This essay explores the importance of the subject of Negotiation and explains the two main approaches, principled and positional Negotiation outlined by Ury and Fisher in the book Getting to Yes.
Table of Contents
1. Negotiation Essay
2. Validity and Limitations of Fisher and Ury´s best practise suggested in the statement
3. Definitions of Negotiation
4. Seven Elements of Negotiation
5. Behaviours of a Good Negotiator
6. Cooperative vs Competitive Approach
7. Outcomes of Negotiation
8. Limitations of the Cooperative Approach
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this essay is to critically examine the validity and limitations of Fisher and Ury’s premise regarding the necessity of acknowledging the legitimacy of an opposing party's point of view in negotiations. The study explores how different negotiation tactics—ranging from cooperative to competitive—influence outcomes and under what circumstances each approach proves most effective.
- Theoretical definitions of negotiation and their evolution.
- The role of the seven core elements of negotiation, specifically focusing on Legitimacy and Communication.
- Behavioral traits of effective negotiators and the importance of active listening.
- Comparison of the dual concern model and various negotiation outcomes (Win/Win vs. Win/Lose).
- Situational analysis regarding when competitive bargaining may be more practical than cooperative strategies.
Excerpt from the Book
Validity and Limitations of Fisher and Ury´s best practise suggested in the statement:
Fisher´s and Ury´s “Getting to Yes”, first published in 1981, describes the best practise of negotiation and discusses its findings from research. This essay will examine to what extent their statement, “many consider it a good tactic not to give the other side’s case too much attention, and not to admit any legitimacy in their point of view. A good negotiator does just the reverse” (Fisher and Ury 1991, p.6), is valid and what the limitations, of the best practice suggested, are.
Negotiation is a big factor of everyday life reaching from informal discussions about what to have for breakfast with yourself or your partner, to serious issues like buying a house off a stranger and haggling about the price or debating a wage raise with your boss in work. Since everyone uses it there are many different opinions on how it should be defined as a pure concept. Gavin Kennedy (1998) suggested that it should be viewed as a “process by which we search terms to obtain what we want from somebody who wants something from us.” (Kennedy 1998, p. 6) Examining this definition, it seems to mainly look at the formal and serious negotiations that people have with their bosses over money or support.
Regarding contemporary definitions of the concept, the oxforddictionary (2017) decided to shorten the definition. It simplifys Kennedy´s (1998) big and serious sounding explanation to a “Discussion aimed at reaching an agreement” (oxforddictionary 2017). Considering Fisher´s and Ury´s (2012) “Gettingg to Yes”, this is the closest up-to-date definition, as they simply want you to get what you want from others. Bringing these all together and finding a middle way to go with, Cambridgedictionary (2017) defines Negotiation as “The process of discussing something with someone in order to reach an agreement with them” (cambridgedictionary 2017).
Summary of Chapters
1. Negotiation Essay: Introduces the critical statement by Fisher and Ury regarding negotiation tactics and the focus of the paper.
2. Validity and Limitations of Fisher and Ury´s best practise suggested in the statement: Sets the stage by framing the debate between standard competitive tactics and the cooperative approach proposed by the authors.
3. Definitions of Negotiation: Compares various scholarly definitions to establish a conceptual understanding of what negotiation entails in both formal and informal contexts.
4. Seven Elements of Negotiation: Analyzes the structural components that influence negotiations, identifying Legitimacy and Communication as the key focal points.
5. Behaviours of a Good Negotiator: Explores the practical application of effective behaviors, such as active listening and objective criteria usage.
6. Cooperative vs Competitive Approach: Evaluates the dual concern model and how different negotiator mindsets shape the interactive process.
7. Outcomes of Negotiation: Categorizes negotiation results into five specific models, ranging from Yielding to Problem Solving.
8. Limitations of the Cooperative Approach: Concludes that while cooperative strategies are ideal, competitive approaches are sometimes more pragmatic in time-sensitive or purely monetary scenarios.
Keywords
Negotiation, Fisher and Ury, Legitimacy, Communication, Cooperative Approach, Competitive Approach, Win-Win, Win-Lose, Principled Negotiation, Dual Concern Model, Active Listening, Conflict Resolution, Strategy, Bargaining, Stakeholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this essay?
The essay explores the validity and limitations of Fisher and Ury's assertion that a successful negotiator should always grant legitimacy to the opposing party's perspective, contrasting this with common competitive bargaining tactics.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The themes include communication theory in negotiations, behavioral psychology of negotiators, the impact of legitimacy on agreement stability, and the situational effectiveness of win-win versus win-lose strategies.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to determine to what extent the "best practice" of acknowledging the other side’s legitimacy holds true in diverse scenarios, and under which specific conditions it might be limited or replaced by alternative tactics.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The paper utilizes a qualitative literature review and critical analysis, synthesizing foundational theories from authors like Fisher and Ury with models from researchers like Patton, Pruitt, and Katz and Lawyer.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines the definitions of negotiation, analyzes key elements such as communication and legitimacy, evaluates the dual concern model of negotiator behavior, and contrasts cooperative problem-solving with competitive positional bargaining.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include negotiation, legitimacy, cooperative approach, competitive approach, dual concern model, win-win solutions, and conflict resolution.
In what situations is a competitive approach deemed helpful?
The text highlights scenarios such as buying an item from a stranger or wage negotiations, where time or monetary gain are prioritized, making a swift "win-lose" outcome more pragmatic than a time-consuming cooperative process.
How does the author view the "ultimatum game" research?
The author uses the ultimatum game to demonstrate that a lack of perceived fairness or legitimacy can cause negotiations to collapse, as parties may choose a "lose-lose" result rather than accept a deal they deem inherently unfair.
- Quote paper
- Marcel Strangmueller (Author), 2018, Validity and Limitations of Fisher and Ury's best practise, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/417201
