Professor Paula Gutlove, HULT International Negotiations

Pre-Course Assignment

Worksheet for Simple Negotiation Analysis

Use the Negotiation Analysis Worksheets to describe your own negotiation situations

You are asked to fill out Negotiation Analysis Worksheets, provided here, to describe two different negotiation situations in which you are directly involved, where you'd like to improve your skills and performance.  These should be real, not hypothetical, negotiation situations.  One situation should be a “professional” negotiation, e.g., a work-related negotiation.  The second negotiation situation should be a “personal” negotiation, e.g., with family or friends.  A “Simple Model for Analyzing a Negotiation” is provided below.  The following 2 pages are Negotiation Analysis Worksheets, which are based on the simple model, with one additional question.  You are asked to complete one worksheet for each of the two negotiation situations. 

A Simple Model for Analyzing a Negotiation

1. Who are the primary (or direct) parties?
The primary parties are those that are directly involved in the heart of the conflict or negotiation.  They are the focus of most of the attention.

2. Who are the secondary (indirect) parties?
 The secondary parties are those that are not direct participants, but are impacted by the conflict or negotiation. Indirect parties have a stake in the outcome and often can influence that outcome with pressure or other forms of power.

3. What is the context of the negotiation?
The context is the setting and atmosphere in which a negotiation takes place.   Questions relevant to the atmosphere include:  Are the negotiators on good terms?  Do they communicate well?  Do they have a history together?

4. What are the core issues in the negotiation for each party?
At the heart of a negotiation are particular problems to be solved or decisions to be made.

5. What are the peripheral issues in the negotiation for each party?
Typically, there are issues that are of secondary concern.  Such peripheral issues do not absolutely have to be addressed, but are relevant and may aid or complicate the negotiations.

6. Why does each party want what they want – what are each negotiator’s genuine interests?
This question moves the parties past the stated positions (“what someone wants”) to motivational issues (“why someone wants something”).

7. What important dynamics are impacting the negotiation?
Factors such as power, gender, race, culture, and/or other intangible issues may affect a negotiation. You will need a strategy for handling these dynamics.

8. What are the parties’ respective alternatives to the negotiation?
What is each party’s “BATNA – Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement? In other words, what is the best thing a party can do if the negotiation does not result in an agreement? Can a party’s BATNA be improved?

 Negotiation Analysis Worksheet #1—A “Professional” Negotiation                  

Student Name:_______________________________________________ date___________

(Please use only the space provided below. Your completed worksheet should not exceed 1 page.)

1. Who are the primary (or direct) parties?  (Note—you should be one of the primary parties)

2. Who are the secondary (indirect) parties?

3. What is the context of the negotiation?

4. What are the core issues in the negotiation for each party?

5. What are the peripheral issues in the negotiation for each party?

6. Why does each party want what they want – what are each negotiator’s genuine interests?

7. What important dynamics are impacting the negotiation?

8. What are the parties’ respective alternatives to the negotiation?

9.  In this negotiation, do you feel it would be more effective to use primarily a “distributive” approach (zero-sum, win-lose), or an “integrative” approach (mutual gains, win-win), and why? (Note, these approaches are discussed in the readings.)

 Negotiation Analysis Worksheet #2:  A “Personal” Negotiation            

Student Name:_______________________________________________ date___________

(Please use only the space provided below. Your completed worksheet should not exceed 1 page.)

1. Who are the primary (or direct) parties?  (Note—you should be one of the primary parties)

2. Who are the secondary (indirect) parties?

3. What is the context of the negotiation?

4. What are the core issues in the negotiation for each party?

5. What are the peripheral issues in the negotiation for each party?

6. Why does each party want what they want – what are each negotiator’s genuine interests?

7. What important dynamics are impacting the negotiation?

8. What are the parties’ respective alternatives to the negotiation?

9.  In this negotiation, do you feel it would be more effective to use primarily a “distributive” approach (zero-sum, win-lose), or an “integrative” approach (mutual gains, win-win), and why? (Note, these approaches are discussed in the readings.)

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