ABSTRACT
Negotiation is a central and ubiquitous process in the workplace, although it has only been in recent years that its commonality has been recognized. In the early literature of negotiation, the dominant focus was in two areas: the purchasing function in corporations (Leenders & Fearon 2008) and the formalized dynamics of labor relations (e.g., Kochan & Katz, 1980; Walton & McKersie, 1965). In the last half century, both descriptive and prescriptive negotiation theory has evolved to encompass the great scope of everyday negotiating activity in organizations. Managers negotiate with subordinates; team members negotiate with each other to coordinate their work; agents of the organization negotiate outside organization boundaries to purchase raw materials, sell products and services, and manage relationships with other organizations and regulatory agencies. Finally, senior managers negotiate to structure mergers and acquisitions, leverage financial resources, and manage critical relationships with a variety of stakeholders: other corporations, governmental organizations, advocacy groups, and their various communities.
