For this final part of the project you will address the following questions in your paper:
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negotiation_1.docxRunning head: NEGOTIATION 1
NEGOTIATION 12
Negotiation
Author Note
Negotiation
The two main approaches to any form of negotiation and they are integrative strategy versus distributive strategy (Gaertner & Ahlert, 1992). The two models of communication can be used in different contexts depending on which strategy can meet the goal set by the negotiator (Walton & Gershenfeld, 2004). Usually we can encounter distributive form of negotiation any time we are purchasing the car and integrated negotiations is something that we get involved with in ongoing basis, for example when we get to work early so that we get an off in the afternoon.
Which approach to take?
In my opinion I believe distributive bargaining can be a better strategy than integrative strategy. Distributive bargaining is very important especially when it comes to negotiations that are competitive and which involve distribution of fixed resources, and in this case the fixed resource is time (Luecke, 2010). The two parties in question are of the opinion that the resources are limited and they cannot be able to enlarge what is available for use, and it is win lose situation in that the one side gains at the other’s expense.
In the case with Michelle the stake are high and the dispute cannot be solved in any other way than through zero sum. The budget by the company is limited to the number of hours available and the seniority in terms of work, it is therefore upon all the parties to deal with their levels of compromise. Most of the critics of this method of bargaining believe that integrative strategy is better and they argue that when we invoke creativity, the disputants can be able to enlarge the resources and come up with benefits for both parties (Luecke, 2010). Distributive approach has been criticized for being destructive and making both parties to concentrate on their differences rather than how they can better their resources and position (Walton & Gershenfeld, 2004).
Formulation of Plan
Define the issues
Michelle works for Nikki which has to redesign its operations through offering new shifts. Those with seniority have been given advantage over the others and they have picked their ideal shifts. Those who have less seniority have been left with less ideal options. Michelle is one of those who feel that they have been left with less ideal option. She wants to meet with Nikki management in order to select a shift that suits her home responsibilities better.
Bargaining mix
This is made up of package of issues under negotiation (Kavanagh & Nailon, 2007). For every item that is included in the bargaining mix must have the starting point, target as well as resistance point.
· Home life responsibilities
She is furious with the fact that the schedule does not allow her to be able to tend to the needs of her family as she has been able to do in the past. If the management can be able to consider the fact that Michelle has certain human responsibilities that she must meet then one sticking point will have been met.
· Daycare provider Shift
Michelle has a daycare provider at home due to the fact that she is a single mum. Her daycare provider also works with a shift and therefore there is need to change her shift in order to fit into the new schedule for Michelle. It may be important that Michelle change the terms of engagement with her daycare provider which may be a disadvantage to her.
· Creation of the Shift option
This is the third bargaining aspect. The fact that Michelle is in the lower 20% makes it difficult for her even though she has been a stellar performance. The management should have included the opinion of the employees before they come up with final criteria.
Interest of both parties
Michelle wishes to find a shift that is ideal for her, in that she can be able to carry out her job duties and family responsibilities at the same time. The management wishes to be able to ensure that all employees work their shifts and meet the new goals.
Resistance point
The management has to ensure that the criteria that they have used stands. Michelle wishes to see that her needs at home are met with the requirements at home. Each party will look to ensure that they stick to their above interests.
Alternatives and BATNA
Michelle has the alternative of first to compromise her position and to change the hours with her daycare. The other alternative is to quit her job if her needs are not met. Lastly, she may take a shift that meets a middle ground between her and the management needs.
BATNA means the best alternatives to her negotiated agreement (Walton & Gershenfeld, 2004). The above alternatives can be taken as being inferior or superior to her BATNA. The first alternative is to accept any offer that betters her situation and reject any that further compromises.
Objectives and Opening Bids
Her objective should be to get a deal that; ensures she is able to meet her needs at home; she does not compromise her daycare schedule and also meet her daily duties at home. The starting point of negotiation should be aimed at changing the current position towards her BATNA.
Social Context
The negotiation took place within Nikki offices where all the stakeholders to the case were allowed to freely air their interests without any form of intimidation
Negotiations in most instances help individuals settle particular differences. In the negotiation process, agreements come to be as well as compromises reached (Gelfand, 2004). Negotiation in most situations helps do away with arguments and avoid disputes. A successful negotiation always applies the principles of fairness to maintain a healthy relationship (Lewicki, 2003). Negotiation is crucial to settling the dilemma with Michelle as well as attains peak results in Nikki’s organization. The following section aims to focus on issues affecting them, biases hampering their negotiation as well as strategies Nikki’s should use to address the conflict.
Issues and Perspectives
Michelle works for Nikki. The introduced shifts do not favor her and her home responsibilities. She desires to get an ideal change favorable for her. An ideal shift will be favorable for her and family. She feels the introduced shift will affect her home and family responsibilities. On the other hand, Nikki believes the proposed shifts will produce the best results for the new set goals. Additionally, Nikki has used a seniority tactic to assign the shifts that in returns dissatisfy Michelle.
Being an employee of the organization, she has the feeling that employees should have the right to choose the shifts that work best for them as compared to having fixed shifts assigned by the management. Nikki as the administration designed the schedule based on a seniority basis. The plan in return caused dissatisfaction in Michelle who desires to switch shifts and does not receive the privilege of receiving the preferential shifts, as she is not a senior.
Formed Biases
People may develop bias based on social class, toward as well as against individuals. Bias forces individuals to develop an inclination towards a particular direction (Guasco, 2007). Favoritism is a bias that occurs in several organizations. It sometimes favors individuals based on employee positions or the relationship an employee has with management. The bias illustrated in this organization lies towards the seniors. The drafted schedule favors the seniors as compared to other employees. Preferential shifts devised are seniority based.
Nikki does not provide a platform where all workers chose the shift that works for them. Additionally, in many organizations, biases based on feelings of being powerless are common. Most employees feel they are not in control over particular situations. Michelle feels powerless and not in control to change, the new schedule devised. The result of the bias is feelings of being upset that in return forces her to draft a negotiation plan to use to approach her boss.
Strategies and tactics
Negotiation strategies are crucial in achieving results (Shell, 2000). In situations where emotions are running high such as Michelle and Nikki case, negotiation tactics are essential. Strategies used include increasing one's power through enhancing one's BATNA (Guasco, 2007). This technique is important in helping one avoid being dependent on the alternatives of the counterpart. In the situation, the BATNA will help Nikki have the alternatives to convince Michelle why she chooses the schedule the organization has adopted.
Encouraging cooperative behavior is essential. Negotiation tends to be more aggressive, and hence cooperation is vital in achieving results. Michelle’s emotions are high and hence Nikki has to encourage participation through techniques such as using terminologies that do not provoke much debate. Additionally, positivity is primary in any negotiation (Guasco, 2007). Nikki must be positive that she will convince Michelle to accept the offer on the table and adjust her schedule to help achieve the organization's success. Preparation is crucial for any negotiation (Corvette, 2007). Nikki should have gathered enough information about Michelle. She should research what upsets Michelle so much. Prior enough preparation for the negotiation will help Nikki win over the negotiation.
Another crucial tactic is having an offer in case what is on the table does not work. Having in mind Michelle upset state, the organization should have another offer to negotiate with Michelle to keep her in the organization as a good worker. Having alternative offers is crucial. Showing the right emotions is as well an effective tactic in a negotiation. Nikki can show emotions of disappointment that in return may make Michelle make concessions (Corvette, 2007). Additionally and crucial to all negotiation is rapport. The right rapport helps set the negotiation mood. Nikki should set the right rapport that will not trigger anger in Michelle to achieve a win in the negotiation.
Comparison between the Two Parties
The parties in our case are involved in the negotiation to come to a common ground or agreement that is based on their power. They have differences in their power relations as well as similarities as illustrated bellow.
Differences
Nikki being a manager has a higher power since his position in the hierarchy of the authority is more senior compared to Michelle, who is just an employee.
Nikki also has sensitive duties to carry in the organization which are managerial-oriented that dictates that Nikki has a higher power than Michelle, rather than just enhancing production process, we have seen that he has the mandate of making operating policies (shift schedule adjustment) and ensuring that the employees follow them. This is seen where Michelle is holding a negotiation with Nikki to adjust her shift schedule showing that Nikki is the only personnel who can adjust this and not Michelle on his own (Stone, 2010).
There exists a difference in the type of power possessed by the two. Nikki has legitimate authority in the sense that it’s his authority position that enables him to make and enforce policies against the employee’s one of them being Michelle. On the other hand Nikki has relative and expert power in the aspect that he is a stellar employee who works hard and relates with the other team members very well also by the fact that he has been held in the organization for two years shows he has his expertise that makes him remain held in the organization (Stone, 2010)..
Similarities
The similarity, in this case, is less since the differences between the two seems to take the largest weight. The similarity is that the two subordinates to a supreme body or personnel. Nikki is subordinate to the executive officer of the organization and the management at large. Michelle is subordinate to Nikki as well as the whole organization at large. Therefore, both hold auxiliary power.
In my opinion Nikki and have an apparent difference in their powers which is clearly seen in the way they relate and also the powers of making and executing managerial decisions. As we know, an executive is senior personnel in our case Nikki who is a manager, and the employees are bound to follow the directions given by the manager. Michelle is an employee, and, therefore, her powers are subordinate to those of Nikki as an employee reports to the manager. This is clearly seen where Michelle is asking for a negotiation from Nikki (Briscoe, 2008).
Derivation of Power
Nikki derives his power from his position in the authority hierarchy of the organization since he is a manager. His power of making and enforcing policies is due to him being a manager. A manager has the role of making policies and programs as well as making sure that they are strictly followed by the staff to which they relate. In our case, the staffs are the senior officers in question and other employees such as Michelle in this context. Nikki being a manager also is supposed to solve any inconvenience arising from the employees, in our case we see Michelle intending to hold a negotiation with Nikki for the adjustment of shift schedule that will allow her to take care of her family issues.
Michelle Source of Power
Michelle has a source of power in that being a stellar employee she is of higher importance for driving the organization towards meeting the objective of benefiting from strong demand realized by in Bloom. This kind of power is called referent power. This empowers Michelle to take a step to hold a negotiation with Nikki without fear.
A List Of How Michelle Perceived To Be In A Lesser Power Position Should Prepare And Proceed With The Negotiation.
Negotiation as we know from experience and also observation in our daily life interaction becomes the basic principle that we use daily. It is the process of solving conflicts where the parties involved try to find solution (in this case Nikki and Michelle) where all will come to an agreement. Michelle being the party in the lesser position should follow the following fundamental principles involved in preparing and procession in the negotiation:
Preparation
One needs to prepare thoroughly for a successful negotiation to occur in our case, Michelle. (Stanford social innovation review) She should prepares to be involved in the negotiation between her and Nikki through obtaining information, both about his/her interests alternatives as well as interests and also about the other party in question in our case Nikki. Michelle should start by finding out her Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA, that is the results on her side if she abandons the negotiation) after this set her targets in reference to shift schedule adjustment and then try to determine what are Nikki’s targets as well as BATNA(Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement). Also, ensure that she has done research from different sources and ask the outsiders questions for the purpose of obtaining objective facts.
Before Michelle begins she should prepare a well-organized list of likely points to negotiate on based on the issue in question for example she can talk about a favorable schedule to make sure she also meets her household chores, schedule that allows her to interact with her child for purposes of maintaining motherly love, etc. In formulating this list of points she should start most critical and self-standing points in the issue that is those that are targeting on a good schedule for her welfare and then try to imagine the scope in which the process of the agreement can extend so as to cover everything.
As she considers the various issues of importance in the context of negotiation, she should clearly make an establishment of the relevance she places on each situation and in the same case the value the other party is likely to set in this case Nikki (Worth, 2007). Michelle should find out what are the areas that her interests of having the schedule adjusted for her welfare coincide with those of Nikki of schedule change and adherence as made and at the same time look for cases of trade-offs. Michelle should proceed with a lot of caution to avoid locking herself onto a concrete of what Nikki needs and is interested in based on the issue in reference(Maintenance of the policy as formulated and adherence to it strictly for better organizational results).She should always be receptive to any new information in the discussion process. In our case Nikki the counterpart to Michelle has an authority by the fact that he is a manager of the organization where Michelle works, therefore Michelle should determine the extent of Nikki’s power and try to match her authority to his. After Michelle ensures that she is thoroughly prepared she should now proceed to the negotiation. So as to proceed properly with the negotiation she should follow the following process:
I. Focus on her target. Michelle should focus on her most favorable target. Those that do set and maintain their focus on their promising targets achieve the most favorable settlement (human nature laws). She should make an initial settlement offer that leaves room for negotiation. The capability of Michelle keep focus on her settlement target will influence the expectation of Nikki therefore leading to a successful initiation of the negotiation. She should also ensure execution of strategies established within its parameters.
II. Manage the information skillfully. Michelle should plan make preparation before starting the negotiation. This will empower Nikki, the other party in the negotiation. In this context, Michelle should make sure she positions her theme that will allow her to frame the issues that are to be negotiated in a fair way. Positioning is a critical and most efficient way as it lays down the crucial and the most crucial facts that are the most fit from which one can construct his/her theme. For Michelle to create benefits in the negotiation, she should repeatedly relate the discussion to her most important issues.
III. Michelle should know and maintain her power. Michelle should identify and develop all her power sources as negotiation revolves around power. Therefore she should ensure confidence and be aware of her power so as to be able to act with a given degree of conviction and make necessary resolutions to convince Nikki and produce settlements that are fair to all and that are favorable too. Also Michelle should understand that power can positive or negative and is to apply in an ethical, professionalism and in a way that is not punishing so as to drive the negotiation to a mutually desirable closure. Michelle can obtain her power from information, for example, having good negotiation skills and also her motivation level.
iv. Michelle should emphasize needs over her wants. This is through attuning to her needs that might underlie the demands of the opposing party. She should maintain her position and avoid being swayed by Nikki’s posturing top demands of adhering to the shift schedule. She determines the relevance of the case in relationship to the facts instead of the opposing party’s stringent demands. However Michelle should not assume that Nikki lacks merits in his position, Instead she should become attentive so as to uncover the information that is laying between Nikki’s demand and the mutually benefiting and acceptable solution (Worth, Communication skills, 2009).
v. Michelle should ensure a strategic concession. Michelle under this case should make compromises after opening her offer forward the negotiation. This means that she develops a good well-organized plan that controls the process of concession and that gives the negotiator ability to exert regulation over the process and also the results. She should realize that her concession pattern gives a particular message and, therefore, ensure that her way of concession-making is indicating the right message and avoid concessions that are not necessary. Also, Michelle should try as much as possible to De-escalate the process. Each one of them should be not equal to the first one, instead should be a bit smaller than the previous. Then she I supposed to make sure that the concession is slowly made and ensures in return she gets the same.
References
Corvette, B. A. B. (2007). Conflict management: A practical guide to developing negotiation strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Gelfand, M. J., & Brett, J. M. (2004). The handbook of negotiation and culture. Stanford, California: Stanford Business Books.
Guasco, M. P. (2007). Principles of negotiation: Strategies, tactics, techniques to reach agreements. Irvine, California: Entrepreneur Press.
Lewicki, R. J. (2003). Negotiation: Readings, exercises, and cases. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Shell, G. R. (2000). Bargaining for advantage: Negotiation strategies for reasonable people. New York: Viking
