M E M O R A N D U M
TO: Students enrolled in Negotiation/Mediation Class
FROM: Professor Ralph Cagle
RE: Assignment to be completed before the first class: "Laying a Foundation"
WELCOME! To get right down to negotiating in the first class, we
need some common vocabulary, basic concepts, and strategic reference
points to frame our common enterprise.
Complete the following before the first class
1. BUY the course materials from the Law School
Bookmart. The Shell book can also be purchased online
and at most bookstores.
2. READ (a) The Introduction and Chapters 1
of Richard Shell - Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for
Reasonable People 2nd Ed. (Penguin Books 2006); and
(b) “Some Observations About How
People Negotiate and Can Negotiate More Successfully”, by Ralph
Cagle
Shell’s is a really good book. It sets out some of the
negotiation vocabulary, concepts, and strategic options we will
use. It is practical and even entertaining (essential qualities all too absent from most law school
reading). Laying this foundation early will pay
learning dividends for the semester and beyond. You will find
insights in this book, but also things to question, disagree
with, or maybe dislike. GOOD! Negotiation theory and
practice admit to very few universal principles. Approach ALL you
read and hear with an open, but questioning, mind. My
“Observations” is a preview of some preliminary negotiation
concepts I will discuss in the first class and beyond.
NOTE ABOUT READING AHEAD: The principles and strategies you
will consider and use in this course will not unfold in the structured
and ordered manner as they might in a doctrinal law course.
All you can learn about negotiation has potential relevance to each
negotiation you undertake. So, if you want to read ahead, read
more, or read all of Shell’s book now, feel free to do so. The order of the reading assignments in this course is not a matter
of dogma and you won’t be damaged by reading anything before it is
assigned.
3. READ the Course Manual to learn all you need
to know about the learning approach, methods, expectations, and
requirements of this course.
4. COMPLETE the Student Profile and turn it in at
the first class. Learning more about you helps me better
understand what may help you become a better negotiator.
5. IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO TAKE THIS COURSE,
let me know ASAP. This is a limited enrollment class and students
wanting to register cannot do so unless there are openings.
6. LET ME KNOW if you have any questions,
comments or concerns about the course. My office is Room 5226 –
Phone: 262-7881 – E-mail: rmcagle@wisc.edu
I look forward to working with you this semester. This will be a challenging and demanding course,
but you will learn a lot and should have fun doing it.