Rationale

Negotiation and Dispute Resolution course is skills-oriented and designed to expose students both to the practical skills required during negotiation processes and to provide the theoretical and analytical contexts for such skills, in order to adapt themselves to various circumstances. Among the transferrable, professional and life-changing skills developed and applied during the course are: interpersonal, problem-solving, mediation skills, confident oral communication, adaptability to different communication styles to make a specific point and responding morally and with integrity when disputes arise in the professional environment. Equipped with these skills, the students will maximise their value in agreement-making and will be able to resolve any issues before escalating into conflicts that may affect the general organisational management.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will be expected to:

(i)    Resolve a conflict situation by appropriately selecting and applying an effective dispute resolution strategy.
(ii)   Participate in negotiation and mediation processes.
(iii)  Recognise the value of oral communication to resolve issues that arise in the professional setting.
(iv)  Demonstrate understanding of negotiation dynamics and how to prepare for uncertainty and conflict.
(v)   Operate ethically and with integrity in dispute-resolution situations, securing maximum value for their organisation and themselves.
(vi)  Refine their HRM approach to become effective, objective and good negotiators.
(vii) Apply problem-solving techniques including identification of the core issue, thinking innovatively and finding effective solution.
(viii) Apply the skills gained in their wider social contexts.