Package Deal Negotiation
What is Package Deal Negotiation?
Package Deal Negotiation is a strategy that bundles multiple issues together so parties can trade across issues based on different priorities and preferences. Rather than resolving issues one by one, this approach creates comprehensive proposals that address all issues simultaneously, enabling value-creating trades.
Key Principles
- Bundling multiple issues into comprehensive proposals
- Trading across issues based on different priorities
- Creating value through differences in preferences
- Evaluating proposals as complete packages rather than issue by issue
- Using multiple package options to explore the solution space
When to Use Package Deal Negotiation
This strategy is particularly effective in situations where:
- Multiple issues are being negotiated simultaneously
- Parties have different priorities across issues
- Individual issues are interdependent
- There are opportunities for value-creating trades
- A comprehensive agreement is needed rather than piecemeal solutions
Implementation Steps
- Identify all issues: Create a comprehensive list of all matters to be negotiated
- Determine priorities: Assess the relative importance of each issue to your side
- Understand counterpart priorities: Research or inquire about their key concerns
- Develop package proposals: Create comprehensive offers that address all issues
- Focus on trades: Concede on lower-priority issues to gain on higher-priority ones
- Evaluate packages holistically: Assess the overall value rather than issue by issue
Advantages and Limitations
Advantages:
- Creates opportunities for value-creating trades
- Prevents getting stuck on individual difficult issues
- Enables creative solutions that address multiple concerns
- Facilitates compromise through balanced concessions
- Results in more comprehensive and stable agreements
Limitations:
- Increases complexity of proposal development and evaluation
- Requires significant information about priorities and preferences
- May be difficult to communicate effectively
- Can be overwhelming for inexperienced negotiators
- Requires trust to share priority information