Negotiation and conflict management Flashcards
What is negotiation?
-A process whereby two parties come together to confer, with a view to concluding a jointly acceptable agreement.
- Means of communicating with aim of reaching a mutual agreement.
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According to Gennard and Judge suggest that negotiation involves two main elements:
1.) Purpose persuasion- each party attempts to persuade other to accept its case by marshalling arguments, backed by factual info and analysis.
2.) Constructive compromise - both parties accept the need to move closer towards each other’s position.
Kuhn & Poole - suggest 2 basic approaches to Negotiation:
1.) Distributive bargaining:
- negotiation is about distribution of finite resources
-one party’s gain is another’s loss
- is pay increase say of 10% is gained, where management budget was 5% the extra has to be funded from somewhere else
2.) Integrative bargaining:
-Negotiation is about joint problem solving, aiming to find mutually satisfying solution to problems.
-Aim is not just to get best outcome for one’s own party, or even compromise but to fulfil the needs of all parties as far as possible.
What are the 4 main areas set out in the negotiation process?
1.) Preparation
2.) Opening
3.) Bargaining
4.) Closing
Successful negotiators (HUNT) should:
-Avoid direct confrontation
- Consider wide range of options
- Hold back counter-proposals rather than responding immediately
- Use emollient verbal techniques : would it be helpful if we…?
-Summarise on behalf of all involved
-Advance single arguments insistently and avoid long-winded, multiple reason arguments
Successful negotiators possess skills of:
1.) Analysis skills - able to analyse the issue that has given rise to the need for negotiation, and able to understand implications of needing to negotiate. Negotiator will also require problem solving skills.
2.) Technical skills - get into detail presented by opposing sides in a negotiation. Consist of professional expertise.
3.) Interpersonal skills - possess a wide range of interpersonal skills which might include: communication skills such as ability to listen actively, build relationships and work as part of a team during process of negotiation.
Name the 4 strategies to influence:
1.) Application of force, such as physical or economic power
2.) Establishment of rules and procedures that are enforced through position and resource power.
3.) Bargaining and negotiation, which is dependant relative strengths of each party’s position
4.) Persuasion
Clialdini identified 6 principles of influence, which can be used to influence others:
1.) Reciprocity- aim to treat others in accordance with treatment they themselves receive.
2.) Commitment and consistency - if we commit to something we might feel inclined to go through with it.
3.) Social proof- humans are susceptible to the pressure of our peers.
4.) Liking - more influenced by people they like.
5.) Authority - likely to be influenced by those people perceived as being in position of authority.
6.) Scarcity - Person’s behaviour is influenced by availability of a given item. Item becomes more valuable the more scarce it is.
What is the definition of persuasion?
ability to directly and intentionally influence the character, opinion or behaviour of person or a group. Differs from influence in that it is always of a direct and deliberate nature.
Skills to develop for persuasion:
1.) Becoming attuned to identifying opportunities to elicit support from another group or person. Social awareness in this context can be regarded as skill.
2.) Developing a personality that will increase chances of being liked by others. Recognize characteristics that others are likely to value and use these traits as means to influence others.
3.) Taking time to develop relationships with people to influence them in the future. Identify groups or people susceptible for influence in future.
4.) Drawing upon, and making reference to, support from higher levels in hierarchy are likely to be effective at influencing others to provide support.
What is conflict?
when one party’s actions or objectives affect the objectives of another party. Disagreement is a central feature of conflict.
Sources of vertical conflict:
1.) Power and status- employees at lower levels of hierarchy can feel powerless
2.) Ideology - basic differences between goals of organisations and unions.
3.) Psychological distance - employees feel that their needs are being ignored.
4.) Scarce resources - employers, unlike the workers, want to keep salaries low
Thomas & Kilmann - two dimensions of conflict handling:
1.) Assertiveness- satisfy one’s own needs
2.) Operativeness- trying to satisfy the other party’s concerns.
What are Thomas & Kilmann’s 5 strategies for resolving conflict?
1.) Avoidance - one or more party seeks to avoid, suppress or ignore the conflict.
2.) Accommodation - one party puts the other’s interests first and suppresses their own interests in order to preserve some form of stability and to suppress conflict.
3.) Compromise - deal accepted after negotiation and debate. Both parties lose something and there may be better alternative.
4.) Competition- parties do not co-operate but seek to maximise their own interests and goals.Winners vs losers.
5.) Collaboration - differences are confronted and jointly resolved, novel solutions are sought, and a win-win outcome.
Four alternative strategies for managing conflict:
1.) Conflict stimulation and orchestration- encouraging constructive conflict between individuals with aim of getting people to generate ideas or initiate change in organisation.
2.) Conflict suppression - short-term approach to handling conflict. Threat of authority against those parties in conflict. Downplay situation.
3.) Conflict reduction- Compromise and concessions are commonly used techniques.
4.) Conflict resolution - focus is to reach consensus among conflicting parties. Eradicating original cause of conflict.
