In the dynamic world of business, negotiations often involve incredibly complex proceedings that are determined by a myriad of diverse factors. Four specific features of the negotiation framework, namely power, trust, emotions and culture, intrigued us extensively, and so we sought to examine the impact that these factors had on the course of a negotiation, paying particular interest to the tactics employed and its effectiveness at the bargaining table. To achieve our objective, we interviewed three successful working professionals with diverse corporate experiences and backgrounds (Refer to Appendix A).
Power/Influence in Negotiations
Past researches have examined the ways in which persuasion and influence were employed in negotiations, either through direct or subtle means, to achieve desired outcomes. This can be achieved when power is strategically employed in the negotiation process to effectively orientate and influence the counterparty in one way or another. The employment of power in a negotiation can best be described as “the capabilities negotiators can assemble to give themselves an advantage or increase the probability of achieving their objectives” (Lewicki, Saunders & Barry, 2011).
The concept of power as an underpinning construct within the negotiation framework can be largely explicated by the underlying mechanics encircling power distribution. Parties entering a negotiation begin the process on either a neutralized grounding or on an unequal footing as a result of power asymmetry. This suggests that power is rarely evenly distributed during negotiations
(Dobrijevic, Stanisic & Masic, 2010). It is therefore essential for a party entering a negotiation to command some form of power to minimize any power asymmetry that could possibly exist. French and Raven (1949) suggested five bases of power that may stem from different aspects of