Business Communication Assignment: Implementation Of Negotiation Approach In United Beverages

Question

Task: Business reports are practical learning tasks where students apply the theories they have been studying to real world situations.
Given a scenario the students are required to collect information (primary and/or secondary) and prepare a report applying their research to make recommendations that address the business scenario.
This report should consist of the following parts: Executive Summary, Introduction, Objectives, Methodologies, Information Analysis, Findings, Recommendations, References, and Appendices.

Answer

Executive Summary
This business communication assignment comprises of the concept of evaluating the best-suitable approach of negotiation, which can be implemented by the United Beverages Company for proper development of the staff in accordance with mitigating the emerging issues of negotiation. It has been willfully observed that the concept of negotiation, construes to be the measure for resolving disputes so that it does not affect the performance and profitability of the desired company. Thus, it can be stated that both the approaches considered in the study are evaluated to assess the best fit within the spheres of the company.

Introduction
United Beverages explored in this Business communication assignment is a well-known beverage manufacturing and sales organization, in accordance with being proprietary in nature. Barbara Johnstone, the General Manager of United Beverages, stated that the company has been facing several challenges owing to their limitation in the field of negotiation. The concept of negotiation strategy is considered to be a predetermined approach or a series of comprehensive plans for achieving specific goals and objectives of a concerned organization, thereby resolving or mitigating the emerging disputes collaterally (Ting and Toomey, 2015). It is conducted or resorted to at times of retaining mutual interests. It is also known as an alternative strategy for resolving disputes. This study specifically encompasses the measures for resolving the lack of efficacy from the staff of United Beverages in accordance with dealing the matters of negotiation. It is also conducted to analyze the best possible approach of negotiation for the company to adopt.

Objectives
The primary objective of the study was to formulate comprehensive measures, which can be resorted to at times of anomaly. In simple words, the study was primarily conducted to alleviate the negotiation skills of the company for dealing with the concerned matters.

The second objective of the study was to assess and construe the best possible approach for United Beverages for adapting its measures while dealing with matters of negotiation.

Thus, the overall objective of the study is to assess and enumerate the approaches of negotiation so that the company can adapt to it accordingly, for eliminating their sheer inefficacy.

Methodology
The study has been formulated in a very efficient and informative manner. Secondary data collection method has been opted for enhancing the authentic nature of the study. Various company reports, articles, journals and similar others incorporated a broader perspective of the concept of negotiation. It has also been deciphered that, the secondary method of data collection allowed covering a vast scope of information which any other method would not have provided, in accordance with the prevailing time constraints. However, the materials obtained in the form of secondary sources acted as the entity, which provides proper and viable insights on the concept of negotiation along with its two major approaches, which can properly be aligned with the company.

Information Analysis
It has been understandable that United Beverages are suffering sheer inefficacy in dealing with matters of negotiation. It has been the prime concept, which is slogging the growth of the company in the concerned market. The lack of precision within the staff of the company, in accordance with negotiable matters, hinders the progress and profitability of the desired company (Kennedy, 2017). However, it has been very well understandable that Barbara Johnstone, the General Manager of United Beverages, comprehensively conducted the identification of the problem. Owing to the concept of alleviating their brand position in the concerned market, The Company, at this point of time should adapt negotiation strategies to cater to the immediateness plunging into the internal sphere of United Beverages, effectively. There are two major contradictory approaches suitable for the company to adapt at times of emergency, relating to the matters of negotiation. The approaches are:

a) Competitive positional-based negotiation
Competitive positional-based negotiation or Positional negotiation mentioned in this Business communication assignment is considered as a strategy inclusive of clinging on to a firm and composed idea or a concerned position in accordance with the needs of the company and thereby arguing for it solely without any underlying existence of mutual interests (Kochan et al., 2018).

Characteristics of the approach:  It is considered as the primary or basic strategy adapted by any company at times of entering into a negotiation. This strategy has proven to be problematic as the advancement of negotiation often leads to the increased consciousness arising in accordance with their position (Putnam, 2017). This allows greater modulation than apprehended, thereby at times affecting the performance and profitability of the company. The strategy outlines the strength of the commitment made for defending a particular position. It caters to the removal of interest-based conflicts arising within the internal sphere of the organization (Chung et al., 2017).

Assumptions in the approach: The strong commitment made or construed for restoring a position, generally leads to the derailment of concentration of both parties, in lieu of the dire lack of interests (Brett and Thompson, 2016). Any argument, which extensively goes through rigorous positional negotiations, will yield in splitting mechanical differences within the parties relating to results or conclusions, in comparison with the estimated or apprehended one. However, the strategy can be counterproductive as well for United Beverages. It will yield in alleviating their brand image in the concerned market, thereby gaining greater customer satisfaction.

b) Problem-solving interest based negotiation
Problem-solving interest based negotiation or Interest-based negotiation, is considered as the integrative negotiation procedure which involves collaboration of the parties for finding a solution of a dispute which satisfies every posed mutual interest of the concerned parties (Greenwood and Ward, 2019).

Characteristics of the approach: According to the views of Calo et al., (2016), his strategy categorically focuses on the concept of construing mutually beneficial agreements in accordance with the meeting the respective interests of the concerned disputants. This has been one of the prime approaches of negotiation as it yields the maximum benefits for both the concerned disputants (Gratch et al., 2016). This strategy is majorly efficient in resolving multiple issues of negotiation, which arises at once. Integrative negotiation procedure can thus, be considered as a mode of resolving negotiations, in accordance with rendering satisfaction to every concerned party through fulfillment of their individual needs. It encompasses the maximum number of satisfactory outcomes, viable in accordance with developing unique solutions, alongside the concept of depicted gratification.

Assumptions in the approach discussed in this Business communication assignment: There have been certain underlying interests encircling a single position. If the concerned parties focus on the identification of those interests, the ability for developing satisfactory negotiations will enhance. As in the case of United Beverages, it will be beneficial for the company to cater to every matters relating to negotiation, effectively, thereby identifying it accordingly to enhance the satisfactory ratio. This prevents the rate of unlikeliness prevailing in accordance with the company concerned. It underpins the causation of a fact, thereby mitigating it effectively in accordance with the needs and demands of the parties or disputants concerned. 

Findings
Risks in each approach: There can be certain risks emerging within the spheres of the company if the above mentioned approaches are incorporated. The viable risks in each approach mentioned in this Business communication assignment are enlisted as follows:

Positional negotiation: Positional negotiation is a stern approach of negotiation, which tends to oppose viewpoints and thereby results in intense compromise or no agreement at all (Edge et al., 2016). The extremist nature depicted by the approach, limits its efficacy on the concerned spheres of the company, United Beverages. However, it has been widely accepted that the compromises made, are not satisfactory for the parties concerned, thus, at times leads to customer dissatisfaction, which will harm the brand image and brand positioning of United Beverages, in accordance with the concerned operational market.

Integrative negotiation: As per the views of Harinck and Druckman, (2017), it has been understandable that the one party may tend to perceive the intention of the other, thereby directing the aim of the intention to meet sole benefits. The process of discovering information can be misutilized thereby adversely affecting the profitability and performance of the concerned company, which herein is United Beverages. It has also been found that there has been posed suspicion on the problem solving negotiators, in accordance with the negotiators who negatively directs the cooperative spirit of a concerned individual against the procedure or protocol, thus, ruining the construed or built-up image of the concerned company.   

Probable impact on relationships of each approach
Negotiation is also considered as a tool incorporated by a company for managing relationships, as of the fact that durable relationships tends to earn benefits of both the parties for attaining a potential competitive advantage over its existing competitors in the concerned market of operation (Houpt et al., 2015). The process involves lowering of costs, rendering improved services and similar others, thereby construing to be a powerful tool for fulfilling the mutual interests of both parties.

Both the approaches of negotiation stated in the business communication assignment have certain effect on the prevailing relationships of the concerned company, which herein is United Beverages.

The positioning negotiation approach categorically depicts strictness and uncompromisable behaviour as well as even compromises with the least extent (Lønning, 2018). This, ambiguous nature of the approach hinders its implementation in the market concerned thereby alleviating the transitions of aftermath which might emerge within the sphere of the company. It tends to incline the persisting relationships towards the dissatisfied extent.

However, on the contrary, integrative negotiation approach is a mass resolver of anomalies relating to negotiations. The incorporation of this approach will lead to the gradual rise of the concerned company. It has to be understandable that, in lieu of the nature of rendering mass satisfaction, the approach can appropriately echo within the internal spheres of the company thereby positively affecting its performance as well (Hirvonen, 2016). This will tend to alleviate their relationships with consumers, suppliers and similar others.

Thus, it can be very well understood that, both the approaches bear certain impact on the persisting relationships of the company, wherein, the integrative negotiation approach positively influences the company and the positioning negotiation approach adversely affects the company, in lieu of its strictness.

Recommendations
Thus, as per the facts observed and obtained through the study of Business communication assignment, it is very understandable that there are certain posed impacts of the approaches on the company, United Beverages. It has been categorically underpinned that the concept of Positioning Negotiation Strategy imposes a strictness to the walls of the company, thus, being unsuitable for its implementation. However, due to the omnichannel characteristics of the Integrative Negotiation approach, it has been categorically observed as the best-suitable measure for the company, United Beverages, to resort at times of anomalies relating to negotiations. The gratifying nature of the approach alludes the concept of ambiguities and incorporates a sense of responsibility left resonating within the strata of the company. It has also been understandable that it helps to decipher more than a single variable interest underlying beneath the concept of a single negotiable anomaly or issue. It has also been evident, that this particular approach aids in mass resolution of the entire anomaly persisting within the company relating to negotiation. Thus, this concept construes the ability of an organization to mitigate the emerging issues effectively, thereby eliminating the concept of time constraints, which plunges as a major hindrance within the internal stratum of United Beverages.

It is highly recommendable for Barbara Johnstone, the General Manager of United Beverages, to incorporate this approach within the internal system of the company to yield increment in their respective satisfactory quotient, which further waives every possibility of unresolved disputes prevailing within the company relating to negotiation.  This approach will act as the best possible measure for removing all the posed restraints on the staff of United Beverages, by providing a clear idea about the maximization of profits, which can duly be achieved through proper identification of interests underlying beneath an issue (Saarni, 2015). Thus, it can be very well stated that, after the incorporation of this particular approach, the company, United Beverages, will be able to effectively mitigate all the disputes arising in accordance with negotiations, wherein no unsatisfactory ends are exposed or kept unattended.

Conclusion
It has been willfully observed in this Business communication assignment that the concept of positioning negotiation approach allowed a strengthened platform of negotiation for the company to incorporate which is categorically not possible for United Beverages. However, the concept of integrative negotiation approach on the other hand, tends to bestow enhanced positivity for the company. The gratifying nature of the approach will tend to give United Beverages, a potential lead in the concerned operational market thus, alleviating the position and image of the brand or company concerned. Thus, it can be stated that, the positivity imposed by the integrative approach, vouches for its implementation in United Beverages, thus, aiding in the overall betterment of the company, in accordance with responsibility, productivity and profitability.

Reference List
Brett, J. and Thompson, L., 2016. Negotiation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 136, pp.68-79.

Calo, S.B. and Pham, T., 2016, July. Interest-Based Negotiation for Policy-Regulated Asset Sharing. In Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, and Norms in Agent Systems XI: COIN 2015 International Workshops, COIN@ AAMAS, Istanbul, Turkey, May 4, 2015, COIN@ IJCAI, Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 26, 2015, Revised Selected Papers (Vol. 9628, p. 300). Springer.

Chung, J.Y., Baik, H.J. and Lee, C.K., 2017. The role of perceived behavioural control in the constraint-negotiation process: the case of solo travel. Leisure Studies, 36(4), pp.481-492.

Edge, S.W., Tenny, N.E. and Fischer, S., Qualcomm Inc, 2016. Supporting version negotiation for positioning for terminals in a wireless network. U.S. Patent 9,398,442.

Gratch, J., DeVault, D. and Lucas, G., 2016, September. The benefits of virtual humans for teaching negotiation. In International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents (pp. 283-294). Springer, Cham.

Greenwood, G.A. and Ward, C., 2019. Business communication assignment Delivering Organizational Change in Partnership With Trade Unions: Interest-Based Negotiation (IBN) Strategies. In Evidence-Based Initiatives for Organizational Change and Development (pp. 387-397). IGI Global.

Harinck, F. and Druckman, D., 2017. Do negotiation interventions matter? Resolving conflicting interests and values. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 61(1), pp.29-55.

Hirvonen, P., 2016. Positioning theory and small-group interaction: Social and task positioning in the context of joint decision-making. Sage Open, 6(3), p.2158244016655584.

Houpt, J.L., Gilkey, R.W. and Ehringhaus, S.H., 2015. Negotiation. In Learning to Lead in the Academic Medical Center (pp. 69-79). Springer, Cham.

Kennedy, F., 2017. Kennedys' Simulations for Negotiation Training. Routledge.

Kochan, T.A. and Lipsky, D.B. eds., 2018. Negotiations and change: From the workplace to society. Cornell University Press.

Lønning, M.N., 2018. Fragmented journeys, social relations and age amongst Afghan young people on the move towards Europe. Positioning, negotiating and redefining.

Putnam, L.L., 2017. Business communication assignment Turning Point Research: Advancing Process Analysis in Negotiation. Négociations, (2), pp.47-54.

Saarni, C., 2015. Improving negotiation effectiveness with skills of emotional competence. In Handbook of international negotiation (pp. 175-180). Springer, Cham.

Ting and Toomey, S., 2015. Identity negotiation theory. The international encyclopedia of interpersonal communication, pp.1-10.