While bargaining over the workplace safety issue, which of the followi

QUESTION

While bargaining over the workplace safety issue, which of the following strategies is most beneficial in keeping the process moving ahead in good faith?

A) Be aware that each side needs to show that it has obtained important concessions.
B) Be as flexible as possible with the objectives behind each bargaining move.
C) Warn that if the conflict is not resolved, each side is prepared to stage a strike or lockout.
D) Begin by making extravagant demands, which the other side is not expected to accept.
E) Try to come to agreement on points of conflict as quickly as possible.

ANSWER

Answer: A
Explanation: A) The negotiation process is essentially one of compromise, in which each side expects to give ground on one front in order to gain ground on another. So Choice A is correct: even when one side may have the power to win an overwhelming victory, it needs to take care not to create hard feelings that will result in a long war. Choice B sounds positive, but if the objectives behind a bargaining position aren’t clear, the process will lead to confusion rather than resolution. Choices C and D are both typical moves in the bargaining process, but they are extreme positions from which the process should move toward compromise. Choice E is easier said than done: a better policy is to be patient and give the process the time it needs to satisfy both sides.