1. Strategy and Tactics of Distributive Bargaining
CHAPTER TWO
Strategy and Tactics of Distributive Bargaining
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Three Reasons Negotiators Should Be Familiar with Distributive Bargaining
Independent situations require knowing how this works in order to do well
Need to know how to counter the effects of the strategies
Every situation has the potential to require skills at the “claiming-value” stage

3. The Distributive Bargaining Situation
Goals of one party are in fundamental,direct conflict to another party
Resources are fixed and limited
Maximizing one’s own share of resources is the goal for both parties

4. The Distributive Bargaining Situation
Situation includes:
Starting points (initial offers)
Target points
Resistance points (walkaway)
Alternative outcomes

5. The Distributive Bargaining Situation
Party A - Seller
Walkaway Point Target Point Asking Price
Initial Offer Target Point Walkaway Point
Party B - Buyer

6. The Role of Alternatives to a Negotiated Agreement
Alternatives give the negotiator power to walk away from the negotiation
If alternatives are attractive, negotiators can:
Set their goals higher
Make fewer concessions
If there are no attractive alternatives:
Negotiators have much less bargaining power

7. The Distributive Bargaining Situation
Party A - Seller
Walkaway Point Target Point Asking Price
Alternative
Alternative
Initial Offer Target Point Walkaway Point
Party B - Buyer

8. Fundamental Strategies
Push for settlement near opponent’s resistance point
Get the other party to change their resistance point
If settlement range is negative, either:
Get the other side to change their resistance point
Modify your own resistance point
Convince the other party that the settlement is the best possible

9. Keys to the Strategies
The keys to implementing any of the four strategies are:
Discovering the other party’s resistance point
Influencing the other party’s resistance point

10. Tactical Tasks of Negotiators
Assess outcome values and the costs of termination for the other party
Manage the other party’s impressions
Modify the other party’s perceptions
Manipulate the actual costs of delay or termination

11. Assess the Other Party’s Target, Resistance Point, and Costs of Terminating Negotiations
Indirectly
Determine information opponent used to set:
Target
Resistance points
Directly
Opponent reveals the information

12. Manage the Other Party’s Impressions
Screen your behavior:
Say and do as little as possible
Direct action to alter impressions
Present facts that enhance one’s position

13. Modify the Other Party’s Perceptions
Make outcomes appear less attractive
Make the cost of obtaining goals appear higher
Make demands and positions appear more or less attractive to the other party – whichever suits your needs

14. Manipulate the Actual Costs of Delay or Termination
Plan disruptive action
Raise the costs of delay to the other party
Form an alliance with outsiders
Involve (or threaten to involve) other parties who can influence the outcome in your favor
Schedule manipulations
One party is usually more vulnerable to delaying than the other

15. Positions Taken During Negotiations
Opening offers
Where will you start?
Opening stance
What is your attitude?
Competitive? Moderate?
Initial concessions
Should any be made? If so, how large?

16. Positions Taken During Negotiations
The role of concessions
Without them, there is either capitulation or deadlock
Patterns of concession making
The pattern contains valuable information
Final offers (making a commitment)
“This is all I can do”

17. Commitments: Tactical Considerations
Establishing a commitment
Three properties:
Finality
Specificity
Consequences
Preventing the other party from committing prematurely
Their commitment reduces your flexibility

18. Ways to Create a Commitment
Public pronouncement
Linking with an outside base
Increase the prominence of demands
Reinforce the threat or promise

19. Commitments: Tactical Considerations
Ways to abandon a committed position
Plan a way out
Let it die silently
Restate the commitment in more general terms
Minimize the damage to the relationship if the other backs off

20. Closing the Deal Provide alternatives (2 or 3 packages)
Assume the close
Split the difference
Exploding offers
Deal sweeteners

21. Dealing with Typical Hardball Tactics
Four main options:
Ignore them
Discuss them
Respond in kind
Co-opt the other party (befriend them)

22. Typical Hardball Tactics
Good Cop/Bad Cop
Lowball/Highball
Bogey (playing up an issue of little importance)
The Nibble (asking for a number of small concessions to)

23. Typical Hardball Tactics
Chicken
Intimidation
Aggressive Behavior
Snow Job (overwhelm the other party with information)

24. Summary Negotiators need to: Set a clear target and resistance points
Understand and work to improve their BATNA
Start with good opening offer
Make appropriate concessions
Manage the commitment process