Educating Negotiators: Using Theory, Practice, Case Studies, and Simulations in an Integrated Learning Experience

Abstract

In the past 40 years, negotiation studies have become increasingly available and sought after across college campuses. While there is widespread agreement on the prominent role negotiation plays in education, in the workplace, in public policy, and in other fields, there remains a lack of consensus on pedagogies and teaching models that effectively train students and practitioners in the various aspects of negotiation, ranging from pre-intervention assessment, to effective bargaining, dialogue, and facilitation, to evaluating procedural and distributive outcomes. In order to synthesize distinct disciplinary approaches and skill/content areas into an integrated pedagogical model, this article describes a negotiation simulation designed to incorporate skill building, process management, conflict analysis, and conflict management tools. The model incorporates equal emphasis on theoretical frameworks and understanding, self-awareness training for facilitators, social network and stakeholder analysis for negotiation preparation, participatory analytical and discursive process management, and developing metrics for monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.