As the use of mediation continues to grow, researchers continue to examine what makes mediators effective and what the impact of mediation is on parties in dispute. Four articles in the July 2009 issue of Negotiation Journal provide an in-depth view of mediation effectiveness, with some interesting findings.

In the first article, Stephen Goldberg, Margaret Shaw, and Jeanne Brett follow up … read more »

When interests collide, some managers dig in their heels: You get your way or I get mine. Others go for a compromise where the plan is to give up as little as possible. Neither strategy is likely to lead to the best outcome. But businesses, nonprofits, government agencies … and even rock ‘n’ rollers … … read more »

Director
James K. Sebenius

Founder and Director Emeritus
Roger Fisher

Associate Director
Daniel L. Shapiro

Global Negotiation
William Ury, Director
Joshua Weiss, Associate Director

Distinguished Fellow
Bruce Patton

Fellow
Jason Cheng Qian

Senior Adviser
Mark Gordon

Affiliates
Sheila Heen
Douglas Stone

The Project, or HNP as it is commonly known, was created in 1979 and was one of the founding organizations of the Program on Negotiation consortium. The work of faculty, staff, and students associated with HNP routinely … read more »

As negotiation experts, David Lax and Professor James Sebenius find that many negotiators focus on process and substance. Whether in person, over the phone, or through email, business outcomes seem determined by how well parties can establish trust, communicate, and put the best deal on the table. These are the first two and best known dimensions to financial negotiations. So … read more »

Research shows that women—more than men—face a “compensation negotiation dilemma,” in which they have to weigh the economic benefits of negotiating for higher pay against the social risks of being perceived negatively for having negotiated. Professor Bowles will talk about her latest research on how women can overcome this compensation negotiation dilemma. She will also talk more broadly about the … 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?

Before you make a decision, let’s explore another realm of negotiation advice for an … read more »

Hostage negotiators stress the importance of discussing the “drill”—goals, ground rules, and operating principles—with their team before beginning talks with a hostage taker.

Such negotiation teams are likely to commit to working together as slowly as needed to resolve a standoff. This type of agreement can serve to head off sudden actions from team members. It also helps the group present … read more »

Another round of global climate change negotiations (following the Kyoto Protocol) will begin in 2009 in Copenhagen. New rounds of negotiations regarding possible changes in dozens of global environmental agreements are also planned in the coming year. The “system” of global environmental treaty-making is still in a rather primitive form. There is much we can do to help enhance … read more »

Deepak Malhotra, Associate Professor in the Negotiations, Organizations, and Markets Unit at the Harvard Business School and co-author of Negotiation Genius, wrote an editorial for The Wall Street Journal on how the Big Three automakers should negotiate with the government and how they should justify their demands. … read more »

A discussion with:

Ambassador Nicholas Burns: Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in the United States Foreign Service for twenty seven years until his retirement in April 2008. He was Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2005-2008, the nation’s highest ranking career diplomat. He led negotiations … read more »