CASE ASSIGNMENT: Newton School Dispute

You are to turn in a negotiation summary between 4-7 pages for each team discussing the following issues as noted below.

1. What are the key issues to be negotiated? Please indicate whether this is a distributive or integrative negotiation.

2. Assembling the issues and defining the bargaining mix:

• Which issues are most important and which issues are less important?
• Which issues are linked to other issues, and which are separate or unconnected?

3. Defining the interests: What is the other's primary underlying interests?

4. Defining limits:

• What is our walkaway point on each issue - that is, what is a minimally acceptable settlement for each issue of the issues as a package?
• If this negotiation fails, what is our best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA)?

5. Defining targets and openings:

• What will be our preferred settlement in each issue?
• What will be our opening request for each issue?
• Where are we willing to trade off issues against each other in the bargaining mix?

6. Constituencies: TO whom is the other accountable for the solution-that is, to whom does he or she report or have to explain or defend the outcome? Does this party also have to be involved in issue definition and goal setting?

7. Opposite negotiators: Who is the other party (or parties) in the negotiation?

• What information do we have about them?
• What issues will they have?
• What priorities are they likely to have for their issues?
• What are their interests?
• What has been my past relationship with them? What future relationship do I need to have, or would I like to have with them?
• What is their reputation and style, and how should I take this into consideration?

8. Selecting a strategy:

• What overall negotiation and strategy do you want to select? How important are the outcome and the relationship with the other?
• What strategy do you expect the other side will be selecting?

9. Planning the issue presentation and defense:

• What research do you need to do on the issues so that you can argue for them convincingly and compellingly?
• Do you have (or can you prepare) graphs, charts, and figures that will clearly communicate my preferences?
• In what order and sequence should you present the information?
• What arguments can you anticipate from the other party, and how are you going to counteract their arguments?
• What tactics will you use to present my arguments or defend against the other's arguments?
• What tactics will you use to try to move us toward agreement?
• What roles will different people play in the negotiation?

10. Protocol:

• Where will we negotiate? Do we wish to influence the choice of location?
• When will we negotiate? DO we wish to influence the time and length of negotiation?
• Who will be at the actual negotiation meeting? Do we want to bring other parties to serve a particular purpose (e.g., an expert or an observer)?
• Do we have an agenda? How can we help to either create the agenda or participate in its development?
• What will we do if the negotiation fails?
• Who will write down and confirm this agreement? Do we need to have the contract reviewed by a professional (e.g., attorney, accountant, and/or agent)?

FOR YOUR PRESENTATION USE THE POSITION TABLE TEMPLATE and the Initial Offer Form and the Final Settlement Form at the end of the Case.

Attachment:- Case_Assignment.pdf