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Negotiations and Conflict Management: Assignment 2

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Negotiations and Conflict Management

Negotiation refers to the technique of discussing issues among the affected parties to

conclude that benefits the involved. This process adjusts the parties' views concerning each other

to reach an expected outcome and attain an ideal result. Negotiation also involves giving

someone what they want to receive what you want in exchange. Conflict is the positive or

negative disagreements that arise when different parties collaborate on a project (Caputo &

Marzi et al., 2019). Therefore, conflict management can be defined as the activities and

processes involved in controlling the negative impacting aspects of conflict and increasing the

positive impacts of the conflicts.

Types of Conflict

Conflict can be categorized according to the viewpoint of the people involved and the

type of conflict that the parties are involved in. This categorization helps identify what conflict

resolution methods can be implemented to achieve a common ground for the parties to work on.

Conflict can be viewed as the reflection of insufficient knowledge concerning the dynamics of

conflict and the lack of the capability to manage it. The dynamic of this conflict categorization

may also be used to stimulate better and new ways that can be used to address the problem (Al-

Hindawi, Fareed, & Abu-Krooz, 2018).

Conflict can be used according to the people involved as personal, interpersonal, or

organizational conflict. Personal conflict arises when an individual has conflicting needs that

they cannot meet at once. The individual usually is challenged in making a long-term decision

because of values, integrity, ethical dilemmas, and responsibility. The individual usually faces a

challenge to achieve the desired goal in the environment that the decision is needed. For

example, an individual may be required to take up a new post at work in a different location from
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where they reside. The person faces a dilemma because they may not desire to relocate to a new

location for the work appointment. Interpersonal conflict occurs when an individual is in a

disagreement with another party or people. This is usually caused by their difference in attitudes

towards the conflict matter, the need to achieve dominance over others, and the competition for

resources. This type of conflict is usually an outcome of human interaction when each party has

different values, opinions, expectations, and attitudes towards a specific subject. The desirable

outcomes differ according to each party because everyone has a distinctive personality. This type

of conflict can be destructive if the disagreeing parties attack each other. Organizational conflict

occurs as the organization expands and takes up more responsibilities and functions (Al-

Hindawi, Fareed, & Abu-Krooz, 2018). A disagreement arises when a negative perception of

needs, interests, and values between the people working together. The complex responsibilities

can also bring up a challenge when determining the priorities in the organization. According to

the departments in the organization, the conflict can occur as a result of seniors scrambling for

power and when they differ in interests with other organizations in the industry.

When describing conflict according to its type, the conflict can be value conflict or

context conflict. The value conflict occurs where people's beliefs and values differ from each

other and therefore causing conflict. The values are what criteria of beliefs that an individual

uses to determine what is good and evil. Therefore, value conflicts can be brutal to manage

because the individual's values cannot be easily changed. A negotiation strategy implemented in

this case may require the parties to find other areas of agreement to manage the existing conflict.

Context conflict arises because of differing opinions, attitudes, behaviors, and facts in a specified

matter. The conflict management strategy implemented will be easier than the value conflict,

therefore, easier to resolve.

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Conflict Management Styles

Upon identifying the type of conflict, it is crucial to identify the most appropriate conflict

management strategy to use (Al-Hindawi, Fareed, & Abu-Krooz, 2018). Conflict management

strategies are the methods to approach to cope with the differences that bring about conflict.

The first strategy that a conflict manager can implement is the accommodation strategy.

This involves identifying the most appropriate option out of the two parties and leading the

negotiations toward the more desirable outcome. This method is highly effective when one of the

parties has a better solution to the problem or is an expert in the field. The manager also has to

cooperate by supporting the best option at the cost of their own desired outcomes, goals, and

objectives.

Another strategy to implement is avoiding the issue that can bring about conflict. The

conflict manager can use this strategy when the problem being analyzed is trivial or when the

other party has the slightest chance of winning. The conflict manager also has to identify which

parties have the most desire to avoid conflict during decision making, which may involve

stopping the pursuit of their goals and objectives.

Partnerships can also serve as a technique to manage conflict through achieving a

common ground from the desired outcomes of the parties. This technique aims to break out of

the win-lose model and hence achieve the win-win negotiating model. However, this strategy

requires the conflict manager to find a solution that can benefit both parties involved. This is

very effective for complex scenarios that need a fast solution.

Another strategy that can be implemented is the competing technique whereby the parties

are put against each other to get a winner whose approach will be prioritized. This method is

highly efficient when time is of the essence. Another technique that can be utilized is the
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compromising method, where the lose-lose scenario is applied. The conflict manager leads the

negotiations towards a temporary solution that does not favor any of the parties, and therefore

none of them achieves their goals.

Models of Negotiation

Negotiation involves a process that evaluates the pros and cons of the conflict

disagreement and concludes the alternative that would be best suitable for the parties. This

process is effective because it promotes a peaceful and stress-free way of creating a conducive

environment for decision-making in an organization or personal life. When tackling conflict

management, three negotiation approaches can be used to achieve conflict resolution.

The Win-Lose Model is based on power where one party loses to another in the

negotiations. The negotiation process using this approach involves several discussion rounds and

negotiations used to address the problem. Only one of the involved parties walks away with the

benefit and determines the solution approach integrated into the problem. The Lose-Lose Model

is a stop-gap measure that leads to dissatisfaction on both sides of the conflict. The model

ensures that no party is benefited from the negotiations and, therefore, none is delighted. The

Win-Win Model is the most accepted mode of negotiation because all the parties are considered

during the process. Each party comes out of the negotiations as a winner, and each achieves their

desired outcomes.

The Negotiation Process

The negotiation process seeks to analyze conflict resolution beyond sitting at a table and

exchanging different proposals and ideas to achieve a single choice out of the given ones. The

negotiation process involves phases that help to learn about the parties involved and therefore

help them learn how to get the opposing party to fold before the agreement is reached. When the
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parties cannot resolve the conflict themselves, a negotiator will be equipped to find ways that can

help them reach a consensus. The mediator may use approaches such as facilitative, settlement,

evaluative, and therapeutic, depending on what kind of conflict is being referred to.

The first step in the negotiation process is the preparation phase, identifying the problem

and how to solve it. The relevant parties clearly define their interests and issues and what end

gain they hope to achieve after the negotiation. Each party also analyzes their bargaining power

compared to their opponents to ensure that they have a chance to successfully achieve their

defined interests (Gagarin & Michael, 2021). Additionally, the parties should consider checking

which weaknesses the other party's plan has to use to their advantage and gain intermediate

points, improving their overall objective. Setting up ground rules to govern this negotiation

process is also allocated time during this preparation stage.

The next phase in the negotiation process is face-to-face negotiation, whereby the parties

are placed in a conducive setting for all of them. In this phase, each party finds out what the

opposing team proposes, their argument, why they consider themselves suitable, and how much

space they have for compromising. This enables them to gain reasons they need to push their

agendas and gives room for any compromise from either party. During this phase, several open,

probing, and closed questions are asked further to create a sense of understanding among the

process participants; therefore, justification and clarification are part of this phase. The problem

solving occurs during this phase because each party clearly gives their preferred solutions, and

together they analyze them to draw conclusions and derive the most effective one. This

conclusion is achieved through constant bargaining because each party brings evidence and

reasons as to why their solution is the best route.

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After accomplishing the one-on-one discussion process, the implementation of the

solution is the final phase in the negotiation process (Vojvodic & Kadija et al., 2019). The

negotiation process is closed once the solution is identified and the respective parties have

completed their discussions.

Barriers to the Negotiation Process.

As much as negotiations solidify on solving conflicts, they have challenges that make it

difficult to reach a conclusion considered favorable to both of the conflicting parties. The biggest

and most occurring challenge is when one or both sides of the parties are not ready to consider

and understand the other. Most individuals tend to ignore the needs and interests of others while

putting theirs forward (Martin-Raugh & Kyllonen, 2020). This acts as a barrier to the negotiation

process as one party has to either get dragged down or the conflict ends when favorable terms

have not been met for both of the parties.

The second barrier is lack of time. It is one of the significant challenges to effective

negotiation. During a negotiation, one should ensure they have enough time at hand to convince

the other party. Rushing through a deal purchase inhibits careful analysis of the issue involved,

and both parties can land a wrong conclusion, or one can benefit at the expense of another. Both

sides have to get adequate time to also prepare for the negotiation ahead. Walking into

negotiation unprepared is fatal and unacceptable. Underestimating a second party can result in

brutal repercussions. Before diving into a negotiation, one has to take their time to exhaustively

prepare, keeping in mind that the other party is just as innovative as the latter. This will make the

respective individual or organization have all the valid answers for the questions the opposing

party is bound to throw at them.

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Lack of patience is yet another barrier to negotiation. Both sides deserve to air their views

and arguments in a peaceful, conducive environment for effective communication during the

negotiation(Kong, Tony, & Yao, 2019). Interfering the second party during a speech may come

out as rude and tense the negotiation environment. Therefore, both parties should give each other

suitable time and space to present possible benefits that would run across both parties. The latter

should also allow the former to showcase any necessary documents they might have brought to

the process.

Interfering speeches can also brew emotional responses from the attacked party. This can

therefore result in sarcasm, criticism, and remarks rated derogatory. Parties getting emotionally

involved in the negotiation process is the biggest threat to an effective conclusion. Feelings

eventually get hurt when both sides get too involved, throwing off diplomacy and replacing it

with maliciousness and inconsideration. This may create a more significant conflict than the one

already at hand. Both parties should therefore avoid this and employ diplomacy and intelligence

to realize efficiency.

Last-minute changes are another barrier to negotiation. They bring up confusion and

numerous misunderstandings in making deals because the two parties expect consistency. If one

party fails to stick to what it expects from the other, it entirely throws off the negotiation process.

Making changes at the last minute also makes the negotiation process longer and cumbersome

(Menkel-Meadow & Schneider et al., 2020). Lack of flexibility can be pretty challenging during

a conflict-solving process. A little flexibility helps both parties to compromise to reach a great

conclusion. This allows both sides to stretch to the best possible solution and builds onto positive

minds, suitable for negotiation. Adjusting further enables both sides to brainstorm solutions that

will equally satisfy all of them.

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The last barrier is a lack of confidence. This is the radar most individuals use to take

advantage of the opposing team acutely. Any sign of weakness gives the other side a loophole to

slide through and therefore tamper with the negotiation process. Therefore, one is advised to stay

still, dress well, and be straightforward and precise when it comes to communication.

Conclusion

The terms conflict management and negotiations are often used together because of the

way they complement each other. Whenever conflicts and disagreements occur in a given setting,

negotiations are the best solution that can be incorporated into the situation to derive a single

solution that can be used. Understanding the concepts used in conflict management and

negotiation allows smooth transitioning from conflict to decision making(Blair, Carrie, & David,

2018). Depending on the approach used, the negotiation process rules govern how the involved

parties present their arguments and how the final decision is made, resolving the conflict.

References

Blair, C. A., & Desplaces, D. E. (2018). Conflict management through the negotiations canvas,

getting participants to understand. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 36(1), 39-51.

Kong, D. T., & Yao, J. (2019). Advancing the scientific understanding of trust and culture in

negotiations. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 12(2), 117-130.

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Caputo, A., Marzi, G., Maley, J., & Silic, M. (2019). Ten years of conflict management research

2007-2017: An update on themes, concepts, and relationships. International Journal of Conflict

Management.

Al-Hindawi, F. H., & Abu-Krooz, A. L. H. H. NEGOTIATION: A PRAGMATIC

PERSPECTIVE.

Gagarin, M. (2021). Negotiation. In Democratic Law in Classical Athens (pp. 51-70). University

of Texas Press.

Martin-Raugh, M. P., Kyllonen, P. C., Hao, J., Bacall, A., Becker, D., Kurzum, C., ... &

Barnwell, P. (2020). Negotiation as an interpersonal skill: Generalizability of negotiation

outcomes and tactics across contexts at the individual and collective levels. Computers in Human

Behavior, 104, 105966.

Vojvodic, K., Martinovic, M., & Pusic, A. (2019). Compromise or else: Managing conflicts in

the negotiation process. Economic and Social Development: Book of Proceedings, 37-46.

Menkel-Meadow, C., Schneider, A. K., & Love, L. P. (2020). Negotiation: processes for

problem-solving. Wolters Kluwer.