Submitted by: Submitted by txmaverick
Views: 158
Words: 639
Pages: 3
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 01/24/2013 12:57 PM
Three Keys to Navigating Multiparty Negotiations
Overview of Article
• Multiparty negotiations are those negotiations in which more than two people are bargaining on behalf of themselves or others to create many opportunities that create value • Three keys that negotiators in a group must focus on:
1) Managing information 2) Managing alliances 3) Managing decision rules
Part 1: Managing Information
• Manage information and integrate with your interests • Create payoff matrix before negotiations begin • Update matrix as negotiations progress
– Listen closely and absorb what others say – Understand possible alliances or trade‐offs that may emerge
• Payoff matrix will be critical tool for managing diverse interests and will give you leverage over parties who have not planned ahead • Look for opportunities to bridge the interests of all parties • Attempt to focus on a single, superordinate goal
Part 1: Managing Information Creating a payoff matrix
• List the names of the negotiation parties • Prioritize the issues for each party at the table
– Rank the issues important to you and estimate how each negotiator would rank them
• Assign points to each issue to create a payoff system
– Doing so will help make comparisons across issues – If unsure how to assign point values, wait until negotiations begin
Part 1: Managing Information Keys to success
• Consider avoiding imposing strict agenda that sets boundaries and dictates timing • Research has shown that groups who considered issues simultaneously rather than sequentially reach more optimal agreements of higher total value
Part 2: Managing Alliances
• A tendency in every multi‐party negotiation is to form an alliance with others who favor your position and/or provide leverage. • Such an alliance may lead to multiple “coalitions”, which brings a competitive nature to the negotiation. • Competition facilitates distributive bargaining which ...