ASSESSING THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS NEGOTIATION PROCESS: A SECTORAL COMPARISON

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the success of the negotiation process and address the differences in success assessment between industry groups, i.e., between the primary and secondary sectors on the one hand and service sectors on the other. For this purpose, non-parametric statistics were used, including descriptive statistics, cor-relation, and regression analyses. In the primary and secondary sectors, outcome-and deadline-related measures of success are not affected by negotiation frequency or domestic market dominance, while there is a weak positive relationship between negotiation frequency and overall satisfaction. However, four significant relationships emerged in the service sectors. Managers who negotiate more frequently report higher satisfaction with negotiation outcomes and overall satisfaction, and those who negotiate more frequently with foreign counterparts express greater satisfaction with negotiation outcomes and meeting deadlines. The paper seeks to enrich our understanding of the negotiation process and the current literature on business negotiation by providing new insights into how Croatian managers assess success and the differences in success assessment between industry groups.