Conflict and Negotiation

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Approximately 2.5 hours of personal study per hour of class time is required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance

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For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements for this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Conflict between individual and groups is an inevitable aspect of day to day life. This subject will review the nature of conflict in the workplace and the conflict management strategies of influencing and negotiation. Students will be given the opportunity to apply negotiation techniques to case studies and in simulations.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Explain how conflict arises within and between organisations;
• Explain the main theories related to conflict and its resolution within the contexts of organisations and employment;
• Describe the main theories of influencing and negotiation and their application in the workplace;
• Analyse and synthesise these theories and evaluate their usefulness;
• Prepare and execute a real world negotiation;
• Apply theories, models and frameworks to understanding conflict, influencing and negotiation in the real world.

• One 2-hour end-of-semester examination (50%)
• Class participation (10%)
• Written assignments not exceeding 3000 words (40%)

You will be advised of prescribed texts by your lecturer.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

• Analytical and interpretive skills relevant to a study of conflict, influencing and negotiation in the workplace
• Research skills involving the use of written and electronic sources and other forms of data and information
• A range of analytical approaches to critically evaluate complex arguments
• The ability to evaluate, interpret and present independent points of view in oral and written communication

This subject will be offered in intensive mode in Semester 2. Students should be aware that a portion of assessment in this subject is by participation in class activities.