Batna and Zopa Made Easier

BATNA and ZOPA made easier

First, instead of saying the acronym BATNA in your mind, always think best alternative to a negotiated agreement (Cohen, 2002). If you say the words in your mind then you'll realize that BATNA and ZOPA cannot be close to the same concepts. More importantly you'll be able to distinguish the fact that ZOPA occurs as during the negotiation process and the execution of BATNA happens when the negotiation discussions are over. Negotiators don't have an "opening" BATNA, but BATNA should be developed in the planning stage. Your BATNA may stay the same or it may change as the negotiators present new information or as new constructs are discovered during research.

• BATNA is the course of action that occurs AFTER the negotiation process is over.

• BATNA is the action a negotiator takes when impasse leads to the termination of further negotiation discussions.

• BATNA is the best action/option a negotiator can take when the parties mutually walk away from the table without the intention of resuming discussions.

• BATNA is NOT a negotiation option, tactic, or strategy; instead,

• BATNA is what the negotiator will do after the negotiation process failed.

Use the same technique with ZOPA: Say Zone of Possible Agreement. There are two settlement zones which form a ZOPA in a two-party negotiation. My settlement zone, yours settlement zone, and the overall ZOPA (either negative or positive) (CMM403 Course Notes Week-2, 2013).

Remember each party has a settlement zone and each settlement zone has four value points within the zone:

1) Aspiration (I want to sell my car for $10K),

2) Goal (I expect to receive about $9K for my car),

3) Walk-away/re-evaluation (point where you stop and think about what is on the table and where you are really going. You may even adjust your BATNA or bottom line here depending on the information you've learn in the course of negotiations. The bottom line offer may or may not be on the table, but it is close if it...