Power and Negotiation
Negotiation theory meets practice in this MIT Sloan School of Management course, built around the bargaining problems managers and professionals actually face. Rather than lecturing through frameworks, the course runs on simulations, role-playing exercises, and case studies that put students on both sides of a table, from labor disputes to business deals to interpersonal conflicts. The goal is twofold: build negotiation skill through repeated practice, and give that practice an analytical backbone, concepts like BATNA, leverage, and coalition-building that explain why a tactic worked or failed. Course materials available through MIT OpenCourseWare include the syllabus, assignments, and case materials used in the classroom version of the course. There are no video lectures; the course is structured for self-directed study of the readings and exercises. As with all MIT OpenCourseWare offerings, the material is free to access and there is no certificate. It suits anyone who negotiates as part of their job, whether that means closing contracts, managing teams, or resolving disputes.