ABSTRACT
A central question for any bargainer is the question of what strategy or approach to finding a solution maximizes the outcome. Essentially, bargaining constitutes a process where two or more entities in conflict seek a solution that maximizes the result sought. A central bit of advice-giving deals with the strategy involved in deciding what offers to make, what offers to accept, and how to respond to offers made by the other side. This chapter considers whether taking a hardline strategy (fewer and smaller concessions) produces a more desirable outcome (measured in a zero-sum metric) than a softline bargaining strategy (larger and more numerous concessions). Each approach to bargaining is based on a philosophy of how to generate a situation more favorable to an advantageous solution. The challenge is how to provide advice based on an examination of the current empirical evidence from existing experimental, quasi-experimental, and field experiments.
