Identification of negotiation tactics and strategies of Army negotiators

Abstract

This research examines the tactics and strategies used most frequently by 138 Army negotiators randomly selected from throughout the continental United States. Respondents selected from 32 tactics those which they used most often, and those which they felt industry used most often against them. Respondents also rank ordered ten strategies according to the frequency in which they were used, and the order in which they preferred their use. The strategies were also examined for preference under five different contract situations. The survey questionnaire method was used to collect information of demographics, and negotiator's use of tactics and strategies. Frequency distributions, Kendall Tau, and the Spearman rank correlation tests were used to examine tactics and strategies for preference of use and to test for agreement. Analysis indicates that Army negotiators employ tactics and strategies that rely on statistical analysis, and negotiate in as professional and straightforward a manner as possible. However, evidence indicated that an adversarial relationship exists between Government and industry.