Page 202 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Notes

Did u know? Wait to Counter

In time, the buyers and the seller in our Chapter Case (refer again to Box 9.2) agreed upon a
negotiated price, X, that fell within the ZOPA of $8,000–$11,000 and thus met the reservation
price of both parties. Exactly which price a party accepts often depends on how the offer is
framed when it is presented.

Framing Positions

After identifying the issues to be negotiated, the next step in the preparation process is to
carefully “frame” each issue (or group of issues)—that is, decide exactly how the issue will be
presented to the other side in a context that is convincing. Framing is recognized as a key
variable in the negotiation process because how an offer is framed has a significant impact on
how it will be viewed by the other party. In general, the framing of a position refers to the
wording and context of the offer. The art of framing positions, offers, and counters is considered
one of the key negotiation skills that must be learned by the novice negotiator. Why is framing
so important? Noted mediator Theodore Kheel explains that while the facts and numbers in a
proposal are important, people often attach significant meaning to words, which therefore
affects their view of the proposal. Kheel cites an interesting example in U.S. history. One Gallop
survey taken the day after President Bill Clinton confessed his affair with Monica Lewinsky
used traditional wording: “Now I’d like to get your opinion about some people in the news.
As I read the name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of this person. …”
The result was 55% favorable, 42% unfavorable. Yet another Gallop survey on the same day used
different wording: “Now thinking about Bill Clinton as a person, do you have a favorable or
unfavorable opinion of him?” The result was 40% favorable, 48% unfavorable. Two polls taken
on the same day by the same professional polling organization, with different wording, which
therefore framed the question differently, produced significantly different results.
One example of framing that received national attention occurred in the O. J. Simpson murder
trial. The prosecution chose to frame the trial as “O. J. Simpson the wife-beater v. The female victim,”
while the defense chose to frame the trial as “O. J. the ethnic minority victim v. The racist police
force”—the frame accepted by the jury that acquitted him.
People often view the same issue quite differently, especially when they sit across from each
other in negotiations. They naturally bring different perspectives, expectations, biases, and
experiences to the table. How should an issue be framed? First, consider each issue simply as a
point of disagreement between the parties.
Issues may focus on procedures—exact payment method, the timing of delivery, and so forth—or
on content—price, contract length, quantity. In general you can frame an issue in a slanted manner
that puts your position in the best possible light (“A fair price is $20,000 because that is the book

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