Approach to Conflict Resolution Affects Negotiation Strategy

The conflicting interests of parties to a negotiation can be presented in a two-dimensional framework, known as a dual-concern model. The model provides a negotiators concerns for personal outcomes and the outcomes of others independently. It demonstrates how parties arrive at a disposition toward conflict resolution (competition, avoidance, collaboration, accommodation, or compromise) which will ultimately affect the strategy and tactics employed in the negotiation. 

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What is the Dual Concern Model? 

Five major strategies for conflict management have been identified in the dual concerns model: 

• Contending (also called competing or dominating). 
• Yielding (also called accommodating or obliging). 
• Inaction (also called avoiding). 
• Problem solving (also called collaborating or integrating). 
• Compromising - Demonstrates an intention to engage in the back-and-forth that characterizes negotiation. 

The strategy employed by a negotiator to resolve a conflict with vary depending upon the aforementioned characteristics or differences between negotiators. Further, a negotiators strategy will vary depending upon characteristics of the negotiation (level of dependence, integrative/distributive) and the negotiators alternatives.