Negotiation Planning with a Self Versus Other Focus and Integrative Versus Distributive Tactics

Abstract

The focus a negotiator adopts during planning affects both individual and joint outcomes. An experiment confirms that (a) individual outcomes are affected more by a planning focus on self versus other and, (b) joint outcomes depend more on a planning focus on distributive versus integrative tactics. Both effects are qualified by the opposing negotiator's planning focus. A self-focused planner attains higher individual outcomes, even more so when negotiating against an other-focused planner. Joint outcomes are largest when both negotiators' planning focuses on integrative tactics and smallest when both plan with a distributive tactics focus.