Negotiating in International Sales

In this course we will take an interactive learning-by-doing-approach to the most common challenges in international sales negotiations.

We will briefly acquaint ourselves with the notion of strategy and tactics in sales and get to know the basic skills a negotiator in international sales should dominate regardless of her or his national background.

 

We will get acquainted with the world famous Harvard approach to negotiation, trying to apply its basic recommendations.

 

We will proceed experimenting with the Harvard model in international sales settings.

Some of the important topics will be: Answering questions like:

-       How can we get “win-win-strategies” to work?

-       What common tactics or tricks in sales negotiations should we know and which are options to react to them?

-       How do culture-specific values, attitudes, behaviour and communication styles affect sales negotiations?

 

Students are encouraged to bring along examples, notions, attitudes and inferences from their own countries or foreign countries they have experiences with.

 

We will rely heavily on role plays and video analyses so each student will have the opportunity and is expected to experience her or his behaviour in negotiations, experimenting the influences her/his conduct has on others.

One important secondary objective and side benefit of this course, therefore, is applying the rules of giving and receiving feedback to/from others in a supportive and constructive fashion.

 

There will be a written exam at the end of the semester, where students are expected to apply the knowledge and experiences gained during the course assessing a specific case study.

 

 Literature: “Getting to YES”, (Roger Fisher, William Ury)

“Getting past No” (William Ury)

“Getting past Yes” (Danny Ertel, Harvard Business Review Nov. 2004)

“You’re Killing me here – When Win-Win Negotiation doesn’t work: A Methodology for dolding your ground against tough customers” (Stefe Reilly, CRJ Workshops 2009)

“The Hidden Challenge of Cross-Border Negotiations” (James K. Sebenius, HBR March 2002)

“Managing Relationships in Showery Weather: The role of Umbrella Agreements” (Stefanos Mouzas, David Ford, Journal of Business Research, October 2006)

“Trust and Reliance in Business Relationships” (S. Mouzas, S. Henneberg, P. Naudé), European Journal of Marketing Vol 41. 9/10 2007

Rethinking Political Correctness (R.J. Ely, D.E. Meyerson, M.N. Davidson, HBR Sept. 2006)

Managing Multicultural Teams (J. Brett, K. Behfar, M.C.Kern, HBR Nov. 2006)

Harvard Management Update Sept. 1996 (A newsletter from HBR Publishing)

The only Four-Page Guide to Negotiating You’ll Ever Need (Walter Kiechel)

Harvard Management Update Sept 2005 (A newsletter from HBR Publishing)

Negotiate for what you need to succeed (Deborah M. Kolb)

Blunders in International Marketing and how to avoid them

Based on real-life marketing blunders in the recent (and not so recent) past, we will analyze the different causes for them, specifically majoring in 

Marketing strategy

Marketing Mix (Product, Place, Promotion, Price)

Unforseeable adversities and mishaps

Students will be challenged to come up with an international marketing plan for a brand/product of their choice

Some of the approaches to avoid blunders and render international marketing success more likely, will include:

Comprehensive Market Research:
Before any international expansion, perform thorough primary and secondary research to understand local market dynamics, consumer behavior, and competitor activities. 
 
  •  
  • Cultural Training:
    Equip your marketing team with knowledge of cultural norms, values, and communication styles to create relevant and respectful campaigns. 
     
     
  • Local Content and Messaging:
    Go beyond simple translation by adapting marketing messages, products, and services to fit the cultural context of the target market. 
     
     
  • Integrating Local Expertise:
    Partner with local marketing professionals, agencies, or internal teams to provide on-the-ground insights and ensure campaigns are culturally appropriate and effective. 
     
     
  • Local Campaign Testing:
    Before a full-scale launch, test your marketing campaigns in the local market to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments. 
     
     
  • Adapt the 4 Ps of Marketing:
    Be prepared to adapt your product offering, distribution channels, pricing strategies, and promotional activities for each specific market 
     
  •  

Managing Workplace Conflict

Core Course Content:
  • Understanding Conflict:
    • identifying the common types, causes, and dynamics of workplace conflict
       
  • Recognizing the impact of conflict on team performance and morale 
     
     
  • Conflict Styles and Responses:
    • Learning about various individual and organizational conflict approaches. 
       
  • Understanding how different personality types and emotional triggers influence responses to conflict 
     
     
  • Communication Skills:
    • Developing active listening and clear communication skills to facilitate dialogue during conflict. 
       
  • Learning how to deliver constructive criticism and feedback effectively. 
     
     
  • De-escalation and Resolution Techniques:
    • Strategies for defusing tense situations and handling difficult people. 
       
  • Methods for mediating disputes and finding common ground. 
     
  • Utilizing collaborative approaches and compromise to reach solutions. 
     
     
  • Proactive Strategies:
    • Recognizing early signs of conflict and intervening to prevent escalation. 
       
  • Building trust and fostering positive workplace culture to minimize disputes. 
     
     
  • Tools and Frameworks:
    • Learning specific conflict resolution frameworks, such as the "5 Cs" (Communication, Calmness, Clarification, Collaboration, Compromise). 
       
  • Developing personal toolkits for managing conflict situations. 
     
  •  
Learning Methods:
  • Interactive Learning:
    Courses often incorporate group exercises, discussions, case scenarios, and interactive polling. 
     
  • Practical Application:
    Participants learn to apply conflict management skills through practical examples and role-playing. 
     
     
  • Self-Reflection:
    Many courses encourage self-assessment of one's own conflict management style. 

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