When you hear the word bargaining, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think of collective bargaining, or bargaining conducted on behalf of a group by a labor union. Maybe you think of something more akin to haggling, or negotiating the price of a good at a market. Bargaining, although engrained in our collective consciousness to connote certain things, is really just another way of saying negotiation.
In your Discussion this week, you explored the concepts of distributive and integrative negotiation. There exists a fault line within the field around which two camps are gathered: those who feel that integrative bargaining is applicable to and beneficial for nearly all circumstances, and those who think that this is untenable, that sometimes very difficult divisions or competitive situations must happen. For this Assignment, you continue this exploration by assessing the relevance of integrative and distributive bargaining (a.k.a. negotiation) for specific professional fields.
To Prepare:
- Review Chapter 8 in your course text, The Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention, focusing on applications of distributive and integrative bargaining.
- Conduct your own research using the Library or reputable academic sources on the Internet about the history and current use of bargaining in your country and in your professional field. Think about the cultural, legal, and professional influences on these trends.
- Consider whether there are situations from your professional field in which either distributive or integrative bargaining might have to occur or be vastly better suited than the other.
The Assignment (2–3 pages):
In a 2- to 3-page paper:
- Compare integrative bargaining and distributive bargaining for use in the industry in which you currently work or one in which you have interest in working in the future.
- Explain whether you believe these methods are still relevant in your industry of choice or explain one that is better suited and why. Be specific and provide examples.