The Importance of Negotiation in the Development of the Conflict - Essay Example

The need of conflict management and negotiation approach has been detected as the given situation has been analyzed. Conflicts and considerations to communication management which are the negotiation approaches are enumerated in relation to the desire of producing positive results. Case study showed the importance of negotiation in the development of the conflict. Power bases were also critically analyzed as related to the conflict management. Recommendations were given in carrying out effective negotiation and communication approaches that are needed in conflict resolution. INTRODUCTION There has been a big role that a negotiator should do during cases of conflict within the management or company. The purpose of this report is to present the key concepts and ideas that a negotiator needs in mediating conflicts between person/s and departments. It is important to win the cooperation of the opposing parties and the responsibility of the negotiator is to make steps that will persuade both parties to subject in an agreement (Chaiken, Gruefield, and Jude, 2000). Case study analysis in this report is organized by presenting the situation that is needed to be solved. It is important that the reason of the conflict, persons involve and attitude of the characters should be first considered before getting into any further analysis (Borissoff and Victor, 1989). The preceding discussion will be based on the findings in the analysis and relate it to the best approaches that should be done by the negotiator. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Managing conflicts between departments or between persons within a particular company is essential. It is necessary to know the role of communication in resolving conflicts (Borisoff and Victor, 1989). A good negotiator should understand that resolving conflicts is so crucial and skills in communication and negotiation are the needed module for positive and favorable change. Generally speaking different people has different attitudes when it comes to conflict. However, it should be regarded that conflict whatever be the reason always fall into three dimensions: perception, feeling and action (Mayer, B., 2000). The amount by which conflict can be defined is outlined in these three factors. According to Mayer (2000), all conflicts involve power. He said- “Power (in the context of conflict) can be defined as "the ability to get ones needs met and to further ones goals."” Another similar explanation is given by the other writers and practitioners. "Power can be usefully conceptualized as a mutual interaction between the characteristics of a person and the characteristics of a situation, where the person has access to valued resources and uses them to achieve personal, relational, or environmental goals, often through using various strategies of influence." (Deutsch M. and Coleman, P., 2000) In conflicts, power makes a way for person or persons to be so insistent about what they want, what they need, and what they desire and any resistance that challenges their power results to conflict. Therefore in making negotiations, it should be regarded that one of the considerations is power. This is indeed a question on how to meet two opposing powers that produces conflict. The perspective is that power does not only imply physical power but in the broader sense power in context of conflict may root from the position in the company or an organization, authority, material resources, skills, and personal characteristics etc.(Sharp,1973). . These bases of power can be classified into two, which is either a position power or personal power (French. and Raven,1960). Negotiation plays big role during cases of conflicts in a management. To succeed in a negotiation and to win an agreement is tantamount as saying as a negotiator saves the company for an upcoming catastrophe. However, inasmuch as cooperative behavior is concerned, tendencies are there are persons that are difficult to negotiate with. During difficult cases Ury (1997) modeled a four step approach in negotiation. First to control one’s behavior, second, win the sympathy of the other side showing concern, third is to avoid position based negotiation tactics but reframe dispute in focusing to the interest, and fourth, “build them a golden bridge” (Ury, W.,1997) to an agreement. This should be done as to avoid negative impact in managing difficult conversations or person/s uncooperative behavior. Chaiken, Gruefield, and Jude (2000), signifies the importance of persuasion in negotiation and conflict situations. They defined persuasion as, "the principles and processes by which peoples attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are formed, are modified, or resist change in the face of others attempt at influence." (Chaiken et al, 2000). Another author suggests the idea of resolving conflict by means of persuasion in relation to negotiation. The intention of persuasion is for power to be equally distributed (Deutsch, M., 2005) therefore preventing any oppression that co-occurs within the conflict situation. It should be viewed that uncooperative behavior or unproductive negotiations are sometimes result of poor conflict management. There are mistakes that should be avoided in terms of facing the hard task of making people agree (Douglas, S. et al, 1999). This particularly applies when the source of the conflict has been detected and starts questioning “what happened, what should happen and who is to blame?” One of the mistakes is the failure to acknowledge one’s view and differing view. Another is the failure to understand other parties’ intention. The third mistake is when “parties focus on assigning blame” (Douglas, S. et al, 1999) that provokes disagreement. The key point is to avoid giving the idea of blaming but try to persuade. As a negotiator in dealing with a conflict is not only the management itself but the term that expert called as alternatives. Lax and Sebenius (1991) stated that what plays a big role in handling and shaping negotiation are the parties’ alternatives to a negotiated agreement. Roger Fisher and William Ury (1997) coin the term best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) which will serve as the negotiator’s standard in making wise decisions, that according to them, “is the only standard which can protect you both from accepting terms that are too unfavorable and from rejecting terms it would be in your interest to accept." (Fisher and Ury, 1997). DESCRIPTION This case study is about a problem happened when Dan Richards, CEO of the company Personal Investments (PI) convinces to hire Rose Lee to work in their company despite of the other senior partner’s objection. Rose applied her ideas and results to gap between her and the other senior members. One of the senior members Susan, approached Dan about the issue and tries to negotiate that if Rose will not conform to the company’s philosophy, it will not leave any options for Rose than to resign. Dan tried to be calm and negotiate with Rose about the problem. (See Appendix A). Significant communication and negotiation behaviors can be identified by examining the situation. Dan, act as a negotiator and try to reconcile both by means of carefully aiding the conflict by a well rounded communication and negotiation behaviors. He also tries to apply a conflict management behavior with an attempt to reconcile both. Power bases can also be noticed both in the conflict and in the negotiation process. (See Appendix A) DISCUSSIONS Understanding the need of negotiation and communication behavior in conflict management is so essential in carrying out agreements. Negotiation and communication behavior that a negotiator will apply will be responsible as to whether negotiation will produce a good result or not. As in this case study, negotiation strategies should be applied to prevent and solve conflict (Borisoff, D.and Victor, D., 1989). There are different causes of conflict and the main concern is to understand each. Mayer (2000) tries to visualize conflicts in three dimensions which are: perception, feeling and action. It implies that these three dimensions are always involved during cases of conflicts. How? Conflict happens when one person/s perceives that his interest, values and needs does not fit with others. This case exactly became one of the reasons when conflict between Rose and the other senior partners of the company takes place. Two sets of point of views appear. First that Rose believes that what PI needs is the aggressive approach that she tries to apply. However, her point of view exactly differs with the ideas of the other senior partners who thought of managing the business on the conservative ways of the firm. Because of this situation, the other senior partner has not been comfortable with Rose, and in the same way Rose is not comfortable dealing with the other senior partner. This case is not beneficial since a company in order to be moving well needs to have a unified image which Personal Investments is carefully loosing. The action from the involve parties shows that they are no longer working in harmony. It could just be noted that Rose due to lack of support from the senior partners learn to criticize her detractors, and in apparently the other senior partners agreed in an action of terminating Rose if she will not change and conform with the PI’s philosophy. Both party shows problem in communication behavior, the reason why harmony is not met. It is explained that every conflict involves power (Coleman, 2000). It should be then understood what power plays a role in a particular conflict since power can be of different types (French and Raven, 1960). It could either be of personal or position type of power. Drawing from the situation, both types of power bases plays a big role in the development of the conflict. Since power may not be necessarily physical, but on the other hand applies in the situation given (Appendix A, I) as Rose uses her personal skills and at the same time her position as one of the main person involve in the conflict. She easily influences others to work with her (personal), and orders the other to work in a particular research as a manager (position). Having these both, her skills and potentials made her to resist the ideas of the other senior partner and with her own directional goal make moves that the other party does not conform with. At the end the result is conflict. Dan Richards actually possesses a unique negotiation and communication behavior. We can see from his discourses that he really attempts to make both ends meet trying to resolve the issue. His approaches show that he does not focus blame to anyone but attempts to win every parties cooperation. Common mistakes might occur if a negotiator would focus on blaming parties about the situation (Douglas, S. et al, 1999). To avoid these mistakes, Roger Fisher and William Ury (1997) developed four principles in negotiation which are: 1) separate the people from the problem; 2) focus on interests rather than positions; 3) generate a variety of options before settling on an agreement; and 4) insist that the agreement be based on objective. These four highlights an approach that a person should be first separated from the issue to clearly determine the problem. Focusing the interest is finding out each parties position. Generating variety of options means thinking of alternatives that will be used in the agreement, other than what both parties will present. Insist that the agreement be based on objective means that the decisions and conditions that will be made should be of objective criteria. It means practical and reasonable for both parties. In negotiation a negotiation plan should be outlined. The negotiation plan will guide the negotiator what he is going to do within the negotiation process. These are questions or an outline that should be diligently followed (See Appendix B). Making a negotiation plan is like understanding the nature of conflict and upon understanding the conflict is the plan to conflict resolution (Coleman, P., 2000). Conflict management is akin to negotiation. Both work hand in hand to purposely relieve the existing tension and settle the conflict for the agreement between parties appealing to the parties sense of reason, emotions, perceptions and objectives (Mayer, 2000). What about the term best alternative negotiated agreement (BATNA)? The negotiation plan with the desire to reconcile both parties will therefore ask both parties to conform to an agreement. Both parties might be having different conditions in the agreement. The negotiators should not only rely on what both parties will say. As in the case or Rose and the seniors, if they will present conditions to an agreement, the tendency is for them to set their own set of goals that maybe acceptable or unacceptable to the negotiator. To keep pace with this situation, Roger Fisher and William Ury (1997) coin the term best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) which will serve as the negotiator’s standard in making wise decisions, that according to them, “is the only standard which can protect you both from accepting terms that are too unfavorable and from rejecting terms it would be in your interest to accept." (Fisher and Ury, 1997). CONCLUSIONS Conflict Management, negotiation and communication behavior are all important in carrying out the task in resolving conflicts. It is also important that the proven approaches in conflict resolution should be applied to avoid mistakes in dealing with problems. Negotiation theories and strategies should be carefully followed to avoid the idea of blaming the involve parties. It is going to be a wrong move that a negotiator will do start blaming the persons involve and consider not the surrounding reasons and perspective that each party will present. The punch line for a negotiator is to weigh things out. Being a negotiator is a serious responsibility of dealing not only with the problem alone but holistically to all the dimensions of conflict guided with a negotiation plan. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the negotiator should carefully deal with the situation by: Carefully discuss the situation in both parties involve and show the importance that the conflict should be settled. Try to win the cooperation of the parties by means of showing concern on the idea that they are presenting. Pursue persuasion in the conversation and don’t make the parties feel that they are being oppress. Doing so made them reject the very idea that the negotiator will present. Use verbal and nonverbal communication effectively to show concern (Borissoff and Victor, 1989). Once the negotiated agreement has been finished, the most difficult part is bringing about the changes. This is possible if the leader has gained persuasion from the party, and all of them agree to the negotiated agreement. Reaching to a negotiated agreement is going to be difficult since both may present their ideas, interest and perception in relevant to each party’s goal. However the safest side by which a negotiator will do is to formulate his best alternative negotiated agreement (BATNA) (Ury, 1997) which will serve as an outline of changes and agreement that the negotiator will present, apart from the agreement that the involve parties hold. The implementation of the agreement is going to be easier once the conflict is settled and has won the consensus. This is possible if once again the negotiator successfully stated the goals of the company with their common interest - the company’s development. REFERENCES Mayer, B., 2000, The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioners Guide, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Stone, D., Patton, B., and Heen, S., 1999, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, New York: Viking Penguin. Borisoff, D. and Victor, D, Conflict Management: A Communication Skills Approach, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Ury, W., 1991, Getting Past No: Negotiating With Difficult People, New York: Bantam Books. Coleman, P., 2000, ‘Power and Conflict’, M Deutsch and P Coleman (eds), The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bas Publishers. Chaiken, S., Gruenfeld, D., and Judd, C., 2000, ‘Persuasion in Negotiations and Conflict Situations’, M.Deutsch and P. Coleman, eds., The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice , San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Fisher,R.,Ury, W., Patton, Bruce,1997, ‘Getting to yes: negotiating an agreement without giving in’, 2nd edition, London: Arrow. Lax, D. and Sebenius, J., 1991, "The Power of Alternatives or the Limits to Negotiation," in Negotiation Theory and Practice, eds. J. Breslin and J. Rubin, Cambridge: The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. Spangler, B., 2003, "Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Retrieved August 9, 2006, from . Sharp, G., 1973, Power and Struggle (Politics of Nonviolent Action, Part I), Boston: Porter Sargent Publishers. French, J. R. P., Jr. and B. H. Raven, 1960, ‘The Social Bases of Power’, In D. Cartwright and A. Zander, Eds. Group Dynamics: Research and Theory, 2nd ed.., 607 –623. APPENDIX A I. CASE STUDY NOTES 1. Situation Conflict can be observed within the company. The tension started when Dan Richards, CEO of the company Personal Investments (PI) hired his tennis partner and friend Rose Lee. Despite the fact that some of the senior members and staff feel skeptic and reluctant about hiring Rose, Dan defended Rose and made the other partners agreed to hire her. Rose worked in superior manner and became largely responsible for about 150 percent increase in management assets. She was able to get the support of the junior analyst who happened to enjoy working with her. He made other staff to be jealous and thought that Rose is pushing hard to change the tradition of the firm for safety and consistent investments. Lack of support from the senior partners caused frustration to Rose. This incident undermines the day by day operation of PI. Her conversations with younger employees manifested her criticisms to her detractors. As Rose implemented her ideas, she assigned research department in responsibilities related to technological investments. Her step distracted the research department in investigating about traditional approaches that other managers need. Evidently, Rose is accounted for about 35 percent PI’s revenues, however disrupted the operations of other managers that depends to the reports and investigations of the research staff. Susan Watson, one of the founding members of PI talked to Dan Richards about the issue that is happening in PI. She reminds Dan that though Rose can attract new business opportunities through her ideas, she, however willfully defies the stated objective of the organization. Susan also regarded that the other senior partners agree that if Rose will not obey the rules of their philosophy, then she should resign. Dan has been forced to make a move at this point to talk with Rose. He tried to be so calm talking with her carefully explaining to her the issue. When Rose started to loose her patience in the conversation, Dan decided to divert the tension in inviting her to a reception and eager to show Rose her new boat. 2. Behaviors A. conflict management behavior-this applies when Dan Richards took time to explain to both parties in order to resolve the conflicts. He did not easily conform or reject the approaches each party present but on the other hand present the benefit of each party. B. communication behavior-both verbal and non-verbal behavior can be seen as the situation is being analyzed. Verbal behavior can be shown when Dan directly speaks with the persons involve in the conflict like Rose and Susan. Non-verbal behavior is reflected through Dan’s long pauses, looking at the horizon, sitting back to the chair which implies another meaning or show’s sympathy or delay other than just normally doing it. C. negotiation behavior-this behavior reflects when Dan tries to negotiate amidst the issue. D. power bases-different types of power bases can be relatively seen in the situation. As classified that power bases could be of different types (legitimate power, reward power, coercive power, connection power, information power, expert power, referent power). APPENDIX B. I. Negotiation Plan 1. Description of each party’s interest. 2. What kind of negotiator is on the other side? 3. Describe each party’s proposals, terms of negotiation and BATNA. 4. Identify objective criteria used in the negotiation. 5. Describe the negotiation strategies used in the negotiation. 6. Describe the setting and ground rules used in the negotiation. 7. How does the negotiation started? 8. What power bases did the parties use? 9. Describe the tactics each party use? 10. How was/will the negotiation (be) closed? Read More