Conflict Resolution and Defunding the police

Recent Advances in Negotiation Theory and

Application to Skills Training

Dr. Janice Barrett

From Research to Application

Findings in professional journals are grouped under the following twelve rubrics:

-achieving integrative agreements

-effects on third parties

-the use of positive and negative affect

-culture

-effects of relationship

-effects of experience

-alternatives to negotiated agreements

-time pressure

-information exchange

-presenting two faces in negotiation

-using rewards

-constraints on negotiating

These categories take into account each of several aspects of negotiation including preparation, background factors and other aspects of context, process and communication, situational influences and outcomes.

•Quick agreements may be bad agreements. They often occur before bargainers have an opportunity to be sure they're working with all the relevant information.

•Extensive information searches during negotiation may reveal incompatibilities of interest that sere to escalate rather than resolve the conflict.

•"Friendship" or good relations may lead to sub optimal agreements because bargainers concede too much too soon.

•Friendship may lead to disappointed expectations when the other takes a tougher stance than expected, leading to overreaction and impasse.

•Time pressure can produce premature (and sub optimal) agreements if imposed too soon; if invoked at the right time it can also encourage the closure needed to seal good agreements.

•Attractive alternatives usually increase a negotiator's bargaining power, but they also encourage bargainers to focus on their own interests and to perceive their opponents as having even more attractive alternatives. These are the conditions for sub optimal agreements.

•Although national culture shapes behavior, it may be a less important influence on the behavior of international negotiators who share a professional subculture.

•Giving rewards, such as making or reciprocating concessions or promises, may produce speedy but premature agreements, not the best agreements attainable.

•Tough postures may be advantageous when followed by softer behavior; cooperative behavior is valued more in a competitive context.

•Anger may be helpful if it is used to emphasize deeply felt interests and is directed at the task rather than the other bargainer.

•Flattery applied to create good feelings may be dysfunctional if it is seen as ingratiating or manipulative.

•Movement from negotiating positions is not a sign of flexibility if it is not voluntary or results from coercion by a more powerful opponent.

Findings for Training

The research also has implications for effective negotiating skills. For example, negotiators should:

-Discourage quick agreements by avoiding too-rapid concession exchanges.

-Avoid exchanging "too much" information if the prospect of an optimal solution looks promising. In-depth probes may reveal incompatible interests that escalate the conflict.

-Time the display of tough and soft tactics, sequencing them by presenting firm postures early, softer postures later.

-Use experience or acquired skills in logrolling and other tactics to secure improved outcomes for all the negotiating parties.

-Avoid approaching a negotiation as though it were a competition and be wary of the temptation to see settlement itself as the main goal.

-Orchestrate the negotiating situation for flexibility by insulating the talks from media coverage, avoiding ideological debates, and reducing accountability to constituencies or other parties with vested interests in the outcome.

-Avoid embarrassing opponents. Allow them to take risks and be inventive, and give them room for being flexible.

-In mediation, third parties should suggest compromises early to establish a reputation for fairness, but discourage the negotiators from actually making compromises in favor of an information search process.