NEGOTIATION ASSIGNMENTS 2011

There is one group assignment that has component parts staged for production through the term. They are all assigned at the first class and the products are due at specified dates with the last one completed before the last class of the term.

The requirements for each component of the assignment are detailed in the links below. The content that is relevant to each of them will become more evident as the course progresses and the topics are discussed in class sessions. The assignment is designed to contribute to your own and the class's learning during the course. Time will be allocated for in-class discussion of the evolving experiences in undertaking them.

The assignement involves completing three analytical exercises and the production of three short memos. There are two main reasons why I ask you to write a memo. First, it is extremely valuable to be able to communicate effectively in concise ways. Second, you will need to write many memos in your career.

In asking you to write a "memo" I do not have any particular memo format in mind. I am using the word "memo" to connote a short form of communication. As such it can take formats that convey information in other than flowing paragraphs of propose. Using indentations and bulleted lists are format devices appropriate to this. Using (e.g....) where brief wording is used to indicate the particular kind of example you have in mind, is also a useful content device. The memo is intended to be concise (i.e. 1000 word limit). Adding graphics, diagrams, figures, tables etc can sometimes be a very powerful way of summarizing and making evident the message you want to be taken from complex ideas or information. In most memos you are not generally expected to provide references as in academic and professional documents. However, there may well be points that you are making in relation to specific materials that need to be referred to unambiguously although not necessarily with a full bibliographic citation. For general advice on how to write a good memo in all kinds of contexts see the suggestions from the Writing Lab at Purdue University.

We will use a web page, called Negotiation Case Studies, which is constructed using Google sites, to assist us in quickly

  1. identifying topics that people are interested in addressing in their case study negotiations, and
  2. forming groups of 4 people to work together on them throughout the term.

I have dummied up some examples to show how we will use the web page - take a look and explore. At the first class I will demonstrate how to use it if you are not familiar with this.

Grades for the course will be allocated as follows:

Grading will be in accord with the UBC ranges established for SCARP's programs. To encourage the habit of careful proof-reading I deduct marks for typos in the final products from the final grade for each of the three Assignment products as follows First typo,1/4%; Second, 1/2%; Third, 1%; Fourth, 2%; etc. Further details on grading are provided with the specific information for each of the two assignments.

Assignment: Group Case Study Negotiation