Discussion – Dimensions of Negotiation

Discussion – Dimensions of Negotiation

The conflict involves an employee who feels that his promotional opportunities in the company are limited. Employees may feel discriminated against due to the lack of transparency when promoting employees. Besides, the employee may be having concerns about an unfair evaluation process. Although he has valid concerns, his aggressive approach causes a communication breakdown, making it hard to resolve his concerns.

Collective bargaining, which takes a positional bargaining approach, is the best to resolve the promotion conflict between the employee and the employer. Positional bargaining is embedded in the word ‘bargaining,’ implying that it is an adversarial negotiation approach. The parties embrace a give-and-take attitude that calls for a compromise (Mayer, 2012). When applied to the employer-employee conflict regarding promotional concerns, both parties will have to adjust their preferences to reach a mutually acceptable resolution. A positional approach to conflict resolution is the most suitable in business contexts since it encourages both parties to be flexible and alive to the needs of the other party.

One of the emotional concerns that should be taken into account to resolve the conflict mentioned above is to encourage proper listening by both parties. Listening is crucial because successful communication is seldom a linear process. When everyone is listened to, they gain a sense of importance, placing them in a better position to adjust their needs based on the adversary’s demands (Fisher & Shapiro,2005).  Another core emotional component that will facilitate the resolution of the above conflict is embedding fairness and justice throughout the negotiation process. That will require the employer to explain the reasoning behind their decisions (Fisher & Shapiro,2005). While doing so, the employer must be transparent. Showing a commitment to fairness and justice will improve the employee’s trust in their employer.

References

Fisher, R., & Shapiro, D. (2005). Beyond reason: Using emotions as you negotiate. Penguin.

Mayer, B. S. (2012). The dynamics of conflict: A guide to engagement and intervention. John Wiley & Sons.

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In your course text, Bernard Mayer defines negotiation as “an interaction in which people try to meet their needs or accomplish their goals by reaching an agreement with others who are trying to get their own needs met” (p. 214).* The challenge of negotiation is evident in the definition because it can be difficult to meet the needs of two parties who have conflicting needs. Negotiation is one form of conflict resolution. Your course text provides details about two sets of approaches to negotiation. The first set is distributive and integrative.(Your course text addresses these under the section titled, “The Dimensions of Negotiation,” and refers to them as “dimensions” and/or “approaches,” while the course uses the term “approaches”). Distributive and integrative approaches refer to the structure of the negotiation. With distributive negotiation, one party gains more than another as a result of the negotiation. This approach often is often considered to be a win-lose approach. Integrative negotiation, on the other hand, results in both parties meeting their needs to at least some degree, thus being considered a win-win approach.

Discussion – Dimensions of Negotiation

The second set of approaches is, in your course text, termed “positional” and “interest-based.” Rather than reflecting the structure of a negotiation, these labels refer to tactics and attitudes. In positional negotiation, the focus is on proposed solutions the involved parties already have in mind. In interest-based negotiation, the focus is on the needs of the parties and solutions are sought to address these needs. Positional negotiation often is equated with a distributive approach. Interest-based negotiation is often equated with an integrative approach. The approaches and sets of approaches may overlap in practice, and multiple approaches may be used at different times during the same negotiation.

Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro, co-authors of Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate, suggest that negotiators focus on five core concerns: appreciation, affiliation, autonomy, status, and role. Addressing appropriate concerns helps parties to experience positive emotions which may lead to a successful outcome.

*Note: Keep in mind, as stated in the Course Introduction, concepts are used and defined differently in the field of conflict resolution.
To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the assigned pages of Chapter 5 in your course text, The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution. Focus on emotional resolution.
Review Chapter 8 in your course text, The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution, and pay particular attention to the approaches of negotiation (distributive, integrative, interest-based, and positional).
Review the article, “Address the concern, not the emotion.” Note the emotions that arise from each concern.
Review the article Brooks, A.W. (2015). Emotion and the art of negotiation. Harvard Business Review.
Consider the approaches of negotiation and the core concerns that may contribute to positive negotiation outcomes.
Think of an intergroup conflict with which you are familiar.
Consider how you might use a negotiation approach to apply one or more dimensions of negotiation to facilitate the parties to move beyond their positions.
Reflect on how core emotional concerns could be taken into account to help resolve the conflict that you have selected.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post a brief description of the conflict that you selected. Then describe one of the negotiation approaches, and explain how and why you might use it to resolve the conflict. Briefly describe any core emotional concerns that you think would need to be taken into account and explain how and why addressing them might help to resolve the conflict.

rESOURCES
The Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention
Chapter 5, “Resolving Conflict” (pp. 123–137 only)
Chapter 8, “Negotiation”
Chapter 10, “Mediation”
Fisher, R. & Shapiro, D. (2006). Address the concern, not the emotionLinks to an external site.. Dispute Resolution Journal, 61(1), 44-89.
Brooks, A.W. (2015). Emotion and the art of negotiationLinks to an external site.. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/12/emotion-and-the-art-of-negotiation

CONFLICT: One of my aggressive employees request a conversation on why he has not been offered a promotion or schedule change. Employee requests a sit down with HR and several employees. A meeting was requested; however, the employee was combative, not receptive, and very aggressive. He denied that he requested the meeting though we had his request in writing him. no results other than him yelling and walking out