Conflict Conflict

Negotiating IINegotiating II

Conflict Conflict may be productivemay be productive in in some cases:some cases:

In any business situation, In any business situation, there there are often a number of are often a number of different ideasdifferent ideas about the way to about the way to proceed.proceed.

Only one way can be chosen, so Only one way can be chosen, so conflict is inevitableconflict is inevitable

However, discussing different However, discussing different ideas will lead to the best choiceideas will lead to the best choice

During discussion some problems During discussion some problems may arise:may arise:

Is it good to keep defending an idea Is it good to keep defending an idea which is apparently not the best which is apparently not the best choice?choice?

Some people are not willing to “lose Some people are not willing to “lose face” by abandoning a long-cherished face” by abandoning a long-cherished ideaidea

There may be There may be conflict between conflict between different levelsdifferent levels in an organisation’s in an organisation’s hierarchy or between different hierarchy or between different departments (some ideas from departments (some ideas from elsewhere may not be welcome)elsewhere may not be welcome)

Examples of Examples of unproductiveunproductive conflict:conflict:

There are disputes (arguments) There are disputes (arguments) between colleagues or between between colleagues or between managers that go beyond ideas and managers that go beyond ideas and become become personalpersonal

In countries with high levels of In countries with high levels of employee protection, dismissing (firing) employee protection, dismissing (firing) employees can lead to a process of employees can lead to a process of litigation (where an employee sues litigation (where an employee sues their company for unfair dismissal.their company for unfair dismissal.

All this can cost a company big money All this can cost a company big money and precious timeand precious time

Labour-management conflictLabour-management conflict can take the form of:can take the form of:

StrikesStrikes and and go-slowsgo-slows (a go-slow is (a go-slow is a form of protest where a form of protest where workers workers deliberately slow down in order to deliberately slow down in order to cause problems)cause problems)

The The goodwill of a company’s goodwill of a company’s customerscustomers, built up over years, can , built up over years, can be lost very quicklybe lost very quickly

But there are cases where the But there are cases where the public sympathise with the public sympathise with the employees and there is no damageemployees and there is no damage

Many countries use Many countries use arbitrationarbitration between the two sides:between the two sides:

Arbitration is a form of Arbitration is a form of alternative conflict resolution in alternative conflict resolution in which which the parties (the opposite the parties (the opposite sides in conflict) present their sides in conflict) present their cases to a cases to a neutral third partyneutral third party and agree to respect his or her and agree to respect his or her decisiondecision

More and more companies in the More and more companies in the US use US use ADR ADR to resolve conflicts:to resolve conflicts:

ADR is ADR is alternative dispute alternative dispute resolutionresolution which includes which includes methods other than lawsuitsmethods other than lawsuits

These methods include These methods include mediation,mediation, conciliation, conciliation, arbitration and settlement arbitration and settlement (negotiation)(negotiation) and are less and are less formal and cheaper than court formal and cheaper than court process.process.

Resolving conflict by negotiating is Resolving conflict by negotiating is a part of a part of local mentalitylocal mentality::

Different nationalities deal with Different nationalities deal with conflict in different ways:conflict in different ways:

For example, it is typical of a For example, it is typical of a Russian negotiatorRussian negotiator to bang his fist on to bang his fist on the tablethe table in the middle of the meeting in the middle of the meeting and leave the room.and leave the room.

Russian negotiating teams are often Russian negotiating teams are often made up of made up of experienced managers experienced managers whose moves are planned in whose moves are planned in advance like a game of chessadvance like a game of chess

German managersGerman managers are very are very direct an they speak their mind.direct an they speak their mind.

They consider it important to They consider it important to clarify everything and clarify everything and get to the get to the point quicklypoint quickly

The Germans do not approve of The Germans do not approve of too much enthusiasm or too much enthusiasm or compliments, they rather compliments, they rather concentrate on the objectiveconcentrate on the objective

AmericansAmericans have a natural talent of have a natural talent of communicating: they use small talk communicating: they use small talk and smiling very oftenand smiling very often

They also use a liberal sense of They also use a liberal sense of humour to get close to their humour to get close to their negotiating partnersnegotiating partners

As a rule, As a rule, the atmosphere is the atmosphere is informalinformal: business partners eat and : business partners eat and drink and don’t use their academic drink and don’t use their academic titlestitles

The American attitude The American attitude “time is “time is moneymoney” has a great influence ” has a great influence on their business on their business communicationcommunication

Americans tend to develop a Americans tend to develop a personal relationship with their personal relationship with their business partnersbusiness partners

Spanish negotiators usually Spanish negotiators usually interrupt interrupt you in the middle of the sentenceyou in the middle of the sentence and and they talk at the same time which is an they talk at the same time which is an accepted behaviour in Latin culturesaccepted behaviour in Latin cultures

The business people in Spain do not The business people in Spain do not rely on careful preparation. They use rely on careful preparation. They use spontaneous ideas and quick spontaneous ideas and quick thinkingthinking..

The good side is that in Spain you The good side is that in Spain you can enjoy creative, if intense, can enjoy creative, if intense, negotiationsnegotiations..

An example of badly handeled An example of badly handeled conflict:conflict:

Two professional managers working in the Two professional managers working in the same team same team keep arguingkeep arguing with each other. with each other.

The rest of the team avoids the The rest of the team avoids the problemproblem and eventually the frustrations and eventually the frustrations build up.build up.

Finally, Finally, there is a huge fightthere is a huge fight and a lot of and a lot of bad things are said.bad things are said.

All of this happens because everybody All of this happens because everybody avoids the problem instead of saying: avoids the problem instead of saying: Look, we have an issue here, let’s deal Look, we have an issue here, let’s deal with it.with it.

An example of well handeled An example of well handeled conflict:conflict: One colleague has One colleague has a way of working a way of working

which the other one doesn’t like.which the other one doesn’t like. The other colleague starts showing The other colleague starts showing

his his frustrations frustrations by being by being agressive.agressive. The first colleague points directly to The first colleague points directly to

the problem, and the problem, and they address it they address it toghethertoghether..

The result is The result is a new agreementa new agreement and a and a better understandingbetter understanding between between them.them.

Negotiating IINegotiating II

Some useful language and Some useful language and examplesexamples

Calming down: Creating Calming down: Creating soultions:soultions:

I understand I understand what you’re what you’re saying.saying.

I can see your I can see your point of view.point of view.

Well, I know Well, I know what you mean.what you mean.

Why don’t we Why don’t we come back to come back to that later?that later?

A compromise A compromise could be to...could be to...

How about if ...How about if ... What if...What if... Let’s look at his Let’s look at his

another way.another way. Another Another

possibility is...possibility is...

Closing a negotiation:Closing a negotiation:

Let’s see what we’ve got.Let’s see what we’ve got. Can I go over what we’ve agreed?Can I go over what we’ve agreed? Let’s go over the main points Let’s go over the main points

again.again. OK, I think that covers everything.OK, I think that covers everything. We’ve got a deal.We’ve got a deal. Fine. Right. That’s it then.Fine. Right. That’s it then.

An example: A parking An example: A parking problemproblem We just don’t have enough spaces We just don’t have enough spaces

for everyone. We need the spaces for everyone. We need the spaces for managers and customers who for managers and customers who visit us. Sorry, Tracy but that’s it.visit us. Sorry, Tracy but that’s it.

Well, you’ll have to think againWell, you’ll have to think again. . Our staff arrive early. They need Our staff arrive early. They need somewhere to park.somewhere to park.

Look, Tracy, Look, Tracy, I understand what I understand what you’re saying, butyou’re saying, but it just isn’t it just isn’t possible anymore.possible anymore.

The staff are not going to accept it. I The staff are not going to accept it. I warn you, Tom, this could lead to a warn you, Tom, this could lead to a strike.strike.

Tracy,... You know we’ve got a parking Tracy,... You know we’ve got a parking problem. We’ve got to do someting about problem. We’ve got to do someting about it. it. OK, how about this?OK, how about this? What if we keep What if we keep five spaces for staff, and it’s first come, five spaces for staff, and it’s first come, first served.first served.

Sorry, that isn’t good enoughSorry, that isn’t good enough. It’s not . It’s not a solution to a parking problem, and you a solution to a parking problem, and you know it.know it.

There is another possibilityThere is another possibility. . How How about ifabout if the staff park their cars in the staff park their cars in the car park near the station?the car park near the station?

Some of them do that already. But Some of them do that already. But they have to pay quite a bit, you they have to pay quite a bit, you know.know.

OK, what ifOK, what if we could we could help towards help towards the cost?the cost? We might be able to pay, We might be able to pay, say, thirty percent.say, thirty percent.

Yes,... It’s worth considering. It Yes,... It’s worth considering. It might help.might help.

Right. I’ll discuss this proposal Right. I’ll discuss this proposal at the next board meeting. Staff at the next board meeting. Staff will park in the public car park, will park in the public car park, and we’ll contribute thirty and we’ll contribute thirty percent towards the cost.percent towards the cost.

Fine. Fine. That’s it thenThat’s it then..

Economic termsEconomic terms

Time clausesTime clauses

Match the economic terms to their Match the economic terms to their definitions:definitions:

Interest rateInterest rate Exchange rateExchange rate Inflation rateInflation rate Labour forceLabour force Tax incentivesTax incentives Government Government

bureaucracybureaucracy GDP (gross domestic GDP (gross domestic

product)product) Unemployment rateUnemployment rate Foreign investmentForeign investment Balance of tradeBalance of trade

Total value of goods and Total value of goods and services produced in a services produced in a countrycountry

General increase in pricesGeneral increase in prices Cost of borrowing moneyCost of borrowing money Price at which one Price at which one

currency can buy anothercurrency can buy another Percentage of people Percentage of people

without jobswithout jobs People workingPeople working Low taxes to encourage Low taxes to encourage

business activitybusiness activity Money from overseasMoney from overseas Official Official

rules/regulation/paperworrules/regulation/paperworkk

Difference in value Difference in value between a country’s between a country’s imports and exportsimports and exports

Time clausesTime clauses

We use time clauses to give We use time clauses to give information about actions in the information about actions in the past, present and future:past, present and future:

Do you remember Do you remember whenwhen you had you had your first interview?your first interview? (past time) (past time)

WhenWhen I find the missing I find the missing documentsdocuments, I’ll bring them to you. , I’ll bring them to you. (future time)(future time)

We use a present tense, not We use a present tense, not will, will, to refer to to refer to future time in a time future time in a time clauseclause::

Until Until inflation inflation is is under controlunder control, , planning will be difficult. (NOT will planning will be difficult. (NOT will be under control)be under control)

Once Once we we finish finish the project, we’ll the project, we’ll have more time.have more time.

Note that:Note that: 1) a present perfect in a time 1) a present perfect in a time

caluse refers to a future caluse refers to a future situation:situation:

I’ll get back to you I’ll get back to you as soon asas soon as we we havehave decideddecided what to do. what to do.

2) while means “during the time 2) while means “during the time that” or “at the same time as”:that” or “at the same time as”:

While While I was in Italy, I went to see I was in Italy, I went to see Alessandro.Alessandro.

Complete these sentences with Complete these sentences with when, while, before, after, until, when, while, before, after, until, as soon as:as soon as: Don’t make a decision _______ we’ve Don’t make a decision _______ we’ve

seen the report.seen the report. I’m meeting with Atsuko this afternoon. I’m meeting with Atsuko this afternoon.

Send her up _______ she arrives.Send her up _______ she arrives. Let’s sort out this problem _________ Let’s sort out this problem _________

she gets here.she gets here. I’m coming to Paris tomorrow I’m coming to Paris tomorrow

afternoon. I’ll phone you ______ I afternoon. I’ll phone you ______ I arrive.arrive.

Can you type this report for me Can you type this report for me ______ I’m away?______ I’m away?