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On successful compltion of the module, students will be able to:
1 - Examine and critically analyse the impact of conflict on individuals and organisations within a project context, considering intra- and inter-organisational perspectives
2 - Justify the benefits of different conflict types in a diverse project environment, including healthy and unhealthy conflict
3 - Evaluate effectiveness of the use of negotiation and conflict management strategies in project environment, utilising models such as the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
4 - Critically analyse theories of negotiation and conflict resolution, such as the Thomas-Kilmann Model, Principled Negotiation, and BATNA, in project management scenarios
5 - Integrate the dynamics of stakeholder relationships and communication management in resolving conflicts within project teams and organisations.
Module Abstract
This module delves into the friction that can arise during project execution due to various stakeholders' involvement. It covers situations requiring negotiation and conflict resolution, offering insights into the theory and practice of these skills. Apprentices will explore management styles, power dynamics, the role of emotions and behaviour in conflict, and diversity within project teams. Emphasis is placed on effective negotiation with stakeholders, suppliers, and other project-related individuals, and on the communication strategies that help manage conflict and align stakeholder interests.
Indicative Content
Workplace conflict (task and relational), power (control and influence), emotion and behaviour, processes affecting conflict, communication, impact of conflict on individuals, impact of conflict on organisations.
Communication breakdowns and their role in conflict.
Stakeholder perspectives in conflict situations (intra- and inter-organisational).
Identifying and managing healthy vs. unhealthy conflict.
Intergroup conflict, diversity in teams, ingroup and outgroup conflict, role of conflict in organisations.
Conflict resolution skills and negotiation theories (e.g., PSDM, Principled Negotiation, BATNA, CMM, etc.), game theory.
Techniques for effective negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution.
Relevant KSBs
K3.2 How to manage the dynamics of stakeholder relationships and needs during the project and develop appropriate and pro-active project communication plans to ensure that all the multi-skilled, cross-disciplinary stakeholders are aligned.
S3.1 Lead and take responsibility for the identification and analysis of internal and external stakeholders and their impact on the project.
S3.2 Manage an effective project communication plan across stakeholders with different cultural and physical barriers.
S3.3 Analyse information and communicate with stakeholders incorporating elements of feedback to understand and measure the effectiveness of planned communications.
B1 Leadership: Drive for results with the ability to inspire and support project team members and manage stakeholder relationships. Promote the vision, organisational/project purpose and values. Understand and create the environment for an inclusive and diverse organisational culture.
B2 Collaboration and teamwork: Work collaboratively to build rapport and trust, develop networks and maintain relationships. Build and inspire teams, empower and motivate others to improve performance and achieve outcomes. Delegate tasks, set goals and accountabilities, provide clear guidance and monitor progress.
B3 Personal and Professional Responsibility: Drive to achieve in all aspects of work. Demonstrate resilience and determination when managing difficult situations and able to influence the behaviour of others to meet required project outcomes. Seek and adopt new opportunities underpinned by commercial acumen and sound judgement.
B6 Innovation and Resourcefulness: Understand the bigger picture and work enthusiastically and creatively to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions to problems. Have a solution focus, not a problem focus and to be positive and adaptable, responding well to feedback and the need for change.
The sessions will be organised in 2-day teaching block. Lectures will deliver core theoretical frameworks with practical content, context and processes to achieve the themes outlined in the learning outcomes, followed by workshops and personal exercises for reflection and development.
The module will make use of current newsworthy case studies and developing business trends and so the nature of the topics and exercises will vary. Students will be provided with, and/or directed to, relevant reading and additional questions/ exercises to support their progress through the module material. Students will also be directed to broad electronic source including e-books, journals, and other web-based sources to support their learning. Teamwork will be used to enhance project leading and working together skills. The group will work on analysing case-studies, problem-solving and group discussions. Time will be allocated for independent learning.
Students would be expected to prepare for the sessions by reading set texts and completion of tasks set in class or via the VLE and will be expected to take part in a wide range of learning activities.
Planned LTU Off-the-Job Delivery Learning:
Lectures
Hours: 14
Intended Group Size: Cohort
Virtual Tutorial Cafe
Hours: 2
Intended Group Size: Cohort
Planned Off-the-Job Learning:
Training Plan Activities
Hours: 32
Intended Group Size: Individual
Minimum Self-Directed Off the Job Learning and Practical Training:
Hours: 152
Further Details Relating to Assessment
Handout:
Scenario: Working as Project Manager (PM) and their current project team are working on a project that has a particularly fraught and difficult relationship with an international supplier with whom elements of the project product are being co-designed and engineered. PM will shortly go on secondment into another role and a new PM will inherit the project and their current project team.
PM is aware that if not handled correctly conflict with this stakeholder group (the international supplier) could see them stop communicating with the current project team which would likely ‘sink’ the project. PM, however, is also aware that some conflict has been proved useful in providing solutions to a few design problems and could continue to do so.
Apprentices are required to produce a handout aimed at guiding a new PM working on a project that has particularly fraught and difficult relationship with an international supplier with whom elements of the project product are being co-designed and engineered. Apprentice are going to a secondment to another project and want to ensure the new PM is fully aware of the situation and is aware of handle the difficult scenario. Reasonable assumptions can be made concerning the above scenario. the project, the team and the stakeholders. Apprentices can choose any country from the regarding the nationality of the stakeholder group.
Professional Discussions:
Apprentices to have professional discussion on various realistic project-based conflict scenarios to create a solution with effective negotiations. They also need to create narratives for them which they will intersperse with theory.
Each project-based situation should reflect multiple aspects of conflict and take the reader through a different type of successfully negotiated resolution in each case. The outcome should be a report for project journal to help project managers understand how theory could be put into practice.
Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5AP