A632.4,4R.B_AshbrookRichard


A632.4.4.RB - Deception in Negotiations



During negotiations, people often misrepresent information to gain at least a temporary advantage. For example, a seller may fabricate existence of another interested buyer or a buyer may misrepresent the price and availability of an item from a different vendor. Reflect on deceptions in negotiations and describe four ways to reduce your vulnerability to deception during negotiations. Relate an example of a recent negotiation in which you were misled and one in which you may have overstated a claim. In the case of the overstatement, how far would you have gone, or did you go, to leverage your position?



There are many different negative methods used during negotiation and some are generally more acceptable than others. Anton (1990) describes four strategies that are used. In order of acceptability these are: misrepresentation, bluffing, deception and falsification.

Misrepresentation occurs in negotiation where a person deliberately takes a position on something which is not true in some way.

Bluffing is stating or indicating an intention to commit some action, but then not fulfilling that commitment or never intending to take this action.

What Anton called 'deception' is the use of false arguments that leads the other person to an incorrect conclusion.

Falsification is the simple telling of lies or otherwise providing false information with the assumption that it is complete and true.



Example of a recent negotiation in which you were misled:

 The decision to work as a simulator instructor for Atlas Air (DHL contract) based out of my home town of Cincinnati Ohio. This company said that I was perfect for the job, I thought it was for my extensive aviation background but found out something totally different. Work for this company for 6 months and then found out that their union was going to have early negations for a new contract (Teamsters). For me this is not a problem because I was a non-union employee (refer to as an off-line instructor) which it was a BIG problem for the local pilot union, they did not want me there because I was working for less and no work rules applied to me. What I found out that the company hired me because of my associated with a much bigger airline union called ALPA. The company used me as a negotiating tool to get what they want from the union that was on property.



One in which you may have overstated a claim. In the case of the overstatement, how far would you have gone, or did you go, to leverage your position?

The job that I overstated a claim when I was interviewing for an aircraft maintenance instructor job at an aviation college in my home town. My background spoke for itself because I was an owner of an aircraft maintenance shop working on all types of aircraft. But what I didn’t tell them that as the owner I did not work on the actual aircraft. My job as the owner was to get jobs in the door and work directly with the customers and keep things running smooth and on time, (profits). I had all the schools resume look great but no actual experience at all working on aircraft.

Well I got the job and show them how to increase profits and because of me not telling them that I had no actual experience, it all works out and I became director within a year. This was a position that I knew a lot about.



References

Anton, R.J. (1990). Drawing the line: An exploratory test of ethical behavior in negotiation, International Journal of Conflict Management, 1, 265-180


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