MULTIPLE PARTIES AND TEAMS
Multiple parties and teams negotiations can be defined as a situation where we have more than two parties working together to achieve collective goals or objectives. In this paper, we will highlights the nature of multiple parties and also show the dynamics changes that occur when group, teams, and task forces have to present individual views and come to a collective agreement about a problem, plan or future course of action.
THE NATURE OF MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATIONS
More than two parties.
Information and computational complexity.
Procedural complexity.
Strategic complexity.
Diverse opinion and preferences.
Collective decision making.
Conflict of interests.
Deliberations.
Susceptible to breakdown.
Conscious commitment.
Multiparty negotiation looks a lot like group decision making because it involves a group of parties trying to reach common solution in a situation where the parties’ preferences may diverge consequently, understanding multiparty negotiation means, in part, understanding the attributes of an effective group. The effective groups and their members do the following things:
Test assumptions and inferences.
Share all relevant information.
Focus on interests, not positions.
Be specific—use examples.
Agree on what important words mean.
Explain the reasons behind one’s statements, questions, and answer.
Disagree openly with any member of the group.
Make statements, and then invite questions and answer.
Jointly design ways to test disagreements and solutions.
Discuss undiscussable issues.
Keep the discussion focused.
Do not take cheap shots or otherwise distract the group.
Expect to have all members participate in all phases of the process.
Exchange relevant information with nongroup members.
Make decisions by consensus.
Conduct a self-critique.
MANAGING MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATIONS
Given the additional complexity that occurs in a multiparty negotiation, the most effective way to cope is to focus on the three key stages that characterized multiparty negotiations. The three key stages are:
PRENEGOTIATION STAGE:
Actual negotiation
And, managing agreement.
The prenegotiation stage: this stage is characterized by lots of informal contact among the parties. They tend to work on the following issues:
The participants
Coalitions
Defining group member roles
Understanding the costs and consequences of no agreement
Learning the issues and constructing agenda
Abide by a set of ground rules
THE FORMAL NEGOTIATION STAGE:
Appoint an appropriate chair
Use and restructure the agenda
Ensure a diversity of information and perspectives
Ensure consideration of all the available information
Manage conflict effectively
Review and manage the decision rules
Strive for a first agreement
Manage problem team members
MANAGING THE AGREEMENT:
Select the best solution
Develop an action plan
Implement the action
Evaluate the just-completed process
Most negotiation theory has been developed under the assumption that negotiation is a bilateral process—that there are only two focal negotiators or teams of negotiators opposing each other. Yet many negotiations are multilateral or group deliberations—more than two negotiators are involved, each with his or her own interests and positions, and the group must arrive at a collective agreement regarding a plan, decision, or course of action. From the above, we have been able to explore the dynamics of multiparty negotiation, the complex negotiation process, and the critical decision making process.
Endnote
Roy J. Lewicki, Bruce Barry, David M.Saunders: essential of negotiation (fourth edition)
Multiple parties and teams negotiations can be defined as a situation where we have more than two parties working together to achieve collective goals or objectives. In this paper, we will highlights the nature of multiple parties and also show the dynamics changes that occur when group, teams, and task forces have to present individual views and come to a collective agreement about a problem, plan or future course of action.
THE NATURE OF MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATIONS
More than two parties.
Information and computational complexity.
Procedural complexity.
Strategic complexity.
Diverse opinion and preferences.
Collective decision making.
Conflict of interests.
Deliberations.
Susceptible to breakdown.
Conscious commitment.
Multiparty negotiation looks a lot like group decision making because it involves a group of parties trying to reach common solution in a situation where the parties’ preferences may diverge consequently, understanding multiparty negotiation means, in part, understanding the attributes of an effective group. The effective groups and their members do the following things:
Test assumptions and inferences.
Share all relevant information.
Focus on interests, not positions.
Be specific—use examples.
Agree on what important words mean.
Explain the reasons behind one’s statements, questions, and answer.
Disagree openly with any member of the group.
Make statements, and then invite questions and answer.
Jointly design ways to test disagreements and solutions.
Discuss undiscussable issues.
Keep the discussion focused.
Do not take cheap shots or otherwise distract the group.
Expect to have all members participate in all phases of the process.
Exchange relevant information with nongroup members.
Make decisions by consensus.
Conduct a self-critique.
MANAGING MULTIPARTY NEGOTIATIONS
Given the additional complexity that occurs in a multiparty negotiation, the most effective way to cope is to focus on the three key stages that characterized multiparty negotiations. The three key stages are:
PRENEGOTIATION STAGE:
Actual negotiation
And, managing agreement.
The prenegotiation stage: this stage is characterized by lots of informal contact among the parties. They tend to work on the following issues:
The participants
Coalitions
Defining group member roles
Understanding the costs and consequences of no agreement
Learning the issues and constructing agenda
Abide by a set of ground rules
THE FORMAL NEGOTIATION STAGE:
Appoint an appropriate chair
Use and restructure the agenda
Ensure a diversity of information and perspectives
Ensure consideration of all the available information
Manage conflict effectively
Review and manage the decision rules
Strive for a first agreement
Manage problem team members
MANAGING THE AGREEMENT:
Select the best solution
Develop an action plan
Implement the action
Evaluate the just-completed process
Most negotiation theory has been developed under the assumption that negotiation is a bilateral process—that there are only two focal negotiators or teams of negotiators opposing each other. Yet many negotiations are multilateral or group deliberations—more than two negotiators are involved, each with his or her own interests and positions, and the group must arrive at a collective agreement regarding a plan, decision, or course of action. From the above, we have been able to explore the dynamics of multiparty negotiation, the complex negotiation process, and the critical decision making process.
Endnote
Roy J. Lewicki, Bruce Barry, David M.Saunders: essential of negotiation (fourth edition)
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