POLICIES and SYLLABUS
Dr. Eric Rice
Negotiation & Conflict Management
660.335.01
Mondays 3:00 – 5:45
Fall, 2009
Office: 102G Whitehead Hall
Phone: 410:516-7193 (o)
301:371-4814 (h)
Office Hours: M 12:00-2:45
E-mail: Ericmrice@gmail.com
Course Overview: Conflict is a fact of life -- dealing with it often defines adults as
successful or unsuccessful in both their professional and personal life. This course
addresses the nature and practice of conflict resolution and the process of negotiation
between individuals as well as within and between groups and organizations.
The primary format for learning is structured, experiential exercises designed to
build skills through interpersonal exchange. Class time is devoted to negotiation,
observation, feedback, discussion, additional exercises and limited amounts of
presentation. Additionally, participants engage in reflection and explanation of their
considerations as the course progresses. Further, they read a several texts and a series of
articles as well as perform extensive research in preparation for negotiations and papers.
Specific Objectives: Course activities revolve around several specific objectives that
become demonstrable activities by the end of the semester. Specifically, you should be
able to:
1. Recognize and use various styles of conflict resolution deliberately and
constructively to reduce conflict in various life and business situations.
2. Work with others as colleagues to disagree constructively and with
professionalism so as to move toward arenas of potential agreement.
3. Assess negotiation situations, plan and enact optimal strategies for success.
4. Research background, interests and situations related to the disputes, conflicts
and negotiation situations under consideration.
5. Report on individual strengths and areas for improvement associated with
your own style.
6. Give and receive useful and constructive feedback.
7. Improve communication skills necessary to perform as effective professionals.
8. Explain similarities and differences as well as demonstrate techniques for
negotiating in other cultures.
Teaching Assistant: We have an excellent Course Assistant, Hilary Kinka this semester.
Previously Hilary took the course and performed with distinction. She will be helping
with course management, providing feedback on assignments, answering your questions
and assisting with grading. Consider Hilary your first source of information for questions
and advice. She will hold office hours in 104 Whitehead Hall each week on Wednesdays
from 11 –12 noon.
Attendance and Participation: Class attendance and participation are required. Due to
the experiential nature of the class, we cannot start class until everyone is present.
Therefore, please arrive in time to settle in. Also know that much of the in-class time is
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self-managed, so you must use the time effectively. You also must use your watch and
respond to the time allotments provided within the exercises.
I will try to manage the end of the class period, however, sometimes we may
extend a few minutes late, or end slightly early.
You must be present each time class meets. It is an interactive course. If you are
not in class, you cannot engage in the required negotiation experience and others in class
lose the opportunity to learn from you.
Unavoidable circumstances arise. If that occurs, please contact your instructor by
email or leave a message at 301:371-4814 if you are unexpectedly late or will miss the
class completely. In your message, please indicate the role you were assigned for that
day. Additionally, if you know ahead (at least a day) that you will arrive late or miss a
class, please send me an email.
Know that missing more than one class makes it very difficult to earn an overall
grade anywhere in the A range; missing more than 2 classes means it may be difficult to
earn better than a C. Therefore, if you expect to be absent more than once, consider
taking the course another semester.
If you are absent at the end of class for any reason, make arrangements with
another student or see Hilary to obtain your role assignments for the next week.
Also remember to turn off cell phones and text messaging until class is over.
During class, please participate in the discussions and exercises.
Read and prepare for your roles; participate fully and provide feedback on the
case. Learn as you research, participate, reflect, prepare, watch, interact and listen.
Recognize that you will not be able to read and prepare as class or the negotiations begin,
so you must prepare in advance.
You are expected to keep a web log of your experiences in the course as a means
of increasing your awareness and analysis of the process and as one mechanism for
grading. Please begin your on-line log before the third session of class, and make your
initial entry about the first negotiation. Send your log each week to Hilary at the
following email address -- hkinka1@jhu. The entry after each class is due by midnight
each Wednesday beginning in the third week of class. Ensure that the posting is a word
document and addresses each negotiation by name in your reflection.
We observe your negotiations and make notes that we use in discussion and
grading. Additionally, we expect to video some negotiations and use the tape to discuss
communication patterns and conflict resolution strategies.
Assignments: You have four types of assignments for the semester – the negotiations, a
case study, a mid-term exam and a final summary paper. You will receive materials
and/or instructions on each.
The negotiations require reading, researching, preparing and turning in the prep
sheets; participating within your role in the negotiation; debriefing the negotiation; and
after reflection, writing your journal/log entry on the experience.
The mid-term exam is a detailed negotiation preparation. You will use a revised
version of the forms in the Appendix of Getting Ready to Negotiate as the preparation
guide. The timing of the assignment will be explained in class.
The case study is an original negotiation case that you and a partner must research
and write and that your classmates will negotiate.
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The final paper is a summary of your development as a negotiator during the
course. In addition to your personal reflection, you are expected to use concepts from
your reading materials, additional research from experiences from class in your write-up.
Grades: Grades are assigned for materials associated with negotiations, exams,
and papers. You may choose the approximate weight of each of the four categories early
in the semester, but may not alter it later. The four categories of assignment and their
range of value are as follows:
Negotiations/class participation (including initial memo) 35-50%
Case study
20-30%
Mid-exam
15-20%
Final summary paper
15-25%
The negotiation grade is broken down in the following manner:
Journal Entries
Prep Sheets
Meeting Participation Expectations including Debriefing
30%
30%
40%
Journal/log entries and quick preps receive grades of 0, 1, 2 and 3. A “1” means
the assignment was not on time or was completed superficially. A “2” means indicated
that the assignment was completed accurately and thoughtfully and that it showed some
level of insight. A “3” means indicates the assignment was thorough, clear and unique in
insights about the case and experience.
Debriefings receive grades from 0 to 4 points, using the same scale for 0, 1, 2 and
3 points plus an additional point for the quality of your participation as observed in class.
Ways to lose points in the participation grade, in addition to doing a poor job in
the negotiation, log or debriefing, also include errors like
 Coming to class without your materials or unprepared;
 Failing to pursue the outside research you must complete before all
negotiations;
 Continuing to work on your Prep Sheet during class;
 Breaking out of your role;
 Reading from or frequently referring to the role preparation materials
during the case;
 Saying “my role sheet says” or “my role sheet is incorrect”;
 Coming to class late;
 Text messaging;
 Observing more than one time;
 Repeating your choice of negotiating partner;
 Skipping or snubbing the debriefing;
 Failing to make your log entry or submitting it incorrectly;
 Failing to contribute to class discussions.
Also recognize that papers that are received late will lose a letter grade per day of
lateness penalty.
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Academic Integrity: The strength of the university depends on academic and personal
integrity. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments
or materials from another class or student, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating
academic dishonesty and unfair competition.
You will complete many assignments with a colleague. Other assignments you
must complete independently. Exams and quizzes must be completed independently.
Your case study and your debriefings, however, will be completed jointly.
You must reference sources in papers. We will discuss guidelines in class.
Report any violations of academic integrity that you witness to your instructor. You may
consult the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and/or the chairperson of the Ethics Board
beforehand. See the guide on “Academic Ethics for Undergraduates” and the Ethics
Board Web site (http:ethics.jhu.edu) for more information.
Conferences: Informal or scheduled visits are welcome anytime during office hours or
by appointment.
Papers: Papers must be submitted on the appropriate form or paper. For negotiations,
that means the Prep Sheets, Debriefing Form, and Journal entry. For the midterm, use the
format prescribed on the examination assignment sheet. For the two papers, print by laser
or inkjet on 8 1/2" x 11" paper with 1" margins on all sides. Your Case Study and Final
Exam must be submitted electronically as well as a paper copy. Please use Word as the
software for the materials. Place your name and appropriate identification on each page.
For hard copy, staple pages together; avoid using a binder. Back up your work and keep
a copy of each paper for your records.
Due Dates: Writing products – including Quick Preps and Case Studies are due as class
begins on the date indicated. Late papers/assignments will be marked down one letter
grade for each missed class. Please do not continue working on papers during class.
Accommodating Students with Disabilities: The University and your instructor are
committed to provide appropriate accommodations for students with documented
disabilities. Turn in documentation and register with the Associate Director for
Disability Services, Garland Hall, Suite 130, and (410) 516-8949. Notify me of your
special needs early in the semester. If issues occur during the semester, please bring
information within two weeks.
Texts: The texts for this semester are as follows:
Getting to Yes by Fisher, Ury and Patton (ISBN 13 9780140157352);
Getting Ready to Negotiate by Fisher and Ertel (ISBN 13 9780140235319); and
Essentials of Negotiation by Lewicki, Saunders, Barry, and Minton (ISBN 13
9780073102764).
You may use an older edition of the Lewicki book to save a few dollars, if you
wish. Your instructor also will provide you with copies of a number of articles, which
you must read and incorporate into your practice and reflection activities.
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Class Schedule: The following class schedule describes how we will spend our time
together this semester. While the schedule may change due to class dynamics and your
instructor reserves the right to change this schedule, use the draft to plan your semester
activities. Complete the readings for the class period in which they are listed.
Week
Expected Activities
9/14
Introduce class, expectations and assignments. Review rules,
assignments and semester plans. Discuss conflict and strategies for
resolving it. Find dispute resolution situations in our lives. Learn
our own styles for dealing with issues. Work on skills associated
with conflict resolution including communication skills.
9/21
Interview friends and acquaintances at work about their
participation in negotiations. Prepare memo to submit and discuss
about what you learned. Prepare, participate in, and debrief first
negotiations. Review expectations for Quick Preps, Debriefs and
Log entries. Set up and report your web log.
9/28
Focus on distributive versus integrative negotiation. Read
Essentials of Negotiation, chapters 1, 2 & 3. Prepare, participate
and debrief Negotiations #1 and #2.
10/5
Focus on positions and interests. Read Getting to Yes. Read
supplemental materials #1. Prepare, participate and debrief
Negotiation #3.
10/12
Focus on persuading and influencing in negotiation. Read
Essentials of Negotiation, chapters 4, 5 and 7. Pick up mid-term
assignment. Prepare, participate and debrief Negotiations #4 and
#5.
10/19
Focus on negotiation dilemmas. Read Essentials of Negotiation,
chapter 8. Read supplemental materials #2. Work on personal
styles of influencing action/reaction. Prepare, participate and
debrief Negotiations #6 and #7.
10/26
Demonstrate Mid-term skills. Read Getting Ready to Negotiate,
pages 1-114.Prepare, participate and debrief Negotiation #8. Turn
in mid-term assignment.
11/2
Focus on Cultural Differences in Negotiation. Read Essentials,
chapter 11. Read supplemental materials #3. Prepare, participate
and debrief Negotiation #9. Pick up case development assignment.
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11/9
Focus on communication challenges within and between groups.
Read Essentials of Negotiation, chapters 6 and 9. Prepare,
participate and debrief Negotiations #10 and #11.
11/16
Complete and submit your negotiation case study. Consider
intractable situations. Read supplemental materials #4 and #5.
Prepare, participate and debrief Negotiation #12.
11/23
Read Essentials of Negotiation, chapters 10 and 12. Prepare,
participate and debrief Negotiations #13 and #14.
11/30
Prepare, participate and debrief Negotiation #15.
12/7
Prepare, participate and debrief Negotiation #16. Evaluate the
course.
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