Conflict Management

1. JUSTIFICATION:
The process of Globalization has changed the way people think, act and conduct business.
Today, professionals face new challenges that demand adaptability and preparation. This is
especially true with respect to negotiation, often considered as the primary mean to
achieving success, both in business and in conflict resolution, where stakes are high and
challenges grow everyday. This explains the large list of requirements that professionals
have to fulfil nowadays. Therefore, it is vital that they attain both theoretical knowledge and
practical skills in order to deal properly with the challenges of this intertwined world.
This course aims to address these needs by providing students with a theoretical
understanding of conflict management, a range of analytical and practical skills that deepen
the knowledge acquired in the previous course: “Fundamentals of negotiation”, and to
develop the abilities and the concepts necessary to take the course of “International
Negotiation”.
“The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare.”
Thane Yost
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2. GENERAL OBJECTIVE (S):
To understand negotiation as an effective way to manage conflict, and introduce conceptual
frameworks and practical skills that enable students to become effective negotiators.
To introduce certain concepts deemed necessary to understand the complexity and
dynamics of negotiation, improving students’ abilities to analyze and perform in negotiations
in a variety of contexts.
3. ANALITIC DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS:
UNIT One: Introduction and Overview of the course
• Course Overview
• Concepts: conflict, disputes, negotiation
• Managing conflict: Bargaining or Negotiation?
• Why to negotiate
Specific Objective
The first class will be used to define and clarify objectives for the course and define student
and professor expectations, roles and responsibilities. A brief exercise and lecture will
introduce students to major topics to be covered and define initial concepts to be expanded
upon during the course. To highlight negotiation’s complexity as distinct from the simplicity
of positional bargaining.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture
Bibliography
• MENKEL-MOFFIT, Michael L and BORDONE, Robert C (Editors). “The Handbook of
Dispute Resolution”. Program on Negotiation Books. Harvard Law School. 2005.
Chapter 1 (pages 1-8), chapter 2 (complete)
UNIT Two: First Approach: Negotiation and conflict, some general concepts
• Conflict: definition, levels and strategies
• The effect of conflict in society
• The nature of interest vs. aspirations
• Elements and the causes of conflict
Specific Objective
3/1
To describe and clarify concepts such as conflict and negotiation and their importance in
today’s world, and underlining the relevance and complexity of this area of study in a
globalized world.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• RUBIN, Jeffrey Z. Dean G. Pruitt, and Sung Hee Kim, Social Conflict: Escalation,
Stalemate and Settlement (2nd ed. 1994), Chapter 1, 2
UNIT Three: Understanding Conflict Dynamics
• Conflict size, classification and elements
• Interdisciplinary perspective on conflict
• Role of conflict in society
• The changing nature of conflict
Specific Objective
To examine the nature of conflict emphasizing that not all conflicts should be perceived as
harmful or bad and to highlight its potential positive aspects. Identify the changes in
people’s image of conflict throughout history and different perceptions of it from an
interdisciplinary point of view.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• RAHIM, M. Afzalur. Managing Conflict in Organizations: Third Edition. Quorum Books; 3
edition (December 30, 2000). “Nature of conflict”. Pages17-33.
UNIT Four: Escalation of Conflicts
• Conflict stages
• Escalation, de-escalation
• Crisis
• Social-psychological dimensions of conflict
Specific Objective
To analyze the conditions that may cause the stabilization, escalation or de-escalation, of
conflict. To identify how conflict is transformed during the escalation process. To determine
the nature of conflict that becomes intractable.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
4/1
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• RUBIN, Jeffrey Z., and Dean G. Pruitt, and Sung Hee Kim, Social Conflict: Escalation,
Stalemate and Settlement (2nd ed. 1994), Chapters 5, 7, pages 164- 167 of chapter 8
and all of chapter 9
UNIT Five: Intractability
• The difference between tractable and intractable conflicts, and the causes and
consequences of each.
Specific Objective
To examine how conflict becomes intractable and explore the features of intractability. To
identify which conditions facilitate the conversion of conflicts from destructive to
constructive. Thus, describe the characteristics of the cooperative and competitive
approaches to negotiation, in order to identify their advantages or disadvantages.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• DEUTSCH, Morton and Peter Coleman, The Conflict Resolution Handbook (2000)
Peter Coleman, Intractable Conflict
UNIT Six: Cooperation and Competition
• Conversion of conflicts from destructive to constructive.
• Cooperation and Competition
Specific Objective
To examine how conflict becomes intractable and explore the features of intractability. To
identify which conditions facilitate the conversion of conflicts from destructive to
constructive. Thus, describe the characteristics of the cooperative and competitive
approaches to negotiation, in order to identify their advantages or disadvantages.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• DEUTSCH, Morton and Peter Coleman, The Conflict Resolution Handbook (2000)
Peter Coleman, “Cooperation and Competition”
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UNIT Seven: Strategies and Tactics
• Strategic Choice
• The dual concerns model and how it can help to choose a proper initial negotiation
strategy.
Specific Objective
Define and differentiate the concept of strategy and tactics. Identify the key categories of
tactical responses available to parties in conflict situations, and their potential impact on the
course of a conflict.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• Duggan, William. Napoleon’s Glance. Chapters 1 and 2
• RUBIN, Jeffrey Z. Dean G. Pruitt, and Sung Hee Kim, Social Conflict: Escalation,
Stalemate and Settlement (2nd ed. 1994), Chapter 3
UNIT Eight: Trust and Ethics
• The role of trust in conflict and conflict resolution
• Ethical frameworks used in business, negotiations and situations of conflict
• The use of unethical tactics
Specific Objective
Identify the sources of trust and their role in conflict. To determine how these elements
affect conflict dynamics. Define basic notions of ethics and explore their role in the process
of conflict and conflict resolution.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• DEUTSCH, Morton and Peter Coleman, The Conflict Resolution Handbook (2000)
Lewicki & Wiethoff, Trust, Trust Development & Trust Repair
• LEWICKI, Roy, David Saunders and Bruce Barry. Negotiation. McGraw-Hill/Irwin; 5
edition (April 26, 2005). Pages 219-266.
UNIT Nine: Negotiation Basics Overview
• Negotiation as compromise, as domination, and as problem solving.
• Setting “clear, measurable and attainable” objectives
6/1
• The different steps involved in the negotiation process
Specific Objective
To identify the main elements that can affect a negotiation process such as time, physical
settings, information, trust, and compromise. How to prepare effectively for negotiation,
understanding planning as key element of success. To analyze the importance of planning
and understand why negotiators should invest time and resources in this stage. To identify
framing and setting of objectives as elements directly related to the outcomes of negotiation.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• DIETMEYER, et all. “Establishing a negotiation goal”. Pages 27-39
• DIETMEYER, et all. “The strategic negotiation process”. Pages 13-25
• PATTON, Bruce. “Negotiation” in “The Handbook of Dispute Resolution”. Program on
Negotiation Books. Harvard Law School. 2005. Pages 279-303
• MOFFIT, Michael L and BORDONE, Robert C (Editors). “The Handbook of Dispute Resolution”.
Program on Negotiation Books. Harvard Law School. 2005. Chapter 18. Negotiation. Pages 279-
303
UNIT Ten: Negotiation Basics Overview
• The Harvard Method
Specific Objective
To identify the main elements that can affect a negotiation on the “Harvard Method”.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• Getting to yes
• Getting past no
• Beyond emotions
UNIT Eleven: Negotiation Basics Overview Part 2
• The Harvard Method
Specific Objective
To identify the main elements that can affect a negotiation on the “Harvard Method”.
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Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• Getting to yes
• Getting past no
• Beyond emotions
UNIT Twelve: Multilateral Negotiation and Coalitions
• Multilateral negotiation and team management
• Team management and composition.
• Coalition Theory and Representation
• Intergroup dynamics
• Issues involved in multilateral negotiation.
Specific Objective
To identify the main characteristics of multilateral negotiation recognizing its complexity and
the sui generis challenges it poses.
To understand the importance of team making and team management within the context of
coalitions.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
• Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• BRESLIN, J William. “Negotiation theory and practice”. Program on Negotiation Books.
Cambridge. USA. 1995 Pages 71-79 (Negotiating Inside Out); 351-365 (Multilateral
Negotiation: An Analytic Approach).
• LEWICKI, Roy, David Saunders and Bruce Barry. “Multiparty Negotiation”. Negotiation.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin; 5 edition (April 26, 2005). Pages 334-352.
• L Susskind, S McKearnan, J Thomas-Larmer, “Consensus Building Handbook”, Chapter
16, Collaborative Problem Solving within the Organizations, 1999 . Pages 591-629
UNIT Thirteen: Alternative dispute resolution methods
• Development of ADR
• Mediation, arbitration and conciliation: Definition and main characteristics
8/1
Specific Objective
Describe how alternative methods for conflict resolution work, analyzing their advantages,
shortcomings and challenges. To identify when it is appropriate to use these alternatives.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Lecture and class participation
Bibliography
• Chapter 11: "The intervention of Third Parties"
• Kovach, Rudolph et al. Chapter Nineteen and Twenty: "Mediation" "Arbitration”. Pages
304-335.
4. EVALUATION
1. 1st Case Study 15% (Written 7% / Presentation 8%)
2. Mid Term Exam 20%
3. 2nd Presentations 15%
4. 2nd Midterm Exam 20%
5. Final Exam 30%