Governors State University College of Arts & Sciences Communications Program

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1 Governors State University College of Arts & Sciences Communications Program Syllabus Course Title: Negotiation Skills COMS 509A Instructor: Marilyn Yirku, MA, LCPC Office Location: E-2560 Office Phone: Office Hours: Credit: Monday: 11:00 am 4:00 pm Wednesday: 11:00 am 4:00 pm Thursday: 3:00 pm 7:00 pm 3 hours Term: Spring, 2011 Monday, 4:30 pm 7:20 pm Required Text: Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Fisher & Uri, of the Harvard Negotiation Project Houghton Mifflin Co., Penguin Books. Course Description: Negotiation is the art and science of securing an agreement between 2 or more independent parties. Through understanding the behavior evidenced in competitive situations, the student will develop negotiation skills which will prove to be a valuable asset in every area of life. This course will allow students to develop negotiation skills experientially and understand negotiation in useful analytical frameworks. Considerable emphasis will be placed on negotiation exercises and role-playing in class, followed by group discussion, lecture and individual analysis. Prerequisites: None Intended Audience: All communication Studies majors and minors, and anyone interested in developing their negotiation skills. This class is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Instructional Modality: Working towards integrative agreements is the goal of all good negotiators. The class will alternate between theory-based lectures and experiential exercises. Students will participate in negotiation simulation in pairs, in small groups of three to five, and in large groups. Class discussion will follow each exercise, and strategies and tactics will be shared. There will be ample opportunity to question, examine and practice methods of negotiation in a variety of real-life situations. This is a highly interactive class with active participation mandatory. There will be written assignments. 1

2 Program Goals and Objectives for the BA in Communication: 1. Develop skills for constructing effective messages across multiple forms of media. 2. Identify message meanings and their significance. 3. Examine techniques of effective message design. 4. Cultivate dynamic communication tools and skills to adapt to changing technological, sociocultural, political, leadership, and economic environments. 5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and with integrity as informed and engaged global citizens. 6. Identify paradigms of communication which encourage lifelong and experiential learning. 7. Explore the relationships between communication and culture as a means of fostering intercultural relationships. 8. Identify and exemplify ethical and professional communication practices that promote human relations. 9. Demonstrate ability to use technology including: using appropriate software for assignments, searching the internet and library databases to access relevant literature, and using electronic mail with attachments. Course Objectives: 1. Examine and improve our communication styles, focusing especially on non-verbals and listening. 2. Recognize negotiation styles your own and others. 3. Understand the behavior of individuals, groups and organizations in the context of competitive situations. 4. Develop and practice negotiation skills leading to win/win solutions. 5. Learn powerful influencing strategies and bargaining tactics. 6. Integrate BATNA, resistance point, target and bargaining zone into all negotiation plans. 7. Practice listening skills and become far more aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. What are people REALLY saying? 8. Learn how to maximize your position through building alliances, controlling environment, and doing your homework. Expected Student Outcomes: Students will: Become more aware of the importance of effective communication especially listening. Learn what pushes their buttons, thus learning to stay more in control. Become far better at negotiating everyday situations, while maintaining their personal power. Know how important it is for everyone to save face. Become more organized in their thought process and ability to analyze. Build and ;maintain more successful relationships. Requirements and Grades: Students are required to attend all class sessions in which negotiation exercises are scheduled, and be prepared to fully participate in the exercises and discussions. There will be 4 written assignments (5 for graduate students). Content and length of these papers are described below. Papers will be graded using the following criteria: 2

3 Organization: Is the paper clearly written and professionally presented? Understanding: How well do you understand the concepts you employ? Perceptiveness: Are you able to bring meaningful insight to your report? Creativity: Are you able to extend, modify or elaborate the concepts you employ? Structure, Grammar and Spelling: You are expected to write in a manner that is acceptable at a university level. Grades will be based on the following: 60% - preparedness and participation in all class exercises and discussion 40% - written assignments = A = B = C = D Below 60 = F Written Assignments: Paper #1 (due week 5) 3-5 page essay on text, Getting to Yes. Summarize important points in book and include your reaction to the reading. Paper #2 (due week 10) 3-5 page reaction paper on In Da Boat exercise. Write your reaction. What were your feelings as negotiation continued? How did you respond (both internally and externally) to others opinions? Did you learn anything about yourself? About the others? Paper #3 (due week 13) 3-5 page summary and reaction paper to the Porsche exercise. Summarize what went on in your own group, and how you acted and reacted during the exercise. Paper #4 (due week 15) 3-5 page essay on what you learned a bout yourself and others during the last 15 weeks of this course, Graduate Paper (due week 13) 6-8 pages. Analyze a major negotiation that has taken place. What was the issue? What were the important points on each side? Was an agreement reached? What was it? How was it reached? Was there coalition building? Was the negotiation process principled? Was it a win/win? This is not just a narrative or a description, but your analysis of what took place. Do your research! Important Note: At times some students have difficulty writing the assignments. If this occurs, students will be asked to seek assistance through the Student Development Office at GSU. The ability to write well is an important component of effective communication. Understanding the content of this course is only half of what is required to pass the course. Because this is a communication class, it is expected that students can express themselves well in both oral and written form. It is the policy of the University and the Communication Program that any and all forms of plagiarism are not only unacceptable, but may result in a failing grade for the class. If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, consult the APA Manual. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers prior to the beginning of class. It is rude and unprofessional to have your phone ringing during class. This also applies to texting No talking, no texting during class. Weekly Schedule 3

4 Week 1 (1/24) Course orientation. Introductions. Review syllabus and expectations. Week 2 Read text: Introduction, Part I The Problem and Part II The Method. (1/31) Lecture and class discussion. Week 3 Read text: Part III Yes, but.,and Part IV In Conclusion. In-class exercise, (2/7) The Sailor. Lecture and class discussion. Week 4 Class exercise The Dentist and The Mechanic. Students will arrive in class (2/14) fully prepared to play their role in the exercise. Discussion follows. Week 5 (2/21) Summary & Reaction Paper on text is due. Lecture and class discussion. Week 6 Class exercise El Tek. Students will arrive in class fully prepared to play (2/28) their role in the exercise. Discussion follows. Week 7 (3/7) Week 8 (3/14) Week 9 (3/21) Lecture and discussion on handout: Principled Negotiation. Spring Break no class! Class exercise In Da Boat. Lecture and class discussion. Week 10 Reaction paper to In Da Boat exercise is due. (3/28) Class exercise The Transplant Team. Students will arrive in class fully prepared to play their role in the exercise. Class discussion. Week 11 Read text Part V Ten Questions People Ask About Getting To Yes. Lecture and (4/4) discussion on tactics, styles, principles, terminology, theories and win/win Solutions. Week 12 Class exercise Porsche. Students will arrive in class fully prepared to play (4/11) their role in the exercise. Class discussion. Week 13 Summary & Reaction Paper due (Porsche exercise). Graduate Paper due. (4/18) Large and small group discussions on everyday negotiations Week 14 Class exercise Harbarco. Students will arrive in class fully prepared to play (4/25) their role. This exercise will take up the entire session. Week 15 (5/2) Final Paper due. Harbarco exercise discussion. Class wrap-up. GSU is committed to providing all students equal access to all university programs and facilities. Students who have a documented physical, psychological, or learning disability and need academic 4

5 accommodation, must register with Access Services for Students with Disabilities (ASSD). Please contact the Coordinator of ASSD in Room B1201 in person, by , or by calling If you are already registered, please contact your instructor privately regarding your academic accommodations. Recommended Books on Negotiation Negotiating Rationally. M. Bazerman and M. Neal. The Free Press. A comprehensive look at negotiation from a decision analytic perspective, with many real-world examples. Includes chapters on biases, experience and expertise, as well as group negotiation and third parties. The Manager as Negotiator. D. Lax and J. Sebenius. The Free Press. This is an excellent book for managers, which deals with many aspects of negotiation in a sophisticated manner. See especially chapters 2-6, 10 (power), and 13 (sustaining arguments). The book also includes chapters on negotiating in hierarchies, in networks, and through agents. The Art and Science of Negotiation. H. Raiffa. Harvard University Press. Another excellent book tends to be on the quantitative side. Includes chapters on multi-party negotiations, coalitions, and contingent contracts. Negotiation. R. Lewicki and J. Litterer. Includes some issues not handled by many previous books, including communication, persuasion and ethics. Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation. W. Ury. Bantam Books. This book describes a 5-step breakthrough strategy to be used in difficult negotiation situations. Excellent advice for dealing with people who refuse to negotiate. Judgment in Decision Making. M. Bazerman. Wiley Press. An excellent book specializing in decision making, biases, creativity and judgment. The first several chapters involve individual decision making while the second half of the book addresses decision making in negotiation contexts. Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate and Settlement. D. Pruitt and J. Rubin. Random House. This book specializes in techniques for recognizing and avoiding irrational escalation in negotiation. It includes chapters on: contentious tactics, processes that produce escalation, stalemate and de-escalation, and the importance of third-party intervention. Getting Disputes Resolved: Systems to Cut the Costs of Conflicts. S. Ury, J. Brett and S. Goldberg. Jossey-Bass. This book offers a method to design and implement on-going dispute resolution systems within organizations. An extensive case history on ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) in the coal industry makes up the second half of the book. International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. N. Adler Kent. See chapter 7 (pages ) for an excellent discussion of negotiating internationally. International Negotiations: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. G. Fisher. Intercultural Press. This book examines the importance of knowing and understanding the various cultures of people throughout the world in the context of communicating and negotiating in the international business world. 5

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