THE HEINZ COLLEGE
MSIT-SE M Pr ogram
Negot iat ion 9480 0
On-line Syllabus – Mini 4, 2011
Scheduled class time:
Monday evenings, 9-10 p.m.
Jared D. Simmer, MLIR, J.D., EdD (ABD)
(C) 724-575-0898 (F) 412-367-2819
jaredsimmer@gmail.com
T.A. – Christine Tebes
ctebes@andrew.cmu.edu – 412.874.8736
“In business, as in life, you don’t get what you deserve - you get what you negotiate .”
- Chester Karrass
________________________________________________________________________________ ______________
Introduction
Welcome to Negotiation. This on-line course focuses on improving negotiating competencies in both
personal and organizational contexts. To improve your skills requires that you both learn about negotiation
as well as actually practice the skill. This course attempts to do that through a combination of assessments,
exercises, reading, videos and simulations. In subject matter and approach this class is designed to provide
understanding and insight into your present negotiating abilities, as well as challen ge your comfort zone to
encourage continuous improvement going forward.
Course objectives
The primary purpose of Negotiation is to provide you with the opportunity to increase your negotiating
effectiveness. However, it’s important to recognize that the extent to which your skills improve will to a
large extent be a function of how committed you are to better understanding yourself, how open -minded
you are about learning new skills, and how willing you are to take risks to change longstanding habits
(remember, as Oscar Wilde once said, “Experience is the name e veryone gives to their mistakes ”).
Specifically, the following primary objectives will be addressed in this class:
- Creation of an individualized negotiation profile identifying your current negotiating strengths
and weaknesses.
- An understanding of the dynamics and complexities of the negotiation process.
- Learn how to effectively negotiate in different contexts, including 1:1, on teams, acting as an
agent and negotiating in the work place.
- Development of an individualized ethical negotiating framework.
Format of the class
This is an on-line class that is set up through Blackboard . Classroom activities will occur either on-line
or via conference call. Students will be responsible for regularly logging on to Blackboard to:
- Get details on c lass assignments.
- Find out how students in the class have been paired up to negotiate .
- Engage in discussion boards to debrief assignments with classmates .
- Access posted reading material such as articles, etc.
- Watch posted on-line videos.
Students will be asked to submit assignments via e -mail, and students will receive their grades the
same way.
Class structure
The class will be comprised of the following components:
-
A textbook which provides additional background information to enrich the lectures and
exercises.
-
Weekly pre-recorded lectures narrating class Powerpoint slides – these will be posted on
Blackboard each week for viewing at the stud ent’s convenience.
-
A package of assessment instruments that students will complete to help them identify their
negotiating strengths and weaknesses.
-
Four videos on negotiation-related topics that will be posted on-line.
-
A weekly conference call (class time) where students and the instructor can explore
topics of interest, review class lectures, discuss upcoming assignments, and answer questions
-
Weekly mock negotiations with fellow classmates; pairings will be posted in advance on
Blackboard. Students will make their own arrangements and conduct these negotiations using
Skype or some similar synchronous on-line communication software. These negotiations will be
a mix of 1:1 and team-based.
-
Three out-of-class actual negotiations of the student’s choosing; options include negotiating a
retail sale, a service contract, resolution of interpersonal differences, or a workplace
negotiation.
-
Various articles on negotiation -related topics that will be posted on Blackboard .
Class attendance/participation:
Attendance is a very important component of a student’s final grade in this course. In order to
receive full credit for classroom attendance (up to 9 points for each class), students must actively
participate in the conferenc e call (up to 3 points), successfully complete each week's assignments and
submit them on time (up to 2 points), and post at least three original comments and three substantive
responses to other student’s comments on each week's discussion board (up to 2 points).
Discussion boards will be set up on Blackboard to help student's share thoughts on exercises, role
plays, assigned reading from the textbook, out-of-class negotiations, lectures and posted articles and what
they learned that will prove useful in their careers.
The T.A. will be keeping track of and grading each student's contribution. Please note that
participation in discussion boards encompass three activities:
- The number of each student’s comments/feedback.
- The timeliness of comments.
- The degree to which the student asks appropriate questions and/or provokes useful discussion of
the topic.
- The depth and substance of the student's observations and comments.
Once on-line negotiating assignments are made , students will be responsible for coordinating their
schedules with each other to complete these activities in advance of the due date. After they have
completed their negotiation, students will then be expected to share their results with other on the
designated discussion board. The exercise will then be debriefed collectively during the following week’s
class.
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Essentials of Negotiation, 5th Ed., by Lewicki, Barry and Saunders, McGraw -Hill (ISBN 978-0-07353036-9) is the text for this class and pr ovides an excellent conceptual overview of the field and serves as
a nice supplement to the class-related lecture and activities.
Course requirements
The course will be graded on a 100-point scale, distributed as follows:
1. 20 points (20%) - Negotiation Profile Inventory & Summary Report (4-5 pages). Before the start
of classes students will be asked to complete a series of assessments to help identify and
understand various dimensions of their negotiating competencies that will be discussed during
the first class. Students will have until the Sunday following the first class to contribute
comments to the discussion board and turn in their write-ups.
2. 49 points (49%) – Active participation in each of the seven (7) classroom conference calls,
successful completion of all weekly assignments, and substantive contribution to discussion
boards. Please note: Students will be expected to participate in at least 6 out of 7 scheduled
class conference calls. Students who are unable to participate in at least six conference calls
may have to successfully complete an additional assignment in order to pass the course.
3. 21 points (21%) - Out-of-class negotiation write -ups. Students will complete three (3) out of the
following four out-of-class negotiations (students get to choose which three they wish to do) .
Each assignment, worth up to 7 points, will require a brief write-up (please see the template,
attached). The four negotiations to choose from a re: negotiating with a retail store (e.g.,
clothing, furniture, automobile, appliance) to attempt a price reduction of an item ; negotiating
with a service provider (e.g., cable t.v., cell phone, high -speed internet, etc.) to get a price
reduction or an enhanced benefit/service; negotiating resolution of an interpersonal dispute
(e.g., family member/someone you know ); or negotiating an issue at work (e.g., workload,
budgets, performance appraisal, etc.) . Write-ups will be due as follows:
-
First negotiation:
(conducted during week 2, write-up turned in week 3)
Second negotiation: (conducted during week 3, write-up turned in week 4)
Third negotiation:
(conducted during week 4, write-up turned in week 5)
4. 10 points (10%) – Write-up of the “Sluggers Come Home” video (3-4 pages). Students will be
provided a link to watch a video of a commercial negotiation that will be posted on-line. Using
the provided template (see attached) students will write a paper that analyzes the video. This
paper will be due no later than the day before the 6th scheduled class conference call.
Grading
Points
Percent
Grade
95-100
95-100%
A
90-94
90-94%
A-
85-89
85-89%
B+
80-84
80-84%
B
75-79
75-79%
B-
Academic integrity
All Carnegie Mellon University and Heinz College policies regarding academic integrity apply.
Disability
If you have a disability that warrants an accommodation, please contact the T.A./instructor and the Heinz
College before the first class.
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CLASS
Class
pre-work
TOPICS
WEEKLY
ASSIGNMENTS
 Complete the Negotiation Profile Inventory and
submit write-up by Sunday evening before the 1st
class
-----
 Watch class #1 lecture posted on-line
 Watch the Dealing with Conflict video posted on-line
Week 1
Overview of
the field
Week 2
Win-win vs.
win-lose
 Conference call class #1 – Discuss posted
lecture (overview of the negotiation
process and negotiating styles) and,
 Conduct Used Car mock negotiation on Skype
(pairings will be posted on-line) – participate in the
discussion board – submit outcome report form by
Sunday night
 Essentials: Ch. 1 & 4
 Debrief Negotiation Profile Inventory
 Watch class #2 lecture posted on-line
 Conference call class #2 – Discuss posted
lecture (overview of distributive (win-lose)
vs. integrative (win-win) bargaining) and,
 Watch the Three Rules of Win-Win video p0sted online
 Essentials: Ch. 2 & 3
 Watch class #3 lecture posted on-line
 Conduct the Red Light – Green Light – Yellow Light
Class exercise on Skype (pairings will be posted online) – participate in discussion board
 Debrief Used Car negotiation
 Conduct first out-of-class negotiation – participate
in the discussion board - submit write-up by Sunday
evening
 Essentials: Ch. 8
Week 3
Negotiation
ethics
 Conference call class #3 – Discuss posted
lecture (negotiation ethics) and,
 Watch class #4 lecture posted on-line
 Debrief Red Light-Green Light-Yellow Light
Exercise
 Conduct second out-of-class negotiation –
participate in the discussion board – submit write-up
by Sunday evening
 Conduct Anatolian Apples negotiation on Skype
(pairings will be posted on-line) – participate in
discussion board – submit write-up by Sunday night
 Watch the Sluggers Come Home video posted on-line
 Essentials: Ch. 6 & 7
Week 4
Negotiating
the job offer
 Conference call class #4 – Discuss posted
lecture (negotiating the job offer) and,
 Debrief Anatolian Apples negotiation
 Watch class #5 lecture posted on-line
 Conduct Chris v. Jean negotiation on Skype (pairings
Will be posted on-line) – participate in discussion
Board - submit write-up by Sunday evening
 Conduct third out-of-class negotiation – participate
in the discussion board – submit write-up by Sunday
evening
Week 5
Negotiating
in the
workplace
Week 6
Negotiating
through an
agent
 Essentials: Ch. 5
 Conference call class #5 – Discuss posted
lecture (workplace negotiations) and,
 Watch class #6 lecture posted on-line
 Debrief Chris v. Jean negotiation
 Conduct Performance Appraisal negotiation on Skype
(pairings will be posted on-line) – participate
in discussion board – submit write-up by
Sunday evening
 Conference call class #6 – Discuss posted
lecture (agency negotiations) and,
 Complete Pittsburgh Alleghenies Soccer Club
negotiation on Skype (pairings will be posted online) – participate in the discussion board – submit
write-up by Sunday evening
 Debrief Performance Appraisal negotiation
 Essentials: Ch. 9
 Watch class #7 lecture posted on-line
 Sluggers Come Home write-up due by Sunday evening
Week 7
Team-based
negotiations
 Conference call class #7 – Discuss posted
 Essentials: Ch. 10, 12
lecture (negotiating in teams) and,
 Debrief Pittsburgh Alleghenies negotiation
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O u t - o f - C l a s s N e g o t i at i o n W r i t e - u p T e m p la t e
Student’s name: _________________________________________________________
Indicate the assignment: _____ (Retail) _____ (Service) _____ (Interpersonal) _____ (Workplace)
Please use the following template to write up each of the three (3) out -of-class negotiations you have
chosen to do. In order to receive full credit, you must fully explain your comments, showing insight and
understanding of the process, and what useful skills/knowledge you learned from the negotiation.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
A . H o w d i d y o u p r e p a r e f o r t h i s n e g o t i at i o n ?
B . W h at w a s y o u r s t r a t e g y g o i n g i n t o t h e n e go t i a t i on ? W h y ?
C . H o w / w h e r e / wh e n / w i t h w h om d i d y o u r n e g o t i a t i on t a k e p l ac e ?
D . W e r e y o u n e r v o u s / un s u r e b e f o re o r d u r i n g t h e n e g ot i a t i on , a n d if s o , w h at an d w h y ?
E . W h at w a s t h e o u t c o m e o f t h e n e g o t i at i o n ; d e s c r i b e t h e n e g ot i a t i o n p r oc e s s .
F . S p e c i f ic a l l y , in w h at w a y s w e r e y o u s a t is f ie d / d i s s at i s f i e d w it h t h e o ut c om e ?
G . E x p l a i n t h e t h i n gs d i d y o u d o w e l l i n t h e n eg o t i a t i on ?
H . S p e c i f ic a l l y , e xp l a i n w h a t y o u d i d d u r i n g t h e n e g ot i at i o n t h a t c o u l d u s e i m p r o v e m e n t ?
I.
W h at d i d y o u l e a rn t h a t y o u w i l l h e l p y o u im p r o v e h o w w e l l y o u d o o n y o u r n e xt
n e g o t i at i o n ?
J . F i n a l l y , wh a t d i d y ou l e a r n i n t h i s n e g o t i at io n t h at c o u l d h e l p y ou i n y o u r c a r e e r ?
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“Sl ug ger s Com e Home”
Write-up Template
You are to watch the posted on-line video called, “Sluggers Come Home”. The link to the
video will be posted on Blackboard during the third week of class. After watching the video
please write up the following analysis:
→
Papers are to be 3-4 pages in length.
→
Papers will be due on the next-to-last (6th) night of class.
→
Please answer each of the following fourteen (14) questions in order.
1.
What was the vide o ab out?
2. What position s did eac h party take during negotiations ? How/why did these positions
change?
3. What were the underly ing interests of each p arty ?
4. Discuss the strengths and we aknesses of the ball field owners ’ BAT NA(s)
5. Discuss the strengths and we aknesses of the baseball tea m owner’s BATNA(s) .
6. What were the b allf iel d owne rs’ asking -target -reservation p rice?
7. What was the baseb all team owner’s asking -t arget -reservat ion pric e?
8. What kinds of tactics/t echniques did each part y use to k eep negotiations on track and
avoid imp asse?
9. What role did the mem bers of each negot iating team play in helpin g the ir chief
spokesperson get the deal done?
10. What role did the may or play in helping to close the deal? What does this suggest
regarding the value of using an outside, ne utral third party to help parties move past
impasse?
11. Was the final contract a “good” deal for eith er or both sides? Why/why not?
12. Was the baseball team owner’s attempt to “nibble” f or further concessions at the end
of the negotiation suc cessful? Why/why not ? Is this tactic ethical?
13. Even though the parties had a “deal”, did an y items remain un resolved at the end of
negotiations b ut before the final agreement had been s igned? What were they?
14. What did you learn that c ould help you become a more eff ective negotiator in y our
own care er?
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