BEST ALTERNATIVES IN DISTRIBUTIVE NEGOTIATION

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BEST ALTERNATIVES IN DISTRIBUTIVE NEGOTIATION

• Gilles Gauthier
• Institute of Applied Economics

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BEST ALTERNATIVES INDISTRIBUTIVE NEGOTIATION

• 1. It may be more efficient to work on best
  alternatives than on tactics and bargaining
  processes.
• 2. The ability to modify best alternatives is a
  factor of the negotiators power.
• 3. Any changes to best alternatives can affect
  the outcomes.
• 4. How best alternatives are perceived is
  critical to each partys behaviour.

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BEST ALTERNATIVES IN DISTRIBUTIVE NEGOTIATION

• 5. Negotiators must find out whether the
  negotiation has a common bargaining range (the
  parties bargaining ranges overlap).
• 6. Best alternatives are subtle and varied.
• 7. Bias if the best alternative is
  overestimated, there may no longer be a common
  bargaining range. Expectations must then be
  scaled down.
• - the disagreement is not mature enough. There
  is too much optimism regarding best
  alternatives. We must not work any more on the
  process.