Conflict, Decision Making, & Organizational Design

To apply negotiation strategies to potential workplace conflicts we must first examine

and understand exactly what negotiation is. Negotiation in itself is a dialogue between two or

more people or parties, intended to reach an understanding, resolve point of difference, or gain

advantage in outcome of dialogue, to produce an agreement upon courses of action, to bargain

for individual or collective advantage, to craft outcomes to satisfy various interests of two

people/parties involved in negotiation process (Buel, 2007). Following the pertinent information

below would be beneficial in applying negotiation strategies to potential conflicts.

Assessing the situation would be the first step. Each negotiation is going to be different, no

matter how often someone has addressed similar situations. We will always be negotiating with

people who have different styles, goals and objectives, and who are coming from different

circumstances and have different standards. So, always take stock and gauge each negotiation as

something unique (Roberts, 2011). Next is to ask yourself—what kind of negotiation is this?

There are essentially 3 circumstances to consider. The first one is it one-time negotiations

where we will unlikely interact with the person or company again? The second one is it a

negotiation that we are going to be repeating again? The last one is it a negotiation where we are

going to form some kind of long term relationship?

Conflict, Decision Making, & Organizational Design 4

Most business negotiations are likely going to fall in the last two categories. We will be handling

a lot of repeat negotiations, where we negotiate with regular suppliers, or engage in labor

negotiations with the same union reps for example. We may even be seeking a