) Student to supply full script of podcast also. Submission by end week 9 | 1-14 | Email report |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case-study analysis (podcast) | Podcast and full script re-submission | 1-14 | Re-submission by end week 11 Email report feedback by end of term |
Re-assessment notes
Case-study podcast- students can choose to re-work their original subject choice or choose a new subject from the required podcast topics list for re-assessment, in discussion with Module Convenor.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator Leigh Thompson Prentice Hall, 1998 - 359 pages
International Negotiation: Analysis, Approaches, Issues, 2nd Edition Victor A. Kremenyuk (Editor) Aug 2013, Jossey-Bass
Peace versus Justice: Negotiating Forward- and Backward-Looking Outcomes / edited by William I. Zartman, Victor Kremenyuk. Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005.
Getting to yes : negotiating an agreement without giving in / by Roger Fisher and William Ury ; with Bruce Patton, editor. London : Random House Business, 2012. Description xxvii, 204 p. ; 20 cm.
Negotiation in international conflict: understanding persuasion / edited by Deborah Goodwin. Imprint London : Frank Cass, 2002. Series Sandhurst conference series; 4
Influence: the psychology of persuasion / Robert B. Cialdini. New York : Collins, 2007.
The Military and Negotiation: The Role of the Soldier-Diplomat Cass Series on Peacekeeping Deborah Goodwin Taylor & Francis, 2004 (This book is also published in Chinese, ISBN: 978-986-02-4491-5)
Social Psychology Michael A Hogg & Graham. M Vaughan Pearson Prentice Hall 2002
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Module Convenor has designed an on-line student resource containing mini exercises, summaries, articles and other useful information for you to use as an aide-memoire throughout the course.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 12/10/2018 |
| Last revision date | 26/06/2019 |
