Getting More Out of Analogical Training in Negotiations: Learning Core Principles for Creating Value

Abstract

The present research adapts analogical training to teach negotiators broad thought processes for creating value. Recently, specific analogical training, wherein negotiators draw analogies between different cases involving the same strategy, was shown to be effective for learning and transferring specific value-creating strategies. The current results suggest that such specific learning may have limited generalizability to other value-creating processes. Diverse analogical training, wherein negotiators compare several different value-creating strategies, was shown to be more effective for learning underlying value-creating principles. This method facilitated transfer to a very distinctive task and improved performance on a variety of value-creating strategies, including some never previously encountered. The improved performance was also accompanied by a deeper understanding of thepotential to create value.