Negotiating partners: Friends or foes?

Abstract

Analysis of the negotiating process most frequently keeps a focus on two party negotiations with an emphasis on how power decides who wins or loses most. Today, however, many important international negotiations are better understood as discussions among members of a stakeholder community, with the goal of agreeing on joint action that can create additional value for stakeholders. New information and communication technologies have shifted negotiations from backroom deals to open discussions among a wide range of different players. The successful negotiations in these circumstances must be based on a shared purpose among stakeholders; the stakeholder community needs leadership, perhaps a vanguard of members with deep interests and special skills; given the often large number of negotiating parties, competent organization of talks is essential; and the process must build trust.