Assessment 3 – Conflict Negotiation

COMM.6100 Advanced Communication Skills

Whaiora Patrick, 27007914

Conflict defined:For my real world conflict I have chosen to research about the New Zealand Ministry of Education closing down some of our schools. In the last five years a number of schools have been either closed down or merged so I've chosen to do one school in particular; Kawerau Intermediate.

Parties involved:The parties involved included the Ministry of Education, and the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley versus the students and staff of Kawerau Intermediate as well as the Kawerau Community.

Mrs Tolley wanted to close down both the intermediate and the college of Kawerau in 2011. She thought reopening a new dual campus school on the Kawerau College site would be best for the community. However the community disagreed. The township fought to keep both schools open especially the local intermediate. Statistics at that time showed that schools in Kawerau were experiencing some of the most rapid roll declines in New Zealand. Each of the six schools were losing up to 60 students each years. (Ihaka, 2011).

Principal, Daryl Aim. (http://www.tstnz.com/Opinionforum/Principal_leads_community_fight_to_save_school.html).

Starting point of the conflict:Anne Tolley gave the town options to choose from, but in the end ignored their requests and protests and closed four schools including the intermediate. During the whole ordeal, conflict erupted - maybe if both parties negotiated properly then the outcome would of benefited everyone.

DECISION WAS MADE - THE MERGEUPSET COMMUNITY

CONFLICT ARISED - PROTEST ETC.

Protest methods - Kawerau Community:Methods the Kawerau Intermediate Board used to keep their school open:

petition - 70% of adult residents signed. protest march - 500 people from Kawerau travelled to Wellington to protest about the closure of

Kawerau Intermediate.

Causes of the conflict: goal differences. restructuring/change.

Different points of views: The Kawerau Community - wanted the intermediate to remain how it was (safer for students

Years 7-8, recently renovated the intermediate campus, loss of jobs e.g. teachers/staff).

Ministry of Education - merge the intermediate with the college (not enough students at either schools, the merge will benefit the community, NEW START new school new name new principal, new staff new uniform etc.).

Students and principal protesting. (http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbedu/1697055411-process-behind-school-closure-questioned).

What could of been done?The Four Fas:

Discuss feelings. Focus on what needs to been done/changed. Communication is the key - offer feedback. Rely on the facts.

My recommendations: Don't blame the other party. Listen more and try less talking.

Behaviour styles: Kawerau Community - frustrated (begin protesting), upset, maybe angry. Ministry of Education - superior (they made up their own minds), not in the mood for conflict

Sign. (http://www.3news.co.nz/Kawerau-mayor-welcomes-cash-injection-into-schools/tabid/423/articleID/232534/Default.aspx).

Negotiating Strategy Identified:

Fait accompli (something already done)"This is when one party says that an issue or deal is not open for negotiation, because something has already been done that makes the outcome inevitable." (Barnett & O'Rourke, 2011, p.192).Mrs Tolley saw no point in negotiating because a decision had already been made by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. 

Students. (http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/kawerau-primary-schools-merge-4299962).

Protesters. (http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2011/03/07/060311xx11.feature-image_t300.JPG).

Supporter. (http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2381/5729035304_c865a2df8d_m.jpg).

Strategies for negotiating:

Competition (win - lose) is used for your own benefit rather than others - you generally get what you want but others tend to lose respect for you. e.g. Rugby games etc.

NOT RECOMMENDED.

Withdrawal (lose - lose) happens when one party chooses to walk away and not get involved. The good thing is no conflict arises although both parties don't get what they want.

NOT RECOMMENDED.

Accommodation (lose - win) occurs when you give you give up what YOU want to satisfy others needs and wants. Usually conflict doesn't happen but we either miss out on what we want or are taken for granted.

MAYBE, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.

Compromise (lose - win/win - lose) is when both parties meet in the middle. Sacrifice. RECOMMENDED.

Collaboration (win - win) takes time but is always worth it in the end. By communicating with each other and coming up with solutions together, it benefits both parties. It also reduces conflict.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

BATNA - Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement:An idea that the parties could of investigated is the BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) which is an alternative if negotiating doesn't work. It's important to have alternatives just in case all else fails.

"Having a good BATNA increases your negotiating power. If you know you have a good alternative, you do not need to concede as much, because you don't care as much if you get a deal." ("Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement," 2012).

Example: A couple want to sell their house to buy a new one.BATNA: They could rent their home in the meantime. (Barnett & O'Rourke, 2011, p.189).

The Ministry of Education and the Kawerau Intermediate School Board could of agreed to keep the intermediate open for the next 2-5 years. If nothing changes or the roll continues to decrease, then they can look at closing down the school for good.

Kawerau Intermediate’s front entrance. (http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/28705-kawerau-principal-announcement-nears.html).

The four stages of negotiation:

Stage 1: Preparation - this is when BATNA comes into it. This would of gave both parties an opportunity to prepare well beforehand.

Stage 2: Discussion - this is when both parties can discuss amongst themselves about the conflict. Perhaps if Mrs Tolley had communicated with the community as a whole then she would of seen how strongly they disagreed with her decision and why. However, if the Kawerau Community chose to talk with the Ministry of Education rather than protested, their requests may have been considered.

Stage 3: Proposals and bargaining - "make offers to overcome differences in bargaining positions." (Barnett & O'Rourke, 2011, p.191).

This is when collaboration occurs. Both parties could of tried reasoning with each other and come up with a solution together. A solution that satisfied both the Ministry of Education and the Kawerau Community.

Stage 4: Closing the deal.

Anne Tolley. (http://www.kawerauonline.co.nz/news/intermediate-school-in-court-hearing.html).

"This isn't something we wanted as a community, this isn't something we thought was right for our children, so complete devastation is what I'm feeling right now," Anneke Hepi, Kawerau Intermediate board of trustees. ("Parents dismayed by merger of Kawerau schools," 2012)

I'm definitely against mixing my little boy with any college age kids," Dennis Te Riini, concerned parent. ("Parents dismayed by merger of Kawerau schools," 2012)

My recommendations on a whole:No attempts of negotiation were recognised. Due to this the Kawerau Community felt like they lost against Mrs Tolley and the Ministry of Education. Perhaps if both parties used an integrative strategy and collaborated together the outcome would of benefited everyone.

With an integrative strategy the outcome is likely to be a win-win, meaning both parties get something out of the results.

"Some principals of integrative strategy or mutual gains bargaining include: acknowledging that both sides have legitimate interests to be recognised and advanced. approaching the issues as problems to be solved. listening to build trust. enlarging the pie. seeking sustainable alternatives." (Barnett & O'Rourke, 2011, p.186).

If both parties communicated more and reached decisions together, then perhaps no conflict would of occurred at all.

(Online Newspaper Article)

Ihaka, J. (2011). Kawerau school to fight closure plan. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&object=10725887.

(Textbook)

Barnett, S., & O'Rourke, S. (2011). Communication, Organisation, and Innovation. Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson. (3rd Edition).

(Webpages)

Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.beyondintratability.org/essay/batna.

Kawerau Intermediate Board statement on school closures. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1111/500340/kawerau-intermediate-board-statement-on-school-closures.htm.

Parents dismayed by merger of Kawerau schools. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.3news.co.nz/Parents-dismayed-by-merger-of-Kawerau-schools/tabid/423/articleID/261146/Default.aspx.

APA Referencing

(Images)

Students and principal protesting [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbedu/1697055411-process-behind-school-closure-questioned .

Sign [Image]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.3news.co.nz/Kawerau-mayor-welcomes-cash-injection-into-schools/tabid/423/articleID/232534/Default.aspx.

Students [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/kawerau-primary-schools-merge-4299962 .

Protesters [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2011/03/07/060311xx11.feature-image_t300.JPG .

Supporter [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2381/5729035304_c865a2df8d_m.jpg .

Kawerau Intermediate’s front entrance [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/28705-kawerau-principal-announcement-nears.html .

Anne Tolley [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.kawerauonline.co.nz/news/intermediate-school-in-court-hearing.html .

Principal, Daryl Aim [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.tstnz.com/Opinionforum/Principal_leads_community_fight_to_save_school.html .