NCJ Number
174375
Journal
Negotiation Journal Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: July 1998 Pages: 241-256
Date Published
1998
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Using the negotiations over the future of Northern Ireland and other case examples, this paper develops a conceptual framework for analyzing how negotiators seek to build momentum and overcome stalemate.
Abstract
The framework focuses on the choices negotiators face between taking action and waiting in the hope that counterparts will make concessions. It explores the importance of perceptions of time-related costs and action-forcing events in shaping decision-making. The framework highlights the uneven, nonlinear nature of the flow of negotiation processes from initiation to agreement or breakdown and addresses the ways negotiators influence the flow by shaping perceptions of time-related costs, structuring action-forcing events, and creating linkages among sets of negotiations. The shaping of perceptions of time-related costs involves convincing counterparts that delay costs the negotiator little but costs the counterpart a lot; this can augment the negotiator's perceived bargaining power. Advantage may also be gained by unilaterally setting up action-forcing events. This is especially important when negotiators face accumulating time-related costs that they believe to be greater than their counterparts' costs. Success in establishing a deadline may help to level the playing field. It is also important to find ways to lower one's time-related costs or to neutralize the impact of action-forcing events. Further, when negotiations are deadlocked, it is sometimes possible to set up linkages (e.g., competing bids) that increase the pressure on counterparts to make concessions. Finally, it is always worth being skeptical about deadlines, which often are arbitrary. 4 notes and 20 references