Alpha / Beta Negotiation

This was an odd negotiation, and at certain points, it took everything I had in me not to laugh as I was stuck playing my role. In my own odd way, I found it hilarious that I was looking straight down at the table as my fellow classmates were talking to me. I kept imagining how awkward it must have been for them to be talking to someone who would not look at them.

Anyways, the negotiation delt with basic culture contradictions and how to handle those differences. It was quite obvious that beta was an Asian country (Japan most likely) and alpha was America. I brought Green Tea and Presents to the negotiation, and it was quite odd acting in such a different way (I'll admit that while I greatly admire asian culture and its standards, that when it comes to negotiating I am definitely more of the American stylist), it did open up some new ways of thinking - in which I might be dealing with foreign cultures in the future.

School District

For the school district negotiation, I was a superintendent who was routinely bored by these meetings but also wanted to show that I could use new techniques to make these meetings more effecient. This negotiation was somewhat stressful for me, but not because of the topics or the setting. It was was stressful because I was the "leader" of this negotiation, yet I knew that my counterparts had views and issues that they would try to make as "top priority" - and I had to let them feel that way to be seen as "keeping up to date" instead of just taking charge. This made for an environment of "1-up ness" and argumentation ... which I had to control using new techniques. I tried my best, and was sometimes succesful. But then again, at times, I just couldn't get people to shut up. I think overall, however, the meeting went pretty well ... and I'm sure not everyone could actually see how flustered I was getting while issues were being discussed over and over without meaningful resolution.

Strange Chips

I enjoyed this negotiation, if for no other reason, than the overabundace of figures and options. Dawn and I actually came to the perfect agreement. I took the right path (even if it wasn't for the correct reason) in looking to make the most amount of money for both divisions. I knew that my division was getting "free" technology, so I figured it would be ok to split profits 50/50 with Dawns division .. since they took the initial risk while we sat around. Therefore, I negotiated a deal that would use the 2nd highest option - one that would gain to beifit us both to the tune of 6 million dollars. Turns out, this was very good because the point of the negotiation was to make the most overall money for the company as a whole. I didn't base my arguments on that, but it worked out perfectly.

Pricing Increase

To be honest, this negotiation was really easy because my group figured out at the beginning that this was using the same concept as the war game. Therefore, we contacted the other group and both planned to go with the option that made us both the most money ... and not be in random competition with each other.

Nazi Parade

This was an assignemnt which seemed to hit a nerve with Laura Ellen and I. I took the stance of being a representative who saw it as the Nazi's right to hold a parade and Laura Ellen was a representative of the majorly Jewish town. This wasn't an easy one, and we couldn't reach a full agreement at the end. The individual instructions seemed lacking on both ends, as I had no information about what day and time the parade was to be held and so forth. I can honestly say that I did not care for the position I had to take on the issue, but I played my part nonetheless. The toughest thing about this negotiation was trying to establish what acceptable "language" was.