Keywords

negotiation, instrumentalism, relationality, altruism

Abstract

Instrumentalism, the philosophy that rational people will behave in ways that promote self-interest, is often the default assumption that scholars and practitioners rely upon when interpreting and predicting human behavior in negotiations. Instrumentalism, however, need not be the only lens through which negotiators and negotiations are viewed. In this article, we discuss some of the problems associated with too heavy a reliance on instrumentalism and propose an alternative relational approach, one in which negotiators see themselves as agents embedded in a system of relationships, who are motivated to understand and advance the welfare of others. We discuss some of the characteristics that differentiate negotiators who adopt a relational versus instrumental approach and invite scholars and practitioners to consider the implications of viewing negotiations through a more relational lens.

Original Publication Citation

"Beyond instrumentalism: A relational approach to negotiation", Negotiation Journal, Edition 13(1), Volume January, Pages 31-46, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, Michael Wheeler, Harvard, 2015

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2015

Publisher

Negotiation Journal

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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Marketing Commons

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