How do negotiators negotiate? - A Case Study Comparing Multi-Issue Team-Based Negotiations in a Consulting Company Against Literature

Abstract

This thesis tries to answer the following questions: How do the negotiators in company X negotiate in practice, and how does it compare to negotiation literature? In order to achieve this goal, the thesis takes a look into the field known as negotiation analysis and compares it to the advice given in popular literature.

These findings are then tested against empirical evidence gathered from company X, mainly in the form of interviews, with the goal of obtaining a better understanding of what parts of advice given to negotiators is actually used and useful for negotiators.

The Master’s thesis was done in cooperation with the Finnish branch of an international consulting company (from now on Company X). Company X negotiates a lot in their day to day business, and as such provides a great source for data.