Negotiation Skills in Business - Essay Example

Negotiation skill Human life comes across numerous conflicts and issues and there are certain specific moments in the life of everyone when sorting out the issues is the only way to survive in the world. In the modern world there is greater possibility of encountering conflicts and resolving those conflicts has immense value. Many often, this need for sorting out burning issues over hot topics is highlighted and negotiation skill has great value in resolving conflicts and disputes. It is, in fact, the skill of negotiation that helps one in preventing an already burning issue from becoming an irresolvable issue. In the case 9 ‘Sick Leave,’ one finds a significant scope for the skill of negotiation and the dispute arising from the case illustrates how important the skill of negotiation is in the complex ways of human life in the modern world. In the presented case, there arise two pertinent questions which need to be addressed in dealing with the demands of the situation created. First of all, it is important to know what Kelly and the other ALTs do when they were denied of a sick leave as the contract agreement guarantees just on the question of cultural difference. Similarly, it is also imperative to recognize why the conflict arose in the case presented and how it could have been prevented without occurring. In this paper, the two central questions that arise out of the crisis in the case presented are dealt with and it is also vital to comprehend the value of negotiation skill which alone can deal with such important questions. Negotiation skill, as we have mentioned, is of central value in the lives of human beings and it is illustrated by the first question to be dealt with. Therefore, the skill of negotiation can be established as the central element in dealing with the first question and it is evident that only a path of negotiation will be the desirable choice the people in conflict make. Thus, the most agreeable solution to the problem that Kelly and the other ALTs confront is to opt for a negotiation with their superior Mr. Higashi. Negotiation helps these people exactly come to an agreement with the demands of the situation and conflicting issues of the disputes. As the culture from place to place differs, those elements need to be referred to in arriving at an ultimate conclusion to the conflict in question. Therefore, the foremost fact that these ALTs recognise is that culture and diversity in culture has central value in the process of negotiation. One prominent factor in the conflicts across boarders is, as Jeanne M. Brett remarks, culture which plays a central role in the development of conflicts and disputes and it is of much significance in this case. And culture is also powerful factor in dealing with the conflicts and disputes all over the world. Negotiation, all over the world through various cultures, is recognised as the exchange of several offers that are made in coming to a solution to some significant conflict. Evidently people of every culture find a great meaning to negotiation in dealing with an issue and conflicts occur when the interests of people become mismatched. Negotiation has great meaning to the conflicts that arise from cultural difference and one most pervading concept in the negotiation process between people from different parts of the world is the concept of culture. “Deal making, decision making, and dispute resolution negotiations occur in all cultures. However, because culture affects how negotiators reach deals, resolve disputes, and make decisions, it also affects their agreement.” (Brett 2001, p 350). Therefore, it is evident that the most essential factors that Kelly and other ALTs, the people in conflict, need to consider are the strategies of negotiation in dealing with the dispute with their superior and the concept of culture has foremost importance to this process. One of the agreeable strategies that these people can opt for is a proper dialogue with the superior himself and not to jump into hasty conclusions. They need to recognise the cultural difference and implications of these pertinent differences in the dispute before them. The success of their dealing with the issue depends greatly on the recognition of these cultural elements as well as the strategy they choose for cultural negotiation with the superior who imposes the adoption of the values of an entirely new culture. There is no actual benefit for the crisis to go on indefinitely without any negotiation. It is also not desirable to come to hasty conclusions and to reach a stage where no more negotiations are possible. It is very significant for Kelly to hold her search for CLAIR’s phone number and instead start thinking, with the help of other ALTs, on the negotiation possibilities at the bottom levels. In such a negotiation process, they need to respect the cultural difference of the land they work in. it is necessary that these people, first of all, understands well the possibility of negotiations in background of cultural variations. Then, they can opt for convincing the superior of the significance of cultural diversity and the need for recognition of the same. Negotiations are always affected by culture and one of the fundamentals to be appreciated is that interests, priorities, and strategies of the people concerned are of great value in the outcome of the negotiations. “All negotiators have interests and priorities, and all negotiators have strategies. Interests are the needs or reasons underlying the negotiator’s positions. Priorities reflect the relative importance of various positions… A negotiation strategy is the integrated set of behaviours chosen because they are thought to the means of accomplishing the goal of negotiating.” (Brett 2001, p 350). It is the recognition of these interests and priorities of both the parties in conflict, and the adoption of the most agreeable strategies which will be essential in solving the issue. For this, the ALTs need to recognise these factors and initiate a negotiation strategy with the superior as they are in better position to make this attempt. The most reasonable choice for the people in conflict to desire for is the path of negotiation and definitely not of confrontation. As Kelly and the other ALTs come to the ultimate process of the negotiation strategy, they also need to consider the impact of culture on negotiation strategies as it has great value in dealing with the crises that include cultural variations. Culture is the most essential character of any social group and, as man is always referred to as social being, the relevance of culture in social relations is even greater. There are several cultural considerations that need to go in the implementation of the best negotiation strategy. Every culture includes several aspects such as psychological elements, the values and norms of the culture, and social structural elements. “Cultural values direct attention to what issues are more and less important and influence the negotiators’ interests and priorities. Cultural norms define what behaviours are appropriate and inappropriate in negotiation and influence negotiator’s strategy. Cultural institutions preserve and promote values and norms.” (Brett 2001, p 352). Therefore, it must on the base of these cultural elements, norms, and institutions, that Kelly and the other ALTs work out their strategies of negotiation. Kelly’s culture is entirely different from that of her superior or for that matter that of the other ALTs. The conflict has arisen between the values of these cultures and, as the former is set in the culture of the latter, it is essential for Kelley and the other ALTs to regard the values of that culture as well. However, it does not mean that their cultural values are without meaning. They need to recognise the values of both the cultures. It is important to maintain that the most applicable factor in the confrontation under discussion is the selection of the most effective negotiation strategy and it is clear that only a well thought out negotiation can help these people overcome the difficulty in their attainment of sick leave instead of paid leave. When Kelley and the other ALTs come to negotiation with their superior Mr Higashi, the behaviours of both the parties may be understood as strategic and these strategies are based on the cultural aspects. Kelly and others would want to enact the strategies based on their cultural values when Mr Higashi comes up with his culturally bound strategies. “Not only are there differences in strategic behaviour between cultures, but there are also differences within cultures and overlap between cultures, with the result that some members of a culture may negotiate less like their own cultural prototype and more like the prototype of the another culture… Negotiation strategies are linked with culture because cultures evolve norms to facilitate social interaction.” (Brett 2001, p. 354). In this background, it is necessary also to recognise that there is a complex relation between negotiation strategies and cultures. When Kelly and the other ALTs recognise these factors, it will be easier and simpler for them to deal with the crisis with their superior. It is of central value to Kelly and others to bridge the gap with their superior and the cooperation of both the parties are essential for this. There should not be the question of pressure or threatening to the security of the other party. “Cultural bridging…requires the cooperation of the parties of both ends of the divide. No negotiator will permit a bridge to be built if he or she feels threatened or sees the bridge as a long term danger to security. Consequently, negotiators who want to build a bridge across the cultural divide to their counterpart must be concerned to strengthen the other side’s sense of security, not weaken it…” (Salacuse 1999, p 383). Thus, instead of going for solutions at higher levels, Kelly and the other ALTs should try to solve the issue with their superior through negotiations and it becomes very significant that they adopt effective strategies of negotiation and do everything to attain the cooperation from their superior in the process. An ultimate decision by Kelly to resolve the conflict depends on several factors. “In resolving a dispute, the parties may choose…to (1) reconcile their underlying interests, (2) determine who is right, and/or (3) determine who is powerful.” (Ury, Brett and Goldberg, 1988, pp 3-19). However, in the case of Kelly, the first seems to be more practical considering the nature of her superior. Whatever strategy she adopts to negotiate the conflict out, it is very much clear that the best choice for her to opt for, in the given conditions of the case, is to adopt the path of negotiation with the superior without taking the conflict to the upper layers. An analysis of the conflict between Kelly and her superior Mr Higashi tells the implications of the crisis in question. When we analyse the reasons for such a conflict, it must be maintained that there has been every possibility for such a conflict between the ALTs and the superior. It is mainly because of the cultural differences between them and Mr Higashi has always insisted them to adapt to the new culture they are in. Thus, there have been instances when they were asked to follow the cultural norms and traditional elements of Japan. There is a conflict not between people alone but more significantly the conflict incorporates cultures and cultural patterns. In fact, no person can impose the cultural elements of his or her choice on that of the other. However, Kelly’s superior is one who gives least consideration for this. Also, he is highly centred on the values of his personal culture. The bridge between the superior and the ALTs widened as a result of the cultural differences as well as the individual nature of the behaviour. The ultimate reason for the conflict in question is the attempt from the superior’s side to impose some disagreeable norms of his culture on people who rarely appreciates the cultural heritage of the superior. Although, this is the ultimate reason, the conflict is not the result of just the events that passed immediately before. Instead, the actual reason for the conflict has been on the development from the moment these parties recognised the cultural difference between the two. The attempt of the superior to impose his cultural elements on the ALTs was not appreciated by them, but they also failed to negotiate on the issue from the start of such an attempt. Both the parties forgot the facts regarding the cultural differences, and they never thought of the possibilities of negotiation. Thus, the ultimate result has been the conflict in question. There are many types of definitions of culture and these indicate the need for understanding between the members of various social groups. It was necessary for both parties ion question to recognise the cultural difference in development and the conflict has never occurred if they came to identify the issues of cultural differences. It was important for the people in conflict to appreciate that culture is the most essential and exclusive character of any social group. As man is always referred to as social being, the relevance of culture in social relations is even greater. One of the flaws in the relation between the ALTs and the superior is that they never gave value to the cultural differences or tried to bridge the cultural gap between them. Cultural understanding has a great role in the development of the strategies of cooperation. The social life every individual depends on the cultural recognition and identification of the cultural differences. If there is any attempt of imposing one’s cultural aspects upon that of another, these attempts need to be referred to the party concerned and negotiation can very well play a central role in such bridging of differences. In the case specified, there is a marked failure from the part of any of the parties to do so and the result has been the conflict between the two. It has been clear that one of the possibilities for the conflict to be avoided was to adopt a policy of negotiation from the start of the issues. Thus, the strategies of negotiation seem to be very valuable to hold. In such an attempt to find the possibilities of negotiation, it becomes evident that building trust between the parties concerned has great relevance not alone avoiding the conflict but in bridging the broken relation between the superior and the ALTs. It is, therefore, of pertinent value that the two parties understand each other and trust and respect the other party. It is evident that only mutual trust and respect can help the parties to cooperate with each other. Such trust and reconciliation from every part is necessary for the negotiation to take place and be effective. The several types of negotiations such as deal making negotiation, decision making negotiations and dispute resolution negotiation need to be realised and their importance in bridging gaps. The negotiation strategies are important not only for avoiding conflicts and disputes but more significantly for mending relations that are once affected. One of the best ways to avoid the conflict in question seems to be the ways of negotiation and it is evident that the conflict has, ultimately, been the result of disregard for the same. There have been several possibilities of negotiation from the beginning of the conflict which the parties in question chose not to attempt. The negotiation strategies undertaken have several aspects to be dealt with. It is often remarked that the culture as such affects the strategies to be adopted for negotiation. The understanding of the cultural values in the negotiation strategies of the parties concerned could very well solve the issue in question. If the parties in conflict rightly recognised the role of negotiation in the better relation between them, as well as in bridging the cultural gap between them, the conflict could have been avoided. It is important that the strategies that are thought of at this stage also should incorporate the values of culture as well as the significance of negotiation. In conclusion, it is important to recognise the role of negotiation skill in avoiding conflicts as well as in building the bridge between the gaps in the relationship of the people in conflict. Man is social in nature and in his social functioning depends greatly on his ability to maintain good relation between different sects of people. The role of culture in the development of good social relations is often recognised. The respect for the cultural difference of various people is the basic factor contributing to the good relationship among people of various cultures. In the case of Kelly, other ALTs, and Mr Higashi, they failed to understand the cultures, cultural differences, and most significantly, the role of negotiation in cases of conflicts. This was a crucial failure as they heavily paid for it when the conflict arose. Yet, there is the path of negotiation open before them to deal with the conflict in question and if they recognise its role as well as the facts regarding cultural differences, the conflict can very effectively dealt with. Bibliography Brett, Jeanne M (2001). Negotiation and Culture: A Framework. Negotiating Globally, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Salacuse, Jeswald W (1999). Intercultural Negotiation in International Business. p 383. Group Decision and Negotiation. Vol. 8, pp. 217-36. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Ury, William L. Brett, Jeanne M and Goldberg, Stephen B (1988). Getting Disputes Resolved. Jossey-Bass, pp 3-19. Read More