Question

Discuss the evolving nature of negotiation philosophies.

Answer 1

The traditional philosophy of negotiation is called Positional Bargaining. In this philosophy, the negotiation is seen either as a win or loss. The involved parties present their opening position at the bargaining table. The parties stick to their position and try to convince the other party to accept their position. There can be a probability of conflict and deadlock arising between the two parties.

The negotiation philosophy has evolved with time. The traditional philosophy has been replaced at many businesses by the philosophy of principled negotiation. This philosophy is also known as the negotiation on the merits. This is a more effective way of negotiation. One of the involved parties presents its position and then keenly listens to the other parties’ position. Both the involved parties try to come to a mutual benefitting solution, reached through consensus. This philosophy is based on win-win philosophy and there is no probability of a deadlock situation.