Instructions
• Write a five-to-seven (5-7) page paper on a negotiation or conflict resolution theory or concept chosen by you. Ensure that the document is double spaced and prepared following the AMA (American Medical Association) style guide. It should be polished and professional in appearance as well as in content. Use a minimum of five (5) academic journal sources or books. Wikipedia does not count as a source. Spellcheck and proofread your document before submitting it to your professor during Week 6.
• The assignment must have a cover sheet which will count as the first page of the 5-7-page assignment. The cover sheet must be written in a business letter format (single-spaced block form, using the given link as a guide: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/BusinessLetter.html), and addressed to: Jack Smith, Director of Human Resources, Cowtown Corporation, 1000 Hudson Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76105.
Scenario:
Mr. Jack Smith and his staff are entering into difficult negotiations with the local union and need some ideas on strategies to use and pitfalls to avoid. At the same time, Mr. Smith and his staff have been involved in several employee conflicts originating from the organization’s departments. He could use some advice to train departments about correct procedures when dealing with employee conflict in the workplace. The one page (1-page maximum) business formatted cover sheet should be written to Mr. Smith highlighting your findings either on negotiation or conflict resolution and to offer your assistance as you are quickly becoming a resource for the company on negotiations and conflict resolution.
Please note that to receive full credit for this assignment, it is expected that you will report your findings on your chosen topic by offering research and discussion that explores both sides of the issue(s). For instance, in the topic “dealing with liars”, the literature will offer suggested ways to detect someone who is lying such eye movement or the presence of certain body language. Other articles suggest that you not rely on any specific sign or action by an individual to decide if one is lying but rather you should work to minimize the ability of the other party to lie by following certain strategies to discourage lying altogether. Managers that receive reports that include discussion of both sides of the issue are better served with a balanced view of the issues presented in your recommendations.
• Some topics that you may be interested in researching include:
o Negotiation styles
o Conflict management styles
o Conflict resolution skills- chosen topic
o Dealing with difficult people
o Negotiating with the hard bargainer
o Common mistakes in negotiations
o Common mistakes in conflict resolution
o Strategies for resolving conflicts rationally
o The art of dealing with liars (in negotiations)
o Mediation and arbitration in negotiations
o The use of mediation in conflict management
o Non-verbal communication in negotiations
o How gender affects negotiations
o Building trust in negotiations
o Ethics and negotiations
o Managing conflict at home and in the workplace
o Collective bargaining as a negotiation process
o Negotiating with unions
o Negotiating in the public sector (Government)
o Understanding culture during negotiations
You need to:
Submit the Topic Paper assigned in Week 2 for evaluation. The submission shall include a business format letter which counts for 1 page and your 5-7 page report with the business format letter counting for 1 of the 5-7 pages.
Reference
How to Write a Business Letter. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/BusinessLetter.html
The Writing Center. The University of Wisconsin – Madison