Question

Michael and Betsy work in two very different realms, but the examples they tell did have one important aspect in common: both involve negotiations protracted over weeks and months. There was nothing particularly exotic about the solutions. If the respective parties had reached agreement much earlier, they could have saved themselves a lot of time (and avoided a lot of uncertainty). Why do you think they took so long?

Answer 1

There can be various reasons contributing towards delaying the agreement such as:

• The negotiating parties were unable to state their points across to each other.
• There were priority clashes.
• Either or both the parties were reluctant to reduce their conditions.
• Were seeking only self-benefit and not a win-win situation.
• The negotiator or mediator was ineffective.
• Time was not of essence.
• Communication was not free and each party was reluctant to communicate effectively.