How can a responsible negotiation turn coercive? (PDF)

Essay from the year 2019 in the subject Sociology - Communication, grade: 18/20, , course: Diplomacy and Negotiation, language: English, abstract: At what point does imposing one's interests cross the line and become coercion? This is the main questions this essay is trying to answer. Responsible and coercive negotiations are not mutually exclusive, just as many things in life are not black and white. It is good to be aware of the type of negotiation one is involved in, and this is best done through attentive listening. One should lean towards responsible negotiations, and mastering the art of recognizing when a responsible negotiation is turning coercive is essential in an important step on the way of becoming a good negotiator.

We spend our entire lives negotiating. Would it be in a formal business meeting with our boss or at the dinner table with our parents, as we grow older, we quickly learn that getting what we want is not always as simple as we wish it were. Learning to be a good negotiator takes time and practice, and of course knowledge on tactics and preparation. Typically, the goal of a negotiation is for both parties to be left better off as the negotiation comes to a closure. These negotiations are called responsible negotiations. Here, the interests and motivations of both parties are building blocks for a win-win outcome. Responsible business negotiations are usually contractual, meaning that through deal-making, parties seek formal agreement.

On the other hand, in conflict or crisis negotiations, parties attempt to negotiate conflict resolutions, in particular in the sphere of international relations or in the context of war. However, not all negotiators have a win-win objective in mind. Often times only forceful persuasion leads to results. These negotiations are called coercive negotiations and involve the use of threat and force to provoke behavior changes. In comparison to responsible negotiations, here the interests of the negotiating parties are used as vulnerabilities.