Negotiation Miami School District

Negotiation Miami School District

Negotiation is about using the influence of persuasion to come up with resourceful solutions to achieve a winning result or to resolve a disagreement. In the case study of the Miami School District and the unanticipated growth in student enrollment, proper negotiation planning will play a major factor for successful negotiations. This paper will recognize stakeholders and address their concern. The paper will also establish what negotiation strategy to employ in an effort to support the district's requirement to change school borders. Finally, this paper will give details on how ethics and culture affect the decision-making process for the school district.

Case Summary

The "Miami School District has publicized that in the forthcoming year, school boundaries are changing because of unanticipated higher augments in student enrollment," (University of Phoenix, 2012, online). The school board has created a new plan, as the schools are not able to accommodate every student. The district hired professionals to map school borders for the subsequent year. This action disturbed numerous students who will have to change schools. A number of parents have voiced views on the school district's suggested plan. "Most of the parents and students are apprehensive about the quality of education, the increased travel time, crossing economic and cultural boundaries, affect on property values, and social effects on the children," (University of Phoenix, 2012, online).

Stakeholders

There are many stakeholders in the Miami School District case. According to the Business Dictionary, a stakeholder is a "person, group, or organization that has interest or concern in an organization," (Business Dictionary, 2012, online). The stakeholders are the students, parents, staff, teachers, school officials, board members, school partners, and the community.

It is important for the Miami School District to start negotiation strategies by first indentifying the stakeholders. The students' may not like going to a different school where the curriculum and activities may differ from their old school. The travel time for the parents is a major concern, especially if they have to drive the children to school. The school officials, teachers, and the school board members must pay close attention not overcrowd schools or classrooms. Changing school zoning could affect property value creating concern in many communities. With so many stakeholders involved, the Miami School District needs to create a win-win negotiation plan.

Negotiation Strategy

One of the best negotiation strategies is to comprehend the problem and understand the competition. First, the parties must decide what each party can compromise. Parties need to identify certain points they are willing to modify and others points not wanting to alter. Next parties need to identify the issues and finds facts to backup the approach to solve the problem. A negotiation strategy is an incorporated set of activities selected to be the resource of accomplishing the goal of successful negotiating.

The negotiation plan in which the Miami School District needs to generate must meet the concerns of the stakeholders. Not, including the stakeholders, the new mapping of boundaries could produce a win-lose situation. The results can vary from students leaving the school district, to losing the staff presently employed in the schools. It is best for the district to use integrative bargaining to meet the requirements of the stakeholders and avoid any problems.

Business dictionary defines integrative negotiations as, "between a union and management when the parties are not in direct conflict over an issue, and when both stand to benefit from continued discussions," (Business Dictionary, 2012, online). Both parties will have a win-win position because both have valued interest heard in the negotiation process. However, in negotiations the stakeholder's ethics and culture can influence the resolution or change the result of the negotiation.

Negotiation Ethics and Culture

Recognizing the connection linking culture and ethics in negotiation is essential in successful negotiating. Today's diverse communities must learn to understand the cultural and ethical orientations to negotiate productively. "Culture is recognized as one of the most important variables influencing ethical decision-making," (Byrne & Bradley, 2007, online).

Ethics and culture can affect the negotiations of the Miami School District because of the involved stakeholders. For the negotiations to become a win-win process the school district needs to analyze the consequence of what the new zoning boundaries can have on the culture. The ethics of the school board as well play major parts in the process. Both parties' ethics and culture are necessary for the arrangements success. It is imperative to think about both side's