Harvard Business Essentials Guide to Negotiation

fairly decent ideas on negotiation, nothing new here, but would be helpful for people new to negotiation.

As part of the 17-title Harvard Business Essentials series, launched in 2002, this book solidly covers the basics of negotiation. The clarity of the explanations, range of examples and methodical exposition make it a very useful reference for the beginner or mid-level negotiator. Don't let the very rationality of the book's approach make you think that negotiation is easy. It's just that these instructions make it understandable and accessible. Harvard's expert doesn't dwell on the pressures negotiators face and the resultant anxieties, or give a lot of space to the emotional complexity of dealing with money issues with family or friends. Instead, this is a solid, no-detours, nuts-and-bolts manual. We recommend this book as a primer for up-and-coming or partially experienced negotiators. Start here; when you master this solid base, you can polish your skills with something more advanced.

The "Harvard Business Essentials Guide to Negotiation" is an excellent introductory book for laying out the essential basic elements of successful negotiations. Step-by-step, the book explains the necessary skills that one requires to carry out effective negotiations.

The book explains the distinction between distributive and integrative negotiation. Distributive bargaining seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources resulting in a win-lose situation whereas integrative bargaining seeks one or more settlements that can result in win-win outcomes. Integrative bargaining is preferable to distributive bargaining because integrative process builds long-term relationships and facilitates being future partners. It bonds negotiators and enables them to leave the negotiating process feeling that they have all won. The reason why distributive bargaining is prevalent in organizations is that parties are often not open with information and neither are they candid about their concerns. There is often lack of trust and empathy.

The book also describes the concept of BATNA, that is, the best alternative to a negotiated agreement or the lowest acceptable value to an individual for a negotiated agreement. Any offer that you receive that is higher than your BATNA is good and by the same token, you cannot expect the other party to accept an offer that is lower than their BATNA.

The book also highlights other essential elements to a successful negotiation including the need to prepare and plan, being clear about the ground rules, justifying issues on the negotiating table, bargaining and resolving conflicts as well as closure and implementation

The book is well written and is easy to understand and follow. Recommended reading for beginners to negotiation.

I think these types of books work better when they diagram and use modeling as a method to teach. Like many books I read, there was a sense of repetitiveness. I think overall it is a good introductory book for negotiation skills, but not what I was looking for.

An excellent primer on negotiation. This text defines negotiation and then becomes an 'essential' 'how to' text with a wealth of information. From preparation to 'table tactics' through 'tips and traps', this book helps unfold the fundamental truth of negotiation - alternatives drive fairness.