Introduction to International Negotiations

Advice for direct information

• Ask questions about interests and priorities, things that you are willing to share information about in return.
• Give a little information about your own interests and priorities.
• Be sure to reciprocate information with information
• Be honest when rejecting to give information.
• Build trust by meeting expectation.

Advice for indirect information

• Multi-issue proposals are more efficient in getting information
• Do not make proposals that are unacceptable to you
• Anchor proposal so that you receive an adequate distributive outcome.
• Post proposals visually on a flipchart.
• Make 2 or 3 at most proposal at a time
• Analyse the proposal quickly (spreadsheet)
• Allow time for running the numbers

Mutual Adjustment and Concession Making

• When one party agrees to make a change in his/her position, a concession has been made
• Concessions restrict the range of options
• When a concession is made, the bargaining range is further constrained

Strategic Options

• Per Dual Concerns Model, choice of strategy is reflected in the answers to two questions:
• How much concern do I have in achieving my desired outcomes at stake in the negotiation?
• How much concern do I have for the current and future quality of the relationship with the other party?

Mutual Adjustment

• Continues throughout the negotiation as both parties act to influence the other
• One of the key causes of the changes that occur during a negotiation
• The effective negotiator needs to understand how people will adjust and readjust and how the negotiations might twist and turn, based on one’s own moves and the other’s responses

The Dual Concerns Model

Avoidance: Don’t negotiate
Competition: I gain, ignore relationship
Collaboration: I gain, you gain, enhance relationship
Accommodation: I let you win, enhance relationship