ABSTRACT
When forming a coalition, negotiators must first perceive an issue or issues that require attention. The degree of success or effectiveness of a coalition depends largely on its type (majority versus minority coalitions, general versus issue-specific) and on the nature and precision of its objectives. Coalitions may strive for an optimal or merely satisfactory agreement or they may seek to deprive the outcome of certain clauses, conditions, or rules that their members do not want (Dupont 1996). There can be shifts in positions and membership depending on the issues under negotiation. Goals may be general (e.g. a satisfactory worded resolution or decision coming out of an international conference) or very specific in terms of the contents of the agreement (e.g. agreement to ban a chemical). Assessments of the effectiveness of a coalition are influenced by bargaining strength and its evolution over time, role of the coalition in the negotiations, size of the coalition, leadership, cohesion, organization, and strategies (Dupont 1996).
