Attitudinal bargaining is a key aspect of negotiation focused on shaping the relationship between the parties involved.
Understanding Attitudinal Bargaining
Based on the provided information, attitudinal bargaining is defined as:
It's a way to manage relationships and create a social aspect in the negotiation process. The relationship you are looking to create with another party can be structured through different types of attitudes or emotions.
Essentially, it's not just about the tangible items being negotiated (like price or terms), but about how the parties interact and the social dynamic they cultivate during the process. The attitudes and emotions exchanged fundamentally influence the negotiation's atmosphere and potential outcomes.
Key Components
Attitudinal bargaining focuses on:
- Relationship Management: Building, maintaining, or altering the connection between negotiators.
- Creating a Social Aspect: Moving beyond a purely transactional exchange to incorporate human interaction.
- Utilizing Attitudes and Emotions: Consciously using or responding to specific feelings and stances (e.g., trust, hostility, cooperation, competitiveness) to shape the relationship structure.
Practical Application
In practice, attitudinal bargaining can manifest in various ways, influencing the overall tone and trust level:
- Cooperative Stance: Parties demonstrate trust and a willingness to work together towards a mutually beneficial outcome. This fosters a positive social dynamic.
- Competitive Stance: Parties may exhibit suspicion or a focus solely on maximizing individual gain, potentially leading to a more adversarial relationship.
- Accommodation: One party adopts a yielding attitude to build goodwill or preserve the relationship.
- Avoidance: A reluctance to engage emotionally or relationally, keeping interactions purely formal.
The chosen attitude impacts communication style, willingness to share information, and the likelihood of finding creative solutions.
Importance in Negotiation
While often less discussed than distributive (claiming value) or integrative (creating value) bargaining, attitudinal bargaining is crucial because the underlying relationship significantly impacts the potential for future interactions and the stability of any agreement reached. A strong, trusting relationship fostered through positive attitudinal bargaining can facilitate smoother future negotiations and partnership longevity.
