040609 KU International Negotiations (MA) (2021W)

The World Economic Forum established negotiation as one of the ten most important skills to have (WEC, 2016). Everybody negotiates, however, managers and professionals should know how to manage conflict and how to negotiate effectively. The goal of this course is to improve students’ negotiation skills by equipping them with the knowledge required to conduct, manage, and analyze negotiation processes.

Discussed topics include basics of negotiations (e.g., BATNA, ZOPA, different negotiation outcomes, etc.), negotiation analysis, cognitive biases in negotiations, personality and negotiations, strategies and tactics, communication, and cross-cultural negotiations.

NOTE I: As this course is notoriously overbooked, a 2nd course has already be planned. Please register for the first course. A second group will be opened automatically once the first group is full. To switch between groups please contact the StudentServiceCenter Wirtschaftswissenschaften.

NOTE II: Because of COVID-19, the course will employ, as the university calls it, blended learning.

a) Preparation Materials. At the beginning of the course, you will be provided with links to online videos and/or reading materials. The materials are in the form of mini-case studies.
b) Small Groups & Attendance. For the lectures, the class will be split into smaller groups (either online or in person, depending on university guidelines). Thus, each student only has to attend a subset of the dates of the schedule on u:find (the dates you will have to attend will be assigned after the introduction session).
c) Workshops & Preparation. The lectures will take the form of negotiation workshops with role-plays, debriefings, and exercises. Please use the provided material to prepare for the workshops. It is essential that you prepare for the workshop so we can focus on the practical application.
d) Online Negotiation. As part of the course, you will also participate in an online negotiation with colleagues from Germany, Brazil, and the Netherlands. The online negotiation will take place mid-December via an online negotiation platform.