Communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, is essential to engage in successful integrative bargaining. A positive outcome is heavily reliant on numerous aspects including, but not limited to: first impression, confidence exhibited during discussions, the relevance of points brought forward among others. For both parties to benefit from the interaction, compromises will have to be made with promises of future advantages.
Sharon’s case:
Sharon needs to make a valid pros and cons list before meeting with Alice to have a basic understanding of whether or not Alice is still valuable to the Netflix Corporation. Only when the deal seems to benefit Netflix, a win-win situation such as the elimination of the severance package in case of failed development, should she be willing to come to an agreement with Alice (Guth et al., 1982).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The first impression Sharon presents to Alice is also crucial to the upcoming discussions. Attire is the first aspect Alice may notice, and it will set the tone for the forthcoming talk. Casual dressing will indicate a friendly atmosphere and lead to Alice approaching the discussion without as much seriousness as is required. However, formal dressing will portray a serious discussion is imminent and will enable her to earn Alice’s respect before she even begins talking.
Tacit communication, such as body language and the tone of her voice, will also go a long way into setting the appropriate mood for the discussion. Body language, as evidenced by Sterrett (1981) is, just as attire, important in creating the prevailing mood for the discussions. Slouching or casual posture will convey to Alice that she may be able to maneuver her way to a better deal while a straight upright posture will denote the seriousness of the meeting.
The tone of voice is controversial seeing it can be either too serious or too casual. Whereas Sharon will look to avoid setting a casual mood, a serious tone of voice may intimidate Alice thus resulting in unsuccessful discussions. The tone must thus be moderated during the discussion with casual pleasantries then a more serious tone introduced when outlining the insufficiencies in Alice’s progression with the tutelage (Kowal, 1981).
The setting for the discussion is also important seeing as it not only sets the tone for the entire discussion but also determines how comfortable both parties will be to air out their views. A closed off room will make Alice uncomfortable seeing as she will expect to be reprimanded so it should be in a relatively central location. Lighting also affects the mood, and hence success of the discussions seeing as a poorly lit room can be intimidating whereas a room with plenty of natural light can encourage a more fruitful discussion.
References
Guth W., Schmittberger R. & Schwarze B., 1982, An Experimental Analysis of Integrated Bargaining, Journal of Economic Behavior and Strategies , Vol. 3, Issue 4, p. 367-388
Kowal K.H., 1981, Effect of Tonal Variation on Conversational Dynamics, Journal of Experimental Psychology , Vol. 4, Issue 5, p. 312-320
Sterrett J.H., 1978, The Job Interview: Body Language and Perceptions of Potential Effectiveness, Journal of Applied Psychology , 63(3), p. 388-390
