MGT420 (4 PAPERS) (FOR DR. AMEERAH)
MGT420
Module 3 – Background
Conflict and Negotiation
Required Reading
Start off with two short videos from Professor Debow of the University of California, Irvine that will give you an overview of the main principles of conflict and negotiation:
Debow, N. (2015) Different types of conflict, Lesson 1. Types of Conflict. Retrieved from: https://www.coursera.org/learn/types-of-conflict/lecture/kyTRz/different-types-of-conflict-lesson-1
Debow, N. (2015) Different types of conflict, Lesson 2. Types of Conflict. Retrieved from: https://www.coursera.org/learn/types-of-conflict/lecture/B5EhA/different-types-of-conflict-lesson-2
Now dig deeper into this topic with the following two book chapters. The following two readings are especially important for the Case Assignment so go through these chapters carefully:
Luthans, F., Luthans, K. W., & Luthans, B. C. (2015). Chapter 9: Stress and conflict. Organizational behavior: An evidence-based approach. Charlotte, North Carolina: Information Age Publishing, pp. 258-264. [EBSCO. Note: you don’t have to read the whole chapter, just the second part on organizational conflict]
Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2012). Chapter 10: Conflict and negotiations . Organizational Behavior. Lardbucket.org
Shearouse, S. H. (2011). Chapter 5: How we respond: Approaches to conflict. Conflict 101: A manager’s guide to resolving problems so everyone can get back to work. New York: AMACOM. [eBook Business Collection]
Optional Reading
Sims, R. (2002). Chapter 10 Conflict and negotiation at work. Managing Organizational Behavior. Greenwood Press Westport, CT [eBook Academic Collection]
MGT420
MOD 3 CASE ASSIGNMENT
Module 3 – Case
Conflict and Negotiation
Assignment Overview
For this Case study, we will be looking at a fictional case of a manager caught between a rock and hard place. Nick Cunningham is a manager at Synergon, a high-powered company involved in purchasing poorly managed companies and then restructuring them to become more profitable. However, Synergon has now purchased Beauchamp, Becker, and Company, which is a well-managed and highly profitable company.
Nick is in an awkward position because he is in charge of managing this merger, but he also knows that the success of the merger is dependent on Beauchamp’s managing director and other top leaders remaining in their positions and continuing their solid work. However, Nick’s bosses are not known for taking a conciliatory approach towards companies they purchase and usually force major changes on any company that they acquire. Predictably, Nick is faced with a threat of retirement by Beauchamp’s managing director Julian Mansfield due to Synergon’s strict policies and approach.
Before beginning the Case Assignment, make sure you have thoroughly reviewed the tutorial and textbook readings from the background materials. Pay special attention to readings on causes of conflict, types of conflict, and conflict management styles. For this assignment you will need to apply concepts from the background materials to this fictional case.
Case Assignment
Once you have finished reviewing the background materials, take a look at this following article and think about how the concepts from the background materials apply to this fictional case:
Cliffe, S. (1999). Can This Merger Be Saved? Harvard Business Review, 77(1), 28-44. [EbscoHost]
Then write a 4- to 5-page paper addressing the following questions:
1. Do you think this conflict that Nick Cunningham faces is functional or dysfunctional? Explain your reasoning, and cite Bauer and Erdogan (2011) or Luthans et al. (2015) in your answer.
2. What is the source of this conflict? Use the terminology from Bauer and Erdogan (2011), or Luthans et al. (2015) in your answer. For example, is this conflict a result of relationship/interpersonal issues? Or from tasks/roles? Other?
3. Of the five styles of conflict management discussed in Shearhouse (2011) or Bauer and Erdogan (2011) which one do you think would be the best approach for Nick Cunningham to take?
4. What other advice would you give Nick Cunningham based on the concepts discussed in any of the background readings?
Assignment Expectations
· Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions.
· Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
· Make sure to cite readings from the background materials page. Rely primarily on the required background readings as your sources of information.
· Include both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper , including pages 11-14 on in-text citations.
Module 3 – SLP ASSIGNMENT
Conflict and Negotiation
For the Module 3 SLP you will be applying the concepts you learned in the background materials regarding conflict and negotiation to a situation from your own personal experiences. Carefully review the background materials regarding types of conflict, causes of conflict, negotiation stages, and conflict management styles. It is important to first understand these comments from the background readings before starting this assignment.
Once you have thoroughly reviewed the background materials, think of a situation in the workplace where a conflict erupted and management had to intervene and some type of negotiation was involved. Then write a three page paper addressing the following four questions, and make sure to cite at least one of the required background readings for each of your four answers :
1. Was this conflict functional or dysfunctional?
2. What was the cause of the conflict? Use the terms from the background materials in your answer—for example, was the conflict a result of interpersonal issues, a specific task involved, due to inter-organizational issues, etc.
3. Of the five approaches to conflict management outlined in Shearouse (2011) or Bauer and Erdogan (2011), which approach most closely describes the approach used by management to resolve this conflict?
4. Did the negotiations involve integrative or distributive bargaining? What stages of negotiation did management go through, and did these stages match the five stages discussed in Bauer and Erdogan (2011)?
SLP Assignment Expectations
· Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions.
· Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
· Make sure to cite readings from the background materials page. Rely primarily on the required background readings as your sources of information.
· Include both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper , including pages 11-14 on in-text citations.
Module 3 – Outcomes
Conflict and Negotiation
· Module
· Identify and explain the main sources of organizational conflict.
· Identify and explain the main conflict management styles.
· Case
· Identify and explain the main sources of organizational conflict.
· Identify and explain the main conflict management styles.
· SLP
· Identify and explain the main sources of organizational conflict.
· Identify and explain the main conflict management styles.
· Apply negotiation steps and methods to real-world situations.
· Discussion
· Analyze and assess your own conflict management style.
Module 4 – Home
Persuasion
Modular Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will be able to satisfy the following outcomes:
· Case
· Identify and explain the elements of persuasion.
· Apply persuasion techniques to managerial situations.
· SLP
· Assess your own orientation toward power, influence, and persuasion.
· Discussion
· Discuss and assess the effectiveness of video presentations on the use of persuasion.
Module Overview
We have described power as the potential to affect decisions and allocate resources, influence as the mechanism by which power is exercised—and in this module we will address the concept of persuasion—or the message that is used to sway people’s opinions, attitudes, and behaviors. Persuasion is a subset of influence in that it involves the communication process in order to influence others’ attitudes and behavior. Anyone who is skilled at persuasion has a special ability to make things happen.
Persuasion is more important than ever. The continuing emphasis on teams, decentralization and a flattening of hierarchy means that the old command-and-control style of leadership is no longer effective in the new organizational structure. In addition, cultural changes have spawned a workforce were younger workers no longer accept being told what to do—and certainly do not respond with unquestioning obedience. They expect to be approached with reason and given a logical explanation for why things should be done a certain way.
In this module, we will examine the elements of persuasion and learn some tools which can increase your capacity for sending a persuasive message.
Module 4 – Background
Persuasion
Required Reading
To introduce yourself to the topic of this module, take a look at the following video and short article by a leading expert in the area of persuasion Dr. Robert Cialdini:
Cialdini, R. B., & Martin, S. (2012). Science of persuasion. Influence at Work. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFdCzN7RYbw
Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 79(9), 72-79. [EbscoHost]
Now take a look at this more detailed reading to expand your knowledge of persuasion:
McLean, S. (2012). Chapter 14: Presentations to persuade . Communication for Business Success. Lardbucket.org
For the Case Assignment, you will have to distinguish between persuasion, argumentation, and propaganda. The lines between these concepts can be a little blurry, so take a look at the following PowerPoint presentation:
Jernigan, B. (2013). Elements of argument. Retrieved from http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/cms/lib09/UT01001306/Centricity/Domain/8221/Terminology-Parts%20of%20Argument%20noCLIP.pptx
Finally, note that for the SLP you will have to write your own persuasive memo. The above links will give you an overview of the basic concepts of persuasion. But for some practical guidance here are a few persuasion guides that will be of great assistance to you in preparing for your Case Assignment. No need to go through all of them in detail, but take a look and use one of them as part of your guidance for your SLP.
Optional Reading
McIntosh, P., Davis, J. H., & Luecke, R. (2008). Chapter 9: When you aim to persuade. Interpersonal communication skills in the workplace. New York: AMA Self-Study. [EBSCO eBook Business Collection]
Conger, J. A. (1998). The necessary art of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 84-95. [Business Source Complete]
Module 4 – Case ASSIGNMENT
Persuasion
Assignment Overview
For this assignment take a close look at both the required readings and videos on general concepts of persuasion such as the main principles laid out by Cialdini (2001) or in Section 14.2 of McLean (2012). Then take a look at some of the practical guides to persuasion such as Gorman (2007) and see which one of them is the most useful for you.
Case Assignment
When you have finished carefully reading these materials, write a 4 page paper addressing the following issues:
1. Which of these readings or tutorials was the most convincing or presented the most useful information? Explain your reasoning as to why you found this source more convincing that the others.
2. Based on the ideas about persuasion that you read about in the background readings, write a memo at least one page in length to your employees trying to persuade them to cancel their weekend plans and volunteer to work next weekend. This memo shouldn’t be an “order” that they need to work on the weekend, but rather an attempt to persuade them to do so. Make sure to use both the general concepts from Cialdini (2001) or McLean (2012) as well as some of the practical persuasion guides to help you craft your memo.
3. Conclude your paper with a discussion of how your memo applied the concepts from the background materials. Be specific as to what sources you used and what sections of your memo was influenced by which source.
Assignment Expectations
· Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions.
· Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
· Make sure to cite readings from the background materials page. Rely primarily on the required background readings as your sources of information.
· Include both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper , including pages 11-14 on in-text citations.
Module 4 – SLP ASSIGNMENT
Persuasion
For this assignment, review the basic concepts of persuasion discussed in Cialdini (2001) and McLean (2012). Then take a close look at the first few slides of Jernigan (2013) and make sure you are clear on the distinction between argument, persuasion, and propaganda.
Once you have finished reviewing the background materials, think about communication that you receive in your daily life that is intended to sway your attitudes, opinion, or behavior. This could be communication from your employer, YouTube videos, TV advertisements, spam email, and a host of other communication that you are exposed to in your daily life. After reviewing some communication examples, write a 3-page paper addressing the following questions:
1. Describe a communication example that you have seen that is best described as propaganda. In addition to describing the communication, explain why you think this was propaganda rather than argumentation or persuasion. Use the distinctions spelled out by Jernigan (2013) in your answer.
2. Now find a communication example that you think is a good example of argumentation. Describe the example and explain why you think it fits the definition of argumentation described by Jernigan (2013).
3. Last, but definitely not least, find an example of persuasion that you think best fits the definition of Jernigan (2013) as well as exemplifies the concepts of persuasion discussed in Cialdini (2001) or McLean (2012). Explain why you think this communication best fits the definition of persuasion rather than propaganda or argumentation.
SLP Assignment Expectations
· Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions.
· Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
· Make sure to cite readings from the background materials page. Rely primarily on the required background readings as your sources of information.
· Include both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper , including pages 11-14 on in-text citations.
Module 4 – Outcomes
Persuasion
· Module
· Identify and explain the elements of persuasion.
· Apply persuasion techniques to managerial situations.
· Case
· Identify and explain the elements of persuasion.
· Apply persuasion techniques to managerial situations.
· SLP
· Assess your own orientation toward power, influence, and persuasion.
· Discussion
· Discuss and assess the effectiveness of video presentations on the use of persuasion.
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