Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Project

Sometime during the course, you must actually go out and conduct a live negotiation.

The substance of this negotiation may be anything of value - a major purchase, something related to a job or employment search, relations with peers or coworkers, etc. The following rules apply for the live negotiation and be sure to check with your instructor if there is any doubt in your mind at all about whether the negotiation you have chosen fits the criteria.

- You must negotiate for something nontrivial (i.e., you should care how the negotiation turns out).
- The opponent(s) may not be another student in this class or the instructor.
- The opponent(s) must not be aware either before or during the negotiation that it will be used to satisfy course requirements.
- If at all possible, you should try to interview your opponent and/or observers about the negotiation after it is over.

Students must write a final paper on the live negotiation. The paper must be a maximum of 5 pages, double spaced (typed) pages.
Your paper should describe your reactions, perceptions, impressions, and significant insights gained from participation in (and
reflection on) the negotiation. You may talk about yourself or the behavior of other people. You are encouraged to address such points as the following:

- What was your goal? What happened in the negotiation (a brief overview of key events)?
- What did you learn about yourself from the experience?
- What did you learn about the behavior of others?
- How does this experience compare to others that you have had in similar or comparable circumstances?
- What did you learn about bargaining or conflict from this situation?
- How do the concepts in the lectures and readings enrich your understanding of the process of this negotiation and its outcome?
- What would you do the same and what would you do differently in the future, or how would you like to behave in order to perform more effectively in such situations?

Writing the paper should encourage your thoughtful analysis and understanding of the negotiation. It should include ideas and concepts from the readings and lecture material. Although there are many creative formats for papers, a good paper usually includes the following elements:

- An introduction;
- A statement of the goal and the planning and preparation that took place;
- An objective (brief) description of the actual events that occurred;
- An analysis of those events;
- A discussion of what could or should have been done differently, and why;
- Integration of readings, theory, and concepts as appropriate;
- A statement of "lessons learned" for the future;
- A summary self-evaluation of your own negotiation style, strengths, and weaknesses as they relate to the negotiation you conducted.