“The Program on Negotiation is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jeanne-Claude, half of the dynamic and brilliant artistic partnership of Christo and Jeanne-Claude,” commented Robert H. Mnookin, Chair of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. “In September 2008, we honored Christo and Jeanne-Claude as the Program on Negotiation’s “Great Negotiators”. Negotiation was clearly a vitally … read more »

Adapted from “Will You Thrive—Or Just Survive?” by Deborah M. Kolb, Professor, Simmons College of Management.

What happened the last time you faced a new leadership opportunity? Whether you were called on to head a team, a task force, a unit, a division, or a company, chances are you negotiated the compensation and perquisites of the appointment—your salary, title, vacation, and … read more »

Adapted from “Build Rapport—and a Better Deal,” by Janice Nadler, professor, School of Law, Northwestern University.

In negotiation, rapport is a powerful force that can promote mutually beneficial agreements. Negotiators who already have a good working relationship are fortunate to have rapport built into their interactions. Strangers, however—especially those whose communications are limited to telephone or computer—may unwittingly find themselves engaged … read more »

Adapted from “Don’t Like Surprises? Hedge Your Bets with Contingent Agreements,” by Lawrence Susskind, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A town government and a private fuel-oil company have a standing contract that they have renewed for several years in a row. The contract is again up for renewal, and the town manager is under pressure from his constituents to reduce the … read more »

As a partner at your growing law firm, you’ve been charged with negotiating the lease of much-needed additional office space in your building. The real-estate agent has informed you that if you don’t increase your offer by $10,000 by the end of the day, you’ll lose the space to another company. Is she bluffing, or is she telling the truth?
… read more »

The research seminar on Gender in Negotiation and Decision Making is jointly sponsored by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School.

Michael Morris is the Chavkin-Chang Professor of Leadership in the Columbia Business School as well as a Professor in the Psychology Department of Columbia University.  He … read more »

In challenging economic times, negotiators can find themselves in an entirely new ball game. That’s what happened to actor Brad Pitt, film director Steven Soderbergh, and their production team when Sony Pictures abruptly pulled the plug on their film project Moneyball just days before the start of shooting in late June. … read more »

Are you interested in gaining valuable work experience in the field of negotiation and dispute resolution? Come to the PON Internship Fair to meet representatives of organizations that are recruiting interns and research assistants.

Recruiters will briefly introduce their organizations and the available internships at 5:30 P.M. sharp. Students will then be able to circulate among recruiters to find out more … read more »

Upset by a delay in the delivery of one of your products, a longtime buyer threatens to turn to the media unless you meet his extreme demands. Not only is the relationship in jeopardy, but your company’s reputation seems to be as well. What should you do?

Let’s explore another relm of negotiation advice for an answer: hostage negotiatons. Before you … read more »

On the heels of an intricate negotiation, conditions change for the worse. Crops fail, the price of oil skyrockets, one side issues an earnings restatement, or the market as a whole is a lot less promising than it was when you negotiated the initial terms. Suddenly your agreement has lost its luster. How should you respond when a deal looks … read more »