Biography
Professor Mara Olekalns’ research is in the field of negotiation. It focuses on the relationships between how individuals think about negotiation, what they do and say during the negotiation, and their outcomes. Her current research is focused on the role of trust strategic choice. Her current research programme, A Relational Model of Strategic Choice in Negotiation, is funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant. A second research stream focuses on how gender influences perception of strategic choices, and the extent to which women may encounter social and economic reprisals when the violate normative expectations in negotiation. The aim of her research is to help negotiators understand and improve the process of negotiating, with the goal of creating better agreements. Her research has been published in leading, international journals. She served on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Conflict Management for 2003-2005; she is currently a Division Editor for Group Decision and Negotiation, and also on the Editorial Boards of Negotiation and Conflict Management Research and Journal of Organizational Behavior. From 2001 -2003, she was a board member of the International Association of Conflict Management.
Before joining Melbourne Business School, Professor Olekalns taught organisational behaviour for the Department of Management at Melbourne University, and for the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago (New Zealand). In 1999, she was awarded a Universitas 21 Teaching Fellowship by the University of Melbourne.
Less recently she has worked for Department of Employment, Education & Training (Staff Training, Equal Opportunity, Organization Development, Resources); Public Service Board (Project Officer for Regional Director) and National Police Research Unit (research on recruitment, training, stress, domestic violence).
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest |
Key Words |
Country of Expertise |
| communication processes in negotiation |
|
Australia |
| trust and relational risk in negotiation |
deception, ethics in negotiation |
Australia |
| gender and social stereoptypes in negotiation |
|
Australia |
International Linkages
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other
Awards
Qualifications
| Title |
Institution |
Date Awarded |
Abbreviation |
| Bachelor of Arts |
Adelaide University |
31-Dec-1978 |
|
| Bachelor of Arts (honours) |
Adelaide University |
31-Dec-1979 |
|
| Doctor of Philosophy |
Adelaide University |
31-Dec-1986 |
|
Memberships
| Membership Type |
Membership Body |
Description |
Start Date |
End Date |
| Member |
International Association of Conflict Management |
Member |
01-Jan-1997 |
|
| Member |
Academy of Management |
Member |
01-Jan-1993 |
|
| Member |
International Communication Association |
Member |
01-Jan-1998 |
|
| Member |
American Psychological Association |
Member |
01-Jan-1990 |
|
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title |
Role |
Funding Source |
Scheme |
Award Date |
| The dynamics of trust in negotiation: implications for strategy & outcomes |
Chief Investigator |
AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL |
Discovery Projects |
01/01/2003 |
| A Relational Model of Strategic Choice in Negotiation |
Chief Investigator |
AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL |
Discovery Projects |
01/01/2007 |
| Competent but Less Likeable: Social Stereotypes and Strategic Choices in Negotiation |
Chief Investigator |
AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL |
Discovery Projects |
01/01/2008 |
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.
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