What characteristics are common to all negotiations?

Negotiations can vary greatly in their topics, objectives, and parties involves. Nonetheless, there are several characteristics common to all negotiations, discussed below.

Parties 

A negotiation will consist of two or more parties; 

Conflicts, Disputes, or Misalignment of Interests 

The negotiators must need to align interests or objectives or to resolve a dispute; 

Willingness 

The negotiators must possess a desire to negotiate; 

• Note: The parties believe that negotiating will further their interests or aid in achieving their objectives. This generally entails a belief that the other party can be influenced or persuaded to capitulate in some manner in the negotiators favor 

Ability to Improve Ones Position 

The parties must believe that, by negotiating, they have the ability to improve their positions to be better than the best available alternative available if they do not negotiate; and 

• Note: Constraints may come in any form and make the alternative to negotiation less tenable. Aversions are a cognitive disposition with regard to a perceived result or alternative scenario in the event of a failure to negotiation (i.e., broken relations, harm to reputation, legal actions, etc.). 

Constraints 

All negotiations involve various situational attributes, such as time, location, nature of communication, number of parties, and party characteristics. 

Related Topics

• What is negotiation?
• What scenarios or situations lead to a negotiation or cause parties to negotiate?
• What characteristics are common to all negotiations?
• What are the differences among negotiators that affect the negotiation process?
• What is a conflict and how does it give rise to negotiation?
• How is a negotiators disposition toward conflict resolution related to negotiation strategy?
• What is the level of dependence in a conflict negotiation?
• What are integrative, distributive, and compatible bargaining scenarios?
• What is the BATNA and what is the significance of alternatives in negotiation?
• What is the significance of the reservation point and ZOPA in a negotiation?
• What is the significance of concessions or adjustment of the bargaining position?
• What are anchor points and the bargaining range in a negotiation?
• What personal and situational factors are commonly understood to affect negotiation?