Often it is the relatively small details of an agreement that can cause the most consternation in negotiation. When viewed in light of the big picture, these details can be of minor importance, but while in the heat of the action they can become points of contention capable of derailing the process altogether, especially if … Learn More About This Program 

Tensions between the Humane Society of the United States and United Egg Producers have existed for more than a decade. When the two sides are asked why they don’t come together to negotiate their differences, each answers that the other is someone with whom negotiation is difficult if not impossible. Often it is those parties … Learn More About This Program 

“What a small world” is an oft heard phrase used to describe anything from running into a friend far from home to discovering a group that shares your particular interests. In the first instance, the phrase conveys a sense of proximity that is paradoxical given the world and, in the second it denotes a social … Read Moving Toward the Cutting Edge 

When negotiators can’t manage to resolve a final sticking point, time can be one of the best tools at your disposal. How can you use time to move forward?

First, and perhaps most obviously, take a break from talks. That might mean adjourning until the next day, next week, or even longer. In negotiation, a pause … Read Get Time on Your Side 

Imagine that you are about to begin a negotiation whose subject matter is squarely within your area of responsibility at my company. However, the dollar amounts at stake are so large that you are tempted to kick it upstairs to your boss, or at least involve your boss directly in the negotiation. What are the … Read Should Your Boss Be at the Negotiation Table? 

In negotiation, rarely does a deal seem perfect. Rather, we often feel ambivalent about our choices. Should you accept your counterpart’s best and final offer, which is merely adequate from your perspective, or devote the considerable energy required to find a stellar deal elsewhere? Should you end a business relationship that has grown contentious or … Read When Negotiation Conflict is Internal 

Imagine that it’s time to shop for a new car. A friend has told you that she solicited bids from dealers on a no-haggle website and was offered a good, nonnegotiable price. You consider going this route but wonder if you could get an even better deal by negotiating at the dealership. Would you choose … Read Are You Avoiding a Key Negotiation? 

Many things factor into whether you choose “fight or flight” when faced with a difficult situation in life. Whether it is a disagreeable coworker or a border struggle between nations, the decisions made at the onset of conflict often determine the tenor of the entire proceeding.

Along with information and a good-faith desire for collaboration, knowing … Read Fight or Flight 

Guantanamo Bay is a location firmly fixed in the public mind as one of the many physical symbols associated with the age of terrorism. Before becoming President of the United States, Barack Obama promised the closure of this controversial site. Yet that promise was fraught with many political considerations, such as how to close a … Learn More About This Program 

In a series of studies, Joshua M.Ackerman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Christopher C. Nocera of Harvard University, and John A. Bargh of Yale University explored how the feel of physical objects could arbitrarily be influencing our choices without our knowledge.

In one study, the researchers asked passersby to evaluate a job candidate by reviewing … Read Touchy-feely Negotiators?