Category: Negotiation

Introduction

The term negotiation refers to a dialogue between two or more parties or people. It is aimed to reach an understanding, gain advantage in the result of dialogue, produce an agreement upon courses of action, resolve a certain issue and bargain for an individual or group. Negotiations always aim at compromise. Negotiation usually happens in businesses, non-profit organizations, legal proceedings, among nations and even in personal situations like marriage, divorce and parenting (Sparks, 2003).

Because of the growing trends in business and globalization, negotiation is usually used in the market places. Teams can effectively come to a conclusion to break down a negotiation.

Partners must practice listening, writing and roles as team members (Sparks, 2003).Most of business and organizations are forced to merge and sell their businesses when they want to change their services or when they are faced with problems in the organization. This paper will discuss the negotiation of AT&T and T-Mobile and the United States government who want to block the merger between the two mobile carriers.

AT&T and Mobile U.S. Mobile Carriers Case

The merger of AT&T and T-mobile started on March 20, 2011 and on 31^st August the same year the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice in USA resolved to block the merger and it filed a lawsuit in federal court. AT &T came up with the idea to buy T-Mobile for $39 billion from Deutsche Telekom (Weaver, 2011).

AT&T is the largest mobile company in the United Sates that has 33.7 million subscribers and if the deal were to succeed, AT&T would have a 43% market share of mobile phones. On March 20, 2011, Deutsche Telecom accepted the stock and cash purchase that was offered by AT&T for T-Mobile USA (Kent, 2010).

After introduction of iPhone in 2007, T-mobile USA lost most of the rewarding customers and it dropped to 78.3% of subscribers in 2010 compared to 85% in 2006. T-Mobile had to come up with comparison with other mobile supporters like Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility and it found that network upgrades and spectrum purchase were risky with the drop of customers and this led Deutsche Telecom to come up with the idea to sell.

The merge must pass through a regulatory review whereby the two parties expected it to take 12 months and the deal requires an approval by the Department of Justice and Federal Communication Commission in US. Hearing on the acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T was held in May by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. During this hearing, senators raised questions to the companies CEOs about the effects of the merger and competition issues. The two companies denied the right that they were competitors (Kent, 2010).

The suit that was filed by the DOJ in the District of Colombia was to have the court stop the merger of AT&T with T-Mobile. It claimed that the combination of the two companies would lead to a situation where customers of mobile wireless telecommunications services would face higher prices, there would be less product variety and innovation and the services offered would be poor due to reduction in incentives to invest than would be without the merger.

The suit argued that the market of T-Mobile strategy had been to be the challenger brand hence it would bring new innovations and new prices to the market place (Leo 2001).

According to Andrade (2001), the proposed merger of AT&T with T-Mobile will improve the future for wireless consumers that will help the young people to have internet connections. The combination would also shape the future for wireless consumers. With the wide creation of devices and an increase in adoption rates of wireless service, the merger would lead to many arguments.

The representatives of the companies argue that it will be an advantage to merge the two mobile supporters. This is because they are convinced that combining AT&T and T-Mobile’s mutually compatible networks will deliver numerous benefits to consumers especially for the Latino communities (Andrade, 2001). This is because the resources, skills and experiences of the workers will be merged to have one common mobile carrier that ensures quality services and prompt responses to customer care.

Merging the two networks will help the combined company to deliver the world’s best-advanced wireless services to all communities in America. This will enable people to have access to a wide variety of distance learning, telemedicine and applications of e-commerce (Andrade, 2001).It will create new opportunities of mobile broadband for Latinos who were underserved with the service.

The merging will benefit the citizens so matter where they live. Because large numbers of Latinos live a mobile life style, including many migrant workers, they must accept a transaction that would increase the ability of Latinos to keep in touch with their employers, schools, and family. The merger will add value and increase personal and professional opportunities for Americans. They will be able to have so many chances to enjoy their lives and take part in e-learning hence improving the living status of the citizens (Andrade, 2001).

It is argued that the merger would create many high quality jobs and provide access to new economic opportunities to the citizens. AT&T had announced to come up with 5,000 job opportunities to the jobless in the society and no job losses to the people who will be working in the wireless call centre when the merge will be approved. There were some people and organizations who criticized the merge with the argument that the merger will reduce employment (Andrade, 2001).

The promise of the merging the two companies and the expansion of wireless networks that support Latinos’ increasingly mobile lifestyle, the expansion of job opportunity, and AT&T’s performance in managing the job impacts of past mergers, has proven that the merger deserves support from Americans and the community as a whole (Andrade, 2001).

Public comments seem to be against the merger, but AT&T has been skillful to come up with support from all corners of the technology world. Microsoft, Qualcomm and Facebook joined with the technology giants to offer support t AT&T and T-Mobile merger (Kent, 2011).The combination of the country’s second- and fourth-largest wireless carriers would lead to violation of the antitrust law and lessen competition in the market place (Tom, Sara and Jeff, 2011).

A rejection of the merge by regulators would leave AT&T liable to pay Deutsche Telekom $3 billion in cash, to give T-Mobile USA wireless spectrum, and to reduce charges for calls into AT&T’s network, a package valued at as much as $7 billion, Deutsche Telekom place (Tom et al, 2011).

The acquisition would lead to AT&T displacing Verizon Wireless that belongs to Verizon Communities Inc and Vodafone Group PLC as the number one U.S wireless carrier. AT&T and Verizon would control most of the profits in the market place (Tom et al, 2011). The AT&T – T-Mobile merger would be a major achievement for AT&T and it would make the mobile carrier the largest provider in the United States.

According to Leo (2001), AT&T has effectively neutralized T-Mobile as a competitor, especially since T-Mobile’s current owner, Deutsche Telekom AG, has indicated that it did not plan to make any more investments in T-Mobile. AT&T enjoys many of the benefits of the merger like reduced number of competitors with paying billion for the acquisition.

If the merger between AT&T and T-Mobile is successful, Verizon will not have a rest.The deal would allow Verizon to maintain its spectrum advantage and negotiation leverage it currently enjoys. However, if the AT&T – T-Mobile deal goes through, regulators likely will not approve consolidation.

If the AT&T/T-Mobile merger is approved by the Department of Justice and the FCC, they will review their combined network assets. (The Department of Justice sued to prevent the merger in August, so the merger may not go through or AT&T and T-Mobile may have to negotiate a settlement that involves the sale of some network assets to other wireless providers like Sprint or MetroPCS (David and James,2006).

AT&T and T-Mobile moved to dismiss the complaints, arguing that Sprint and Cellular South failed to adequately show the merger would cause them antitrust injury. Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle said the majority of the claims would actually be dismissed, but let a few of Sprint and Cellular South’s complaints stand.

According to Leo (2011), AT&T will not just walk away from the merger because if the merger does not occur AT&T has to pay a breakup fee of $ 3 billion in cash and make other allowances to Deutsche Telekom worth other $3 billion hence it will pay a break up cost of $6 billion.

Such a breakup would strengthen one of its main competitors in communication. AT&T will not surrender unless they see that the case is hopeless. AT&T will have to pose a challenge to the government’s case. The major idea of the case is the concentration of the carrier in the market (Tom et al, 2011).

Without T-Mobile, the market would have no effective check on price increases or technological stagnation by AT&T and Verizon. Franken’s section on consumer prices concludes that Sprint places very little pressure on the prices of AT&T and Verizon, because it charges only marginally less than they do. The elimination of the lowest cost national wireless option likely explains why so many T-Mobile customers are opposed to this deal (Leo, 2011).

According to Tom et al, (2011) AT&T submitted new economic models to the FCC and it stated that the merger would lead a reduction of price and increase the services in the metropolitan markets. These models gave more detailed support for the arguments that the merger will reduce strains on the company’s wireless network, lower costs and increase quality of services provided since the resources and personnel will be merged. It will also increase the number of expatriates in the communication sector.

The merge of AT&T and T-Mobile would lead to tens of millions of consumers all across the United States facing higher prices, there will be few choices and lower quality products for mobile wireless services. Consumers across the country even those who live in the rural areas and those who have lower incomes will benefit from the competition amount the wireless carriers.

The FCC cannot reject or accept the merger proposal but it has to be involved in the negotiation process because it helps in the regulation of wireless spectrum and since AT&T and T-Mobile have their license from FCC, it must approve the transfer of those licenses (Tim, 2002).

Communication has to be used as a link to have effective negotiations. Communication workers of America (CWA) reported that the merger would create new job opportunities and they had to support the deal.The AT&T/T-Mobile merger will save, and create more U.S. jobs than when T-Mobile is alone in the market.

On the other hand, some of the people including Sprit Nextel argue that if the two companies merge there will be reduced competition in the cell phone industry, it will raise cost of the services provided, there will be few choices of handsets, the quality of the services will be poor and less innovative(Tom et al, 2011).

The Justice Department will look for any violation of antitrust law. FCC has to evaluate whether the issue is in the public interest it will also take into account whether the deal will encourage competition and use of new services and whether it increase the prices or harm consumers through anti-competitive behavior in the markets.

If FCC sees that the merger is the best for the interest of the consumers, it would reject the merge and then AT&T would not be able to make a transfer the T-Mobile license and use of that spectrum and AT&T would appeal any decision by FCC.

The U.S. government does not have the power to approve or disapprove of a merger. Companies are free to merge if they like, but for mergers and acquisitions of a certain size, they are required to notify the government of the transaction. This requirement was established under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which mandates that companies involved in the merger should provide the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice with information about the merger before it occurs (Tim, 2002).

If the merger occurs without divestitures, T-Mobile and AT&T are going to do away with some cell sites. The eliminating of these types of expensive redundancies was a large part of the merger with AT&T. Sprint’s and Cellular South’s complaints provide realistic support for the allegation that AT&T already has a significant market power as a purchaser of mobile wireless devices, and that the acquisition of T-Mobile would threaten them with harm.

Sprint alleges that the proposed transaction would add T-Mobile’s 34 million customers to AT&T’s 95 million customers, leaving the merged entity with 129 million customers that is an increase (David and James, 2006).

Sprint alleges that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has found that while larger carriers can negotiate handset exclusivity agreements, smaller carriers such as Sprint cannot. Sprint cites Apple’s iPhone as an example. AT&T was the exclusive provider of the ‘iconic’ iPhone from 2007 until early 2011, when Apple ‘gave Verizon a time to-market advantage most likely because Verizon had the largest subscriber base in the United States.

The merger will provide T-Mobile management workers a voice in the work place

It will be neutral and allows workers to make their own decisions about whether or not to join a union. T-Mobile will actively intervene in this process through such practices as requiring workers to attend anti-union meetings, pressuring workers to report on any union contacts, and taking photos of workers accepting union literature. After the merger, T-Mobile’s workers will be able to make their own decision without fear or management interference (David and James, 2006).

Phases of a Negotiation Process

According to Juan (2001), there are four phases of negation process namely; pre-negotiation, Conceptualization, Settling the Details and Follow-up and these will be discussed.

Pre-Negotiation

This is the phase whereby the partners determine whether there is a good reason to conduct the negotiation. The parties come up with the specifics that they want to negotiate about, and then establish an agenda before they commence the talks. It is in this phase that the identification of the people who will take part in the talks is done considering their authority and responsibility in the talk.

It is essential to collect the information of the interested parties, their companies, and the individual interests. This is a critical process as it aids in the formulation of the goals and objectives that are to be achieved. It is also in this phase where time, location and date for the process of negotiation are determined. This can be done though faxes, phone calls and e-mails. The two parties have already passed this phase.

Conceptualization

This is the second phase of the negotiation process. Here, the basis of the negotiation is created with the use of the issues at hand. Discussions are held to have a common understanding of the basic concepts of agreement sought. Definition of goals and objectives of the parties is done though establishment of compatibility.

Both parties have to be satisfied with the agreement reached and if not terms of partnership have to be reframed until they are in agreement. In the case of AT&T and T-Mobile case, the two carriers have already reached a consensus for the agreement and the problem is not the government that has filled a case to block the merger.

Settling the Details

This is the final stage of the agreement. External specialists are involved to complete the details of the business enterprise and risks that are to be taken. The possible problems that may occur are discussed and possible solutions are formulated. Details relating to production, task responsibility, management and authority are discussed. The last part of the agreement is left for the legal experts.

These individuals critically scrutinize the document and come up with final draft that clearly states the rules, regulations and obligations of each party to the contract that legally binds them. In the case of AT&T and T-Mobile, they are in the phase of settling details where the government is giving the possible risks of the merge, the problems and how it will affect the state negatively. The government is claiming that, services will be poor after the merge.

Follow-up

The two parties have not reached this phase that is the final phase in negotiation process. There will be no follow-ups because the negotiations and contract between the two parties has not been resolved. Government officials were involved in the process and there are those who supported and those who opposed the merger idea.

The attorneys general of Arkansas, Utah, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming wrote a joint letter of support to the FCC on July 27. In addition, on September 16, the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington sent their letter opposing the merger.

Months earlier, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman made an announcement that his office was to take a thorough review of T&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile and come up with an analysis of the effects anticompetitive effects of merger on businesses and consumers (German, 2010).

Steps in Negotiation Process

The negotiation process has to involve many steps for them to come up with a partnership. According to Calum (2010), there are five styles of negotiation namely, compete, accommodate, avoid, compromise and collaborate. These styles will be discussed to see the styles that are applicable for the AT&T and T-Mobile case.

Compete (I win – You lose)

This is where the negotiators follow their own needs even if it means the others suffer. The negotiators are focused on their shorter terms gains, they use powers, personality, market share, economic threats, brand strength. In the case of AT&T and T-Mobile, the parties can negotiate with the government with the argument that AT&T is facing economic problems and cannot meet the market demand. The parties can use this style of negotiation because they need immediate compliance Calum (2010).

Accommodate (I Lose – You Win)

This is the style whereby relationship is everything. The negotiation aims at giving people what they want. In the case of T-Mobile and AT&T versus the United States Government, they would conduct a negotiation process that will benefit the citizens because most of the citizens are for the idea of the merge so that there can be improved services. So in this case the government will lose and the mobile carriers (AT&T and T-Mobile) will win the case and embark to merge their services (Calum, 2010).

Avoid (I Lose – You Lose)

This is also referred to as passive aggressive negotiation whereby the parties do not want conflict. This can be used when the value of investing time to get a negotiation outweighs the benefit or when the case is trivial to both parties.

Because the two parties do not want to lose, then they should not apply this style in their negotiation process. If this style is used it will lead to a loss because AT&T owes T-Mobile a check for $3 billion and reduced charges for dialing into AT&Ts network as part of a package that’s worth somewhere around $7 billion (Calum, 2010).

Compromise (I Lose / Win Some – You Lose / Win Some)

This style involves splitting the difference that results to half way to both parties. This is where both parties win and lose. In the case of AT&T and T-Mobile if this style is used it will not have good results because the resources will not be merged fully (Calum, 2010). The US government should look at a situation whereby each party will win and lose a situation so that the best services can be provided to the citizens.

Collaborate (I Win – You Win)

It is also called win-win style whereby negotiation make sure that both parties have their needs met. The two mobile carriers can use this style to come up with a situation where neither of the party will lose. They can negotiate and make some adjustments and the partnership can make a contract to provide high quality services after the merger.

In this case, it means that the government will win for the services and the mobile carriers will win to merge. This should be a negotiation in which both parties feel positive about the situation when the negotiation is concluded. This helps to maintain a positive working relationship afterwards. If the styles are used appropriately, the negotiation process will be successful

Conclusion

Every negotiation starts with a process followed by a strategy because without either, then it would be just a disagreement with any kind of resolution to the issue. Making sure that you get what you set out for is important but does not necessarily mean that the other person has to lose in the negotiation so making sure to go through the process and then coming up with a strategy ensures that all parties come out with a win-win rather than a win-lose negotiation.

Quality of Service for AT&T Will Improve because of a reduction in the number of dropped calls, less network congestion and an increased speed of connections due to added spectrum from T-Mobile, increased cell tower density and broader network infrastructure. In the long term, a post-merger AT&T will be better able to retain and increase jobs because it will be in a more significant position to expand and extend its business than either AT&T or T-Mobile could as separate carriers.

References

Andrade, J. (2011) AT&T/T-Mobile Combination Is A Good Deal for America And For Latinos. Fiercereason. Web.

Calum, C. (2010) Negotiation Conflict Styles. Web.

David, L. & James, S. (2006) 3D Negotiation. Harvard: Harvard Business School Press.

German, K. (2010) States weigh in on AT&T-T-Mobile merger. CNET. Web.

Kent. G. (2011) On Call: Civil rights groups line up behind AT&T-T-Mobile merger. CNET. Web.

Leo W. (2011) AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: Let’s Call It What It Is, Part II. Web.

Sparks, B. (2003) The Dynamics of Effective Negotiation (second edition). Houston, Texas: Gulf Publishing Co.

Tim C. (2002) Regulators may approve AT&T merger with T-Mobile after all. Web.

Tom, M., Sara, S. & Jeff, K. (2011) T-Mobile Antitrust Challenge Leaves AT&T With Little Recourse on Takeover. Web.

Weaver, P. (2011) Deutsche Telekom keeps it US Options Open. Telecoms. Web.

The Hormel/P-9 case remains an influential example of the labor rights movement, and what can be considered as the defeat of the workers remains the subject of a heated debate on what should have been done to let the union succeed. First of all, it should be recognized that things could have been different. The strike was a long process with many turns and developments; the story did not unfold overnight, and there were many points during the negotiations at which both the company and the union got to make important decisions; different decisions could have changed a lot. Second, recommendations can be proposed in retrospect, i.e., what strategic actions the local union members could have taken to ensure a better outcome of their protest.

The main weakness of the strike was that it was very long; many complications could arise as the strike was progressing, and they did. For example, a ten-month period, which is how long the strike lasted (Boyce, Edwards, & Wetzel, 1986), is more than enough to allow strikebreaking.

Many people who found it too difficult to provide for their families without working in the plant caved in and returned to work. On the one hand, it can be regarded as a betrayal of the common purpose; on the other hand, judging strikebreakers may not always be appropriate because they had found themselves in very difficult situations before they gave up. Workers who go on strike should consider the risks of strikebreaking and should minimize them; in this case, minimization would have consisted in shortening the period of the strike and toughening the conditions so that the management would have been forced to accept the conditions of the workers, e.g., by increasing the wages, nullifying cuts in benefits, and improving working conditions, including safety.

However, toughening conditions may not have worked if it had only addressed quantitative indicators. In other words, if the workers had required higher wages or fewer cuts, the management would not have necessarily taken the strikers more seriously. One of the main defensive positions of the Hormel management was that the workers’ claims were unreasonable; nothing would have stopped the management from making the same claims if the strikers’ requirements had been tougher. However, what could have worked is changing the strategy qualitatively, i.e., change the mode of protest.

A retrospective recommendation for strikers is to have had a sit-down strike instead of a traditional outside strike (Boyce et al., 1986). By resorting to this method, the workers would have shut down the plant’s operation altogether, and the company would have been forced to negotiate with them more willingly. Besides, it should not be neglected that the participants of the outside strike were subjected to police violence, and Boyce et al. (1986) suggest that the management “would [have thought] twice before ordering a cop assault to clear the plant of sit-down strikers” (para. 67).

Also, while on a sit-down strike, the workers would be a bigger concern for top union executives who, at some point, ordered the local union to stop the strike; it would have been much harder to give such an order to workers who would have taken the plant “hostage” and stop any production. Overall, a sit-down strike would have been a better solution because it would have forced the management and union executives to take the strikers more seriously. After all, the strikers would have had lower risks of strikebreaking, and because it would have been harder to commit violence against them.

Reference

Boyce, S., Edwards, J., & Wetzel, T. (1986). Slaughterhouse fight: A look at the Hormel strike. Ideas & Action, 7. Web.

In any business contract, all involved parties should be able to negotiate in a manner such that they reach consensus and exchange the item in subject without landing into conflicts. Therefore, laws that govern contracts should be followed and respected to ensure that all involved parties get fair deals. This means that all negotiators should participate while in sober minds to ensure that decisions made on behalf of their companies are right.

In this case, Grand Island Development Corporation has a right to sell their cottage lots at convenient prices. This means that they should not be compelled to lower prices for their cottage lots against their will. This should be provided in the law, and it has to be respected since they own the cottage lots and they can sell at any price.

In addition, they had a right to sell their lots to any willing buyer provided that they agreed on the appropriate price. Therefore, there should be no offense if they sell the cottage lots to willing buyers regardless of the number of buyers with ongoing negotiations.

For instance, by selling their lots to Cottage Contracting Ltd, Grand Island development Corporation did no mistake since the law allows that they respect any contract that is entered and completed. This is because they sold lots to the company because they had not heard from Onshore Construction Company. The confirmation letter from Onshore Constructing Company was delayed hence no formal communication was done between these two companies.

The delay in the official letter sent by the Offshore Construction Company was liable for the confusion. This means that if the letter arrived in time, the cottage lots could have been reserved for the company, unfortunately, the letter came much later. In addition, Offshore Construction Company could have made their decision in a swift manner.

This delay on their side was liable for their missing of the contract. In fact, if Offshore Constructing Company made up its mind on purchasing lots in a swift manner, it could have bought them. However, they were overtaken by events since the other company emerged and presented a fair deal to the seller who could not decline the offer. This was because the Offshore Company had not come out openly to agree on purchasing those lots. Therefore, the Grand Island Development Corporation had no other option but to sell those lots to Cottage Contracting Ltd.

This case should be decided in a fair manner considering all aspects that should be used during transacting businesses. No one was offended by the deal because there was no agreement in writing between the seller and the Offshore Company. In fact, the deal was not reached even during the charity dinner. This is because after presidents of both companies met there was no change in what was agreed earlier.

After the charity dinner, the president of the Offshore Construction Company decided to purchase the cottage lots at proposed prices but he did not communicate to the other president. In fact, even when the Cottage Contracting Ltd approached the Grand Island Development Corporation, there was no indication that Offshore Construction Company intended to buy the cottage lots.

The Offshore Construction Company wasted their chance of getting the cottage lots because they were given the first opportunity, but they kept on bargaining. In fact, the other company was lucky enough because it appeared just in time when the Offshore was thinking whether to honor the offer or to decline it. In fact, according to contract law, there was nothing wrong in the manner in which those transactions were carried out.

Introduction

The legendary Panama Canal is a shipping canal that connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean forming the basis for global marine trade. Its origin and construction can be traced from Sir Charles I of Spain who originally planned the initial survey for the canal’s path through the cape of Panama in 1534. However, his proposal was followed with three-century dormancy before its edifice began at around 1880s by the French Companies. Panama was built in ten years starting from 1904 to 1914.

Essay Body

It is considered as one of the greatest and most hectic engineering assignments the world has ever witnessed; the canal is also voted as one of the seven present wonders of the world by the Society of Civil Engineers in the United States of America. It is important to note that the Panama Canal was built in two phases with the first phase composing of French engineering companies that worked for about twenty years from 1880 and stopped due to disease attacks, financial constraints and many more; the second phase was picked up by the America who saw its completion by 1914.

Its official construction process started by the signing of treaties between the New Granada (currently renamed Colombia) and the United States in 1847; that gave the United States a transit passage over the cape of Panama guaranteeing Panama’s impartiality and distinguishing Colombia’s sovereignty. This was followed by the contracting of a French Company known as the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interoceanique, led by Ferdinand de Lesseps (builder of Suez Canal) in March 1881.

They immediately went bankrupt and decided to allow their French counterparts known as the Compagnie Nouvelle du Canal de Panama to proceed on with the work from October 1894. Only four years later, this company incurred unbearable losses and succumbed to a lot of frailties that saw them unpredictably end their operations by late 1889. The company loosed around 287 million United States dollars and about 20,000 lives in the practice.

However, ousting them was a daunting task as they already acquired extensive holdings in America including, 2,000 buildings, Panama Railroad, equipment, and land that they considered to be worth 109 million US dollars that had to be compensated. Fortunately, after the appointment of Rear Admiral John Walker as the head of construction Commission, he assessed their holdings and estimated them as worth 40 million United States dollars only.

This situation led to several conflicting ideas, especially between the French and American government, leading to a negotiation between the two powers to reach amicable solutions. The American camp led by John Walker reacted by proposing that they were no longer interested in the Panama route and were planning to build an alternate Nicaraguan canal; this forced the French camp to express their weakness by revealing that Russia and Great Britain would offer the funds that would see the completion of the Panama Canal.

Walker, however, insisted that they were changing route since the cost of buying the French company was too high. After realizing their futility and high levels of desperation, the French company accepted to be paid any amount to abort their services in the United States of America. After the establishment of the Spooner Act in June 28, 1902, the United State president was authorized to purchase the all the ownership rights and holdings of the Compagnie Nouvelle de Canal de Panama company as well as its dividends in the Panama Railroad Company only at 40 million US dollars, and to choose another Isthmian Canal Commission to build the canal. This meant that the United States under John Walker convincingly worn the conflict between them and the French through negotiation by first pretending that they no longer needed the services of the Panama canal and later, after making the French appear so desperate, accepts to pay for the company’s ownership rights at a subsidized cost favoring their stand on the matter.

Conclusion

According to Raiffa (1982), this is a typical example of trying to address an endogenous agenda through negotiation where the US negotiators opted to start giving solutions to easy problems than later tackled the harder ones as the harder ones always appear to be highly sensitive. Flamini (2002) suggests that even though people often tend to tackle bigger issues first, it should be otherwise for an instant, Walker is conscious of this reasoning in the sense that he first introduces a small lie to try and solve the bigger issue of settling the French company’s demands.

Busch and Horstmann (2002) further add that in any conflict, there are always two kinds of issues, namely “easy issue” and “hard issue.” Having known that the French were within their right to claim for full compensation, Walker realizes that he is about to face a big issue hence he feigns a smaller one to be able to crack the bigger one. The project was later completed at a total cost of 387 US dollars.

References

Busch, L. A., & Horstmann, I. J. (2002). The Game of Negotiations: Ordering Issues and Implementing Agreements. Games and Economic Behavior. 41:169-191.

Flamini, F. (2002). First Things First? The Agenda Formation Problem for Multi-Issue Committees. Working Paper, Department of Economics. University of Glasgow: Sage Publishers.

Raiffa, H. (1982). The Art and Science of Negotiation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

The Kennedy administration considered the Soviet placement of missiles in Cuba an affront to U.S. strategic, military, and hemispheric interests. Explain

The missiles were placed by the Soviet Union in Cuba that has been an integral part of the United States of America for years and one of its strategic objects. Besides, the Guantanamo military base was situated in Cuba. Though the missiles were removed from Cuba after long negotiations, the Kennedy administration was analyzing the situation and motivation of the Soviet Union while making such a decision. Though tension existed between these two superpowers for a long time, there were no open confrontations either from the side of the Soviet Union or from the United States.

The Kennedy administration had suggested five hypotheses as an explanation for the actions of the Soviet government and the placement of missiles in Cuba. As this situation was perceived as an affront to US interests in terms of political and military spheres as well as strategic plans of the country, it was decided that the Soviet Union either attempts to strengthen its strategic position using the United States or diminish the strategic significance of the United States in the Western Hemisphere. Five hypotheses were offered as possible explanations of the Soviet decision to place missiles in Cuba including the influence on Latin America with political and economic purposes, fear of the strategic potential of the US resources, and destruction of Cuba after finding the missiles.

What is the difference between the personal message from Khrushchev (October 26) and the formal quid pro quo proposal (October 27), and why did the Kennedy administration decide to answer the first letter?

The Kennedy administration received a personal letter from Soviet President Khrushchev on October 26 where the Soviet leader reasoned his decision to place the missiles in Cuba and his readiness and ability to remove those missiles from the island. As Khrushchev presented his opinion, it was more favorable for Kennedy to reply to this message than to the one called ‘quid pro quo proposal’ where the Soviet government was mentioning the American missiles placed on the territory of Turkey is one of the neighboring countries to the Soviet Union. In other words, the 26 October message was the personal letter from Khrushchev whereas the 27 October letter was received from the Soviet government.

The Kennedy administration questioned the credibility of the first letter but decided to answer the first letter instead of the second sent by the Soviet government. In this respect, the decision of the Kennedy administration can be explained with the help of the tone and reasoning used in the personal letter written by Khrushchev and the offensive and provocative message received from the Soviet government on October 27. Besides, the second letter was more aimed at assuring the Kennedy administration of the soviet strategic power and promises to ensure the integrity of Turkish frontiers as well as the security of people living on the territory of Cuba.

The President insisted on “centralizing” the right to give certain orders on two occasions. Explain in which context and why

As President Kennedy was making firm decisions, he attempted to make the orders more centralized in order not to tolerate government officials to make decisions that can change the manner of negotiations or, moreover, shift the balance in deliberations. In other words, President Kennedy was supposed to negotiate with the representatives of the Soviet Union and make them aware of the seriousness and firmness of his decisions. Also, the quarantine was ordered in terms of ships coming to Cuba.

President Kennedy decided to centralize the right to give orders in the case when the ship is moving towards the territory of Cuba. As the quarantine had been ordered in terms of the transport coming to Cuba, President Kennedy was able to give orders if inspection of the ship was necessary about the situation, information acquired on the vessel or other facts that could be considered significant for giving such an order. Moreover, government officials were deprived of their ability to make decisions and give orders independently on the situations concerning Cuba and Soviet negotiations. The second case for centralizing the orders was the tension to be increased due to the existing circumstances. As the situation was complicated and any incorrect decision or action could have caused the war, it was necessary to control a step of every person.

The ExComm members were divided into hawks and doves. Who are the most prominent hawks and doves, and what responses/options do they support?

As the entire community of the ExComm organization consisted of government officials and former officials, there were hawks and doves. Notably, some members either did not support any of the wings or supported one of the wings from time to time. In other words, the prominent hawks included Secretary Douglas Dillon, Paul Nitze, Dean Acheson, and John McCloy. At the same time, the prominent doves included the following officials: Robert F. Kennedy, George Ball, Llewellyn Thompson, Robert S. McNamara, Roswell Gilpatric, Theodore Sorenson, Adlai Stevenson, and Robert A. Lovett. So, the number of doves was larger than hawks though this did not mean that hawks were less active in their activity.

The main responses supported by doves included naval blockade as opposed to the airstrike supported by hawks. The main difference is that doves were against the military conflict and tried to solve the problem using negotiating with officials, leaders, and other people that could influence the situation and help resolve it peacefully. The opposition presented by hawks used confrontation and tried to advocate military action to force the Soviet Union to remove the missiles from the island. The doves believed that the military resources of the United States were advanced compared to the Soviets whereas the hawks thought that the Soviets could use the missiles to improve their strategic position.

What role did Congress play in the decision-making process and formulation of the U.S. response?

Congress played a significant role in the formulation of the United States’ response towards the placement of the missiles on the territory of Cuba by the Soviet Union. Though President Kennedy made up his mind to make the final decision and formulate the response without informing and asking for advice from the US Congress. Besides, the Congress was one of the organs of the US governmental apparatus to support President Kennedy in terms of using all means to prevent the Soviet Union from rooting in Cuba.

The response of the United States to such a sort of military confrontation could be the airstrike to prevent another situation that took place in Pearl Harbor. However, the most favorable way was chosen by President Kennedy to solve the replacement problem and he has approached this issue with the help of negotiations and refused to decide the Soviet Union and its leader Khrushchev as the victory of the United States. The US army would not start the military action because this would have caused insecurity in the region and mistrust of all allies of the US in the world.

Introduction

The Camp David Accords is a famous historical event that shaped meaningful relationships and economic and political aspects in the Middle East. The event is considered noteworthy in history since it entailed unique negotiations and a peace agreement that seemed impossible to many people and nations. The negotiations leading the Accords lasted twelve days before the conflicting parties devised an effective solution. Consequently, Egypt became the first nation to recognize Israel’s cultural legitimacy in the Arabic region and make a peace agreement that led to a strong relationship economically and politically to date. Historians and scholars attribute the unique occurrences of the Camp David Accords to the negation skills employed by the mediator and conflicting parties (Huber, 2018).

Notably, the Egyptian president, Anwar Sadat’s negotiation is linked to the positive outcomes of the negotiation facilitating peace and economic prosperity in Egypt and Israel. This essay explores Sadat’s awareness of substantive interests, power dynamics, and integrative negotiation techniques, which facilitated Israel’s participation and signing of the Camp David Accords, leading to peace and mutual relationships between the negotiating parties.

Sadat’s Negotiation Techniques

Power Dynamics and Persuasion negotiations

The first negotiation approach that Sadat applied is the power dynamics approach. The technique involves the powerful opponent influencing the other party into negotiations through some leverage (Safty, 1991). On the other hand, persuasion involves influencing the other party’s participation in a negotiation or encouraging them to have a closer relationship for more accessible communication toward achieving a given goal. For instance, the powerful side may offer support or benefits, which encourages the other party to join a negotiation and reach a productive decision. In Sadat’s instance, he used the aspect of Egypt’s sovereignty and traditional role in the Arab community to start the negotiations, which persuaded Begin to participate in the peace talks (Berggren, 2013).

The Arabic region regarded Egypt as a powerful and sovereign nation since it gained political and military power after conquering Israel in the 1973 war, making it a supreme nation. Being an influential leader economically and politically in the Middle East, Sadat visited Israel in the pre-negotiation stage, which influenced Begins agreement to negotiate, leading to the Camp David Accords. The ruler understood Israel’s need for recognition and legitimacy in the Arabic region and used it to persuade Begin into peace negotiations regarding Jordan and peace in the neighboring borders (Lewis, 2009). Thus, Sadat used Israel’s insecurity and identity crisis as leverage to facilitate Begin’s involvement in the peace talks that led to the Camp David Accords.

Multiparty-Complexity and Mediation Negotiations

Sadat’s awareness of multiparty-complexity and mediation negotiations was significant in the peace talks leading to the Camp David Accords. Multiparty negotiation involves bargaining with two or more parties to achieve a collective solution for conflicts, while mediation involves choosing a neutral third party to oversee the talks. The techniques allow all parties to present their interests, desired outcomes, and approaches to ending a conflict which aid in making an integrative decision facilitated by a neutral third party. In the 12-day negotiations, the parties involved included Israel, Egypt, and the United States as the neutral mediator in the multiparty negotiation.

Understanding the multiparty complexity facilitated smooth negotiations with Sadat and Begin presenting their interests and using Carter to control events which helped both parties stay focused and obtain an ultimate decision. Sadat’s awareness of the technique aided in his bargaining power to obtain possession of the disputed land. Safty (1991) states that Sadat’s awareness of multiparty complexities necessitated quick decision-making on a problem that had persisted for years. He knew what to present and had leverage over Israel which presented adequate bargaining power without many complications. When Begin threatened to leave the negotiations due to misunderstanding and unsatisfied demands, Sadat did not waver in his demands leaving Carter to control and oversee the talks toward the desired outcomes (Bercovitch, 1986).

He laid down his primary interest, achieving peace, and practiced patience during the negotiations allowing Israel and the United States to consult and bargain on the interests and strategic plans until they reached a common ground. Thus, Sadat’s awareness of mediation and multiparty-complexity resulted in the signing of the Camp David Accords, creating a lasting and unique solution between the two nations.

Cultural and Ethical Considerations

Culture is essential during negotiations affecting populations with the same cultural ideas. Sadat was aware of the Arabic nations’ culture and pride, which made them reluctant to make regional peace, particularly with the Israelites. Sadat used the Arabic culture’s union, and both countries’ cultural benefits would be achieved in the event of peace in the region. Cultural considerations in the Camp David Accords negotiations included Israelite’s right to legitimacy as an Arabic nation (Bercovitch, 1986). Hence, Sadat offered peace talks to sustain Israelite culture by being allies with Egypt.

At the same time, Israel and Arabic leaders believed no Arabic leader would ever visit Israel individually since they were alienated from the Arabic regions. Therefore, he applied the ethical considerations of negotiation by agreeing to fair talks and distributing the conflicted cultural resources (Camp David Accords, 1978). Sadat’s approach to persuading Begin was straightforward and honest from the beginning, which conforms to the negotiation ethic that promotes justice and successful negotiations.

ZOPA and BATNA Negotiations

Sadat applied the ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement) negotiation technique over the BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) negotiations to achieve peace between Israel and Egypt. ZOPA negotiation involves finding common ground that satisfies both parties through concessions and exchange, while BATNA negotiation involves a party having other options if the agreement fails, which can be advantageous to the other party.

According to Cohen-Almagor (2019), Sadat’s primary goal was peace and he willingly made numerous concessions to reach a ZOPA. When Kissinger presented Israel’s demands to exchange prisoners and end Egypt’s blockade at Bab El-Mandeb in exchange for returning the October 22′ line, Sadat accepted without any argument (Safty, 1991). The move astonished Kissinger since he expected Sadat to offer another alternative leading to BATNA negotiations. However, Sadat aimed to achieve substantive peace instead of arguing over alternatives that would cause more conflicts. Therefore, the agreement reached a ZOPA point, with both parties agreeing to the stated terms, which led to the signing of the Camp David Accords.

Relationship and Substantive Interests Negotiation

Another strategy Sadat employed in the negotiation was the interest-based or substantive interest approach. The approach involves satisfying both parties through substantive exchanges such as property and hostages, which can create mutual relationships and benefits. The relationship negotiation may foster mutual connections psychologically, politically, or economically (Eyal, 2019). The peace agreement meant receiving foreign aid from the West, strengthening both countries’ military might and political and economic sovereignty (Camp David Accords, 1978).

As a substantive negotiator, the offer served his interests, leading to concessions to benefit Egypt’s economic and political stability. Although Egypt had supreme power in the Middle East before the Camp David Accord, Sadat knew that the sovereignty was at risk of collapsing due to Egypt’s rapid population growth. The country needed foreign assistance to support its military, social and political status, which could be achieved by signing the accord and maintaining peace. The alternative of peace, which is going into war, would ruin Egypt’s economy and political power leading to less prestige and power among the Arabic nations (Kramer, 2017).

Further, both countries would create excellent and strong relationships between themselves and the United States, which had added advantages in foreign trade and receiving foreign aid (Wallensteen, 2018). Therefore, the negotiation led to a relationship and substantive interests where both parties benefitted from choosing to end conflicts in the middle east which has extended to date in the region.

Integrative and Distributive Negotiation

The technique refers to making negotiations as joint partners towards a common ground that serves the interest of both parties. In that case, both parties identify their interest in the negotiation and make concessions until they achieve optimum results that satisfy each party’s needs by distributing resources jointly. Thus, the negotiation leads to an integrative solution where both parties win peacefully, combining and sharing disputed concerns (Mahmood, 1985).

In the Camp David negotiations, Sadat was aware of Israel’s interests in the conflict which he presented to allow an integrative negotiation. He proposed peace between Egypt and Israel to end the war and reclaim Egypt’s legitimacy in the Middle East since Begin’s interest lay in recognition as the Arabic nation. In turn, Sadat’s objective was to reclaim Sinai and maintain Egypt’s supremacy economically, culturally, and politically. If they reached a ZOPA, both countries would benefit from the peace agreement where Israel’s cultural and religious identity would be recognized, and Egypt would reclaim their religious and cultural recognition, which was the land under dispute.

Offering peace in the interest of both parties was distributive since both parties would end up with significant benefits. Whereases Egypt would maintain its supremacy and obtain the disputed lands, Israel reestablished its legacy and security in the Arabic regions leading to a win-win situation (Camp David Accords, 1978). Consequently, maintaining peace with Israel guaranteed the war’s end in the Arabic region since it gave Israel and Egypt power over other nations, making them untouchable (Bercovitch, 1986).

With their unity in military, political, and economic resources, other Arabic nations could not match their strength if they resorted to war. Thus, the camp David accord led to good integrative and distributive interests in foreign trade and security exchanges between Israel, the United States, and Egypt since Egypt was the first country to make peace with Israel.

Conclusion

Sadat facilitated effective negotiations through his awareness of constructive negotiating skills. His willingness to achieve peace between Israel and Egypt is evident in his strategic negotiation skills. The ruler wanted peace for economic, political, and socio-cultural prosperity among his people, Israel, and the entire Arabic region. Hence, he used Egypt’s superiority and influence to sway Begin’s participation and decision-making. Although influential rulers tend to exploit others to gain personal interests in a negotiation, Sadat used his power to make concessions and risky measures which led to peace. He advocated for substantive interest and integrative benefits, cultural and ethical considerations, BATNA and ZOPA negotiations, multiparty complexities, mediation, persuasion, and distributive interests, which have led to Egypt and Israel’s relationship and economic and socio-cultural prosperity.

References

Bercovitch Jacob. 1986. “A Case Study of Mediation as a Method of International Conflict Resolution: The Camp David Experience.” Review of International Studies 12 (1): 1 43–65. Web.

Berggren, Jackson D. 2013. “Carter, Sadat, and Begin: Using Evangelical-Style Presidential Diplomacy in the Middle East.” Journal of Church and State 56 (4): 732–56. Web.

Cohen-Almagor, Raphael. 2019. “Lessons from the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Talks.” Israel Studies Review 34 (2): 1–32. Web.

Eyal, Lewin. 2019. “Book Review: Gerald M. Steinberg and Ziv Rubinovitz – Menachem Begin and the Israel-Egypt Peace Process: Between Ideology and Political Realism.” National Resilience, Politics, and Society, (1): 259–63. Web.

Huber, Daniela. 2018 (Rep). Forty Years of Camp David, Forty Years Without Peace. Rome, Italy: Instituto Affari Internazionali.

Kramer, Martin. 2017. “Sadat and Begin: The Peacemakers.” The War on Error, 125–31. Web.

Lewis, Samuel W. 1988. “The Legacy of Camp David for Future Peacemakers.” Harvard International Review 11 (1): 4–5. Web.

Lewis, Samuel. 2009. (Rep). The Legacy of Camp David: 1979-2009. Washington DC: Middle East Institute.

Mahmood, Zahid. 1985. “Sadat and Camp David Reappraised.” Journal of Palestine Studies 15 (1): 62–87. Web.

Safty, Adel. 1991. “Sadat’s Negotiations with the United States and Israel.” American Journal of Economics and Sociology 50 (4): 473–84. Web.

“The Camp David Accords. Framework for peace in the Middle East agreed at Camp David”. Treaty Series: Treaties and International Agreements Registered and Filed by The Secretariat of The United Nations 1138, no. 17853 (1978): 40-45.

Wallensteen, Peter. 2018. Understanding Conflict Resolution. S.l.: Sage Publications. 1-256.

Winter, Ofir, and Udi Dekel. 2019 (Rep). Egypt and Israel: From Peace between Leaders and Armies to Peace between Peoples. Tel Aviv, Israel: Institute for National Security Studies.

Abstract

Mental illness is a complicated phenomenon. In some cases, mental illness may make the affected individuals dangerous to the people around them. The present paper is focused on the analysis and discussion of a scenario involving a mentally ill hostage-taker. A team of negotiators present at the scene will have to come up with a course of action by means of studying the personality and mental state of the offender, his motifs, likely responses, and potential actions. This will be done through the collection of information from mental health consultants, the offender’s relatives, fellow inmates, and the correction facility personnel. Based on this data, an effective approach to negotiation will be chosen.

Introduction

There exist a wide range of mental illnesses and conditions all of which have different signs, symptoms, and manifestations. Some of such illnesses show themselves in a more subtle way that an affected individual can be able to hide, and others are very disruptive to the affected person’s everyday life and can negatively impact people around. In the latter cases when bystanders become threatened by people suffering from mental health problems, it can be particularly difficult to intervene and find ways to reason with the aggressive and frustrated mentally ill persons.

The present project is focused on the kind of a situation where an individual with a mental illness is being dangerous to a group of people around and a professional negotiation team is needed for the purpose of handling the threat. In this paper, first of all, the case scenario will be overviewed with an explanation of the offender’s mental state; further, two most likely mental illnesses that could be affecting him will be discussed.

Next, a group of medical personnel that would be needed at the scene will be described with the rationale for the choices. Moreover, insights as to the degree of danger posed by the offender will be provided taking into account the condition that his requirements are not met. Also, it will be explained what people would need to be present at the scene for the interviews about the offender and the collection of detailed information about his person, background, past behaviors, and other related facts. Finally, the choice of approach to the negotiation with this particular offender will be articulated and justified.

Scenario Overview

The situation under discussion involves a mentally ill inmate of a maximum security facility in the Northeast who has taken hostage three facility staff members – two representatives of the maintenance personnel and one correction officer. The inmate was identified as Alfredo Albondigas, and he seems to be acting under the impression that there are aliens from another planet living in his cell block. His demand is for them to leave immediately; he wishes to see a flying saucer leaving the exercise yard in the next two hours. Otherwise, he is threatening to kill the maintenance personnel members who, he believes, are working for the aliens. Also, Mr. Albondigas is wearing a self-made aluminum foil hat.

The overall scenario can be regarded as comedic; however, as a real-life situation, it is quite frightening given that the offender is mentally unstable and it is difficult to control or predict his actions. The purpose of the team of negotiators, of which I am a part, is to communicate with the offender for the purpose of ending this standoff. In order to accomplish this task, the negotiation team would have to gather information about Mr. Albondigas, assess his state, make a prediction as to what his illness may be, and then decide what kind of professionals would be required at the scene for the success of the negotiation.

Mental State of the Offender

According to what is known about the behavior of Mr. Albondigas currently, he is experiencing a strong delusion and paranoia. According to DSM-5, delusions are defined as “fixed beliefs that are not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 87). Moreover, there exist several types of delusions categorized in alignment with their major themes and the focus of the affected individuals; some of the most common types of delusions include grandiose, religious, somatic, persecutory, and referential (Whitbourne, 2017).

It is apparent that Mr. Albondigas seems to be affected by a delusion of persecutory type since he is convinced that he is watched by a group of aliens from another planet (Whitbourne, 2017). Additionally, in DSM-5, it is mentioned that delusions are also characterized as bizarre and non-bizarre ones (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). While the latter category of delusions is based on realistic and possible events, the latter type includes beliefs that are implausible and are not connected to real-life experiences.

Mr. Albondigas is under the impression of an implausible situation involving otherworldly beings; as a result, his delusion can be considered bizarre. Another obvious symptom experienced by the offender is the hallucination as he seems to believe that the two maintenance staff members speak an alien tongue when in reality they speak English. This hallucination can be qualified as auditory since it involves the information perceived through hearing.

Possible Mental Illness of the Offender

In DSM-5, delusions and hallucinations are classified as signs of schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Based on what is known about the current behavior and mental state of Mr. Albondigas, it is possible to conclude that he is suffering either from delusional disorder or schizophrenia.

Delusional disorder is, accordingly, characterized by the presence of delusions; however, in this regard, it is important to specify that the delusions have to stay persisted for at least one month for the condition to be diagnosed (Bressert, 2017). Earlier, delusional disorder used to be referred to as “paranoid disorder”, which indicated the presence of paranoid conditions as a sign of this disorder. This condition is known for the affected person’s inability to distinguish between reality and products of their imagination (Bressert, 2017). Overall, delusional disorder is quite rare, and the vast majority of its cases include non-bizarre delusional behaviors; however, bizarre delusions (as in the case of Mr. Albondigas) are possible as well (“Mental health and delusional disorder,” 2017).

The second possible condition affecting the offender is schizophrenia. This psychotic disorder is also characterized by the presence of delusions and hallucinations (Whitbourne, 2017). However, the auditory hallucinations that are experienced by Mr. Albondigas as a part of his general delusion are commonly found in patients suffering from schizophrenia (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Similar to the delusional disorder, the signs of schizophrenia are to be observed for at least one month in order to diagnose an individual; additionally, disturbances related to the manifestations of this condition may be observed for a longer period.

Also, the type of schizophrenia that is accompanied by fixed beliefs that the affected individual is being watched or followed, and the overall fear of perceived danger or threat is known as paranoid schizophrenia (Slatkin, 2009). Impacted by this condition, a person may misinterpret the information they see or hear and stick with their distorted beliefs completely disregarding any evidence disproving them (Slatkin, 2009). The actions of Mr. Albondigas align with these characteristics and point to the possibility that he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Description of a Psychotic Offender

There is a set of features, traits, and behaviors that are typical for psychotic offenders, especially the ones suffering from delusions driven by paranoid beliefs. In particular, such offenders are known for hallucinations and delusions that serve as the basis for their actions. Another typical feature is aggressive behavior expressed through hostile attitudes towards people around, disdain, distrust, and contempt (Slatkin, 2010).

Moreover, offenders suffering from psychotic conditions such as paranoid schizophrenia and delusional disorder are nervous, jumpy, fearful, and highly suspicious. Also, they are likely to panic, often experience the feeling of dread, and cannot tolerate closeness or touch (Slatkin, 2010). The speech of such persons can either be inconsistent and incoherent with long pauses and unfinished phrases or rather well-organized and eloquent.

Negotiation Specificity

Attempting to negotiate with persons affected by paranoid schizophrenia or delusional disorder, professionals have to keep in mind that such people are unlikely to maintain contact and relate to others; at the same time, they can read into the words and look for conspiracies and hidden meanings (Strentz, 2011). They are extremely suspicious and can be especially hostile towards mental health practitioners and attempts of treatment or medication (Slatkin, 2010).

In addition, a hostage-taker of this kind is likely to feel superior, intellectualize their feelings, and can interpret kindness, sensitivity, or any kind of affection from the side of a same-sex individual as a homosexual seduction attempt which will push the offender away (Slatkin, 2010). In order for such an offender to relate to the negotiator, the latter should stick to a distant and aloof manner of communication and avoid humor and sarcasm (Slatkin, 2010).

Medical Personnel Needed at the Scene

Some of the most important medical practitioners needed at the scene would be mental health professionals specializing in delusional disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. These practitioners will help analyze the current mental state of the offender, his likely future actions, and his overall attitudes and inclinations. According to Kicsis (2009), the employment of a mental health consultant during the negotiation process with a mentally ill hostage-taker is a necessity; this action has proved very effective in terms of standoff resolutions involving the surrender of offenders, as well as helped make the course of negotiations more peaceful and decrease the change of hostages being hurt.

Additionally, the other medical personnel that could be used at the scene would be a team of nurses and attendants from a closed mental health facility who have experience of working with aggressive and dangerous patients unwilling to comply with the medical instructions.

The role of these professionals would be to take over the patient and provide post-incident medical care in the case the negotiation ends with him getting arrested. Additionally, a team of emergency medical professionals will be needed in the case if the offender decides to hurt his hostages. This means will have to be equipped with all the necessary devices to provide emergency care and ensure the patients’ wellbeing on the way to a hospital.

Also, it is important to make sure that the offender does not see any of the medical personnel present at the scene because any thought of treatment, medication, or hospitalization may cause an emotional crisis to Mr. Albondigas and endanger the hostages.

Predictions of the Offender’s Actions

Analyzing the behavior of the present hostage-taker, it is critical to take into consideration his mental state and condition. In particular, Schneider and Honeyman (2006) specified that dealing with such offenders, negotiators should always be focused on the fact that the hostage-taker is affected by a mental illness and that the motifs that drive the offender’s actions lie in the mental disorder. In that way, attempting to predict the actions of Mr. Albondigas, the negotiators are to keep in mind that his actions and judgments may be irrational and it would be a great benefit and a surprise if during the negotiation the offender shows himself as a rational and logical person.

In that way, the predictions of this offender’s actions should align with the description of a typical hostage-taker suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorder, and a psychotic condition in general.

It is likely that the hostage-taker is extremely nervous at the moment; he may be affected by such feelings and dread and fear (Strentz, 2011). Due to his paranoid condition driven by the delusion that he is being watched by aliens from another planet, he may still think that some kind of plan is going on behind his back. As a result, he may be very suspicious of everyone who attempts to interact with him. The slightest crisis may set him off and lead to irreparable damage and severely increase the danger faced by the hostages.

Mr. Albondigas will not tolerate any attempts to approach him; any kind of physical touching should be out of the question while he still presents a threat to the hostages. Also, it is quite typical for this kind of hostage-takers to become increasingly more nervous if they notice the presence of their relatives or friends at the scene (Kicsis, 2009). Moreover, the negotiations may completely lose his trust if they let him notice the representatives of healthcare facilities and the police at the site.

Speaking with the negotiation team, Mr. Albondigas will be likely to show signs of distrust and read into their words and actions attempting to uncover conspiracies. A straightforward style of communication must be the major preference in this negotiation (Strentz, 2011). Additionally, Mr. Albondigas will not respond positively to kindness, sensitivity, compassion, or affection. Instead, these may make him more suspicious and nervous. The offender will be more likely to respond to a distant and unemotional negotiator. Also, there is a chance that he may decide to use the correction office whom he holds hostage as a negotiator on his behalf – this type of behavior is common for hostage-takers with paranoid schizophrenia (Slatkin, 2010).

In addition, narcissistic behaviors may take place as well because they are often present in delusional and schizophrenic individuals (Kocsis, 2009). To be more precise, the initial motif that caused Mr. Albondigas to take hostages was self-centered – he was sure that a group of aliens from another planet was collecting data about him and, as a result, he created the dramatic situation for the purpose of forcing the aliens out of the facility. In that way, he may be convinced to be smarter and more perceptive than everybody else. The negotiators must be aware of his potential for seeking secret meanings in their words and actions and avoid phrases that could be misinterpreted.

People Needed for the Collection of Information about the Offender

When it comes to the information required about the offender, the team of negotiators would not only mean mental health consultants and psychologists to help understand the actions, behaviors, and mental state of Mr. Albondigas.

Dealing with a hostage-taker affected by a mental condition such as paranoid schizophrenia or delusional disorder, the team of negotiators needs to be informed about the conditions that preceded the crisis situation (Schneider & Honeyman, 2006). In particular, the negotiators will have to explore the triggers that drove Mr. Albondigas to the decision to take hostages. For that, the people who surrounded the offender throughout the day and immediately prior to his break down will have to be brought to the scene and interviewed.

In addition, judging from the scenario created by the offender – it seems that there has been a while from the moment he first started to suspect that he was watched by someone to the time when he became convinced that his enemy were aliens from another planet and that he had to make them leave no matter what. In that way, people who were close with the offender and communicated with him throughout the last several months will need to be interviewed as well.

They should be inquired about noticing signs of a mental condition such as hallucinations and delusions, disorientation, paranoia, incoherent speech, the periods when such signs were noticed, and how the surrounding people responded to them. It may be possible that someone played a particularly active role in supporting the offender’s delusions by playing along or that someone knows a part of his beliefs that has not surfaced yet.

In other words, people who were incarcerated together with Mr. Albondigas and the correction facility personnel members who worked with him need to be interviewed for the purpose of obtaining more information about the offender. In addition, the other people who may have some valuable information are relatives and friends of Mr. Albondigas who may know something about the older incidence of his condition, as well as its manifestations and his reactions and behaviors during times of crisis.

Negotiation Approach

There is a variety of negotiation approaches based on multiple psychological theories that can be applied to the negotiation with mentally ill individuals. However, not all of them are suitable to the particular case of Mr. Albondigas.

Choosing from the range of theoretic approaches, I would definitely prefer to apply the Trait Theory approach and use it for the purpose of understanding the kind of personality I have to address. In particular, using five groups of traits – extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience – trait theory could help make sense of the offender’s drivers and triggers (Whitbourne, 2017). In particular, one can tell that on the scale of neuroticism, Mr. Albondigas is a high scorer demonstrating such features as nervousness, worrying, and emotionality; and on the scale of agreeableness, he is a low scorer due to being suspicious and critical. The rest of the aspects would need to be explored with the help of interviews with his family members, friends, and fellow inmates.

Moreover, as a basis for the more active part of the negotiation, it may make sense to choose the behavioral approach that could help the hostage-taker to focus on more positive aspects of the situation (Whitbourne, 2017). Using this approach, the negotiators will implicitly communicate the success of Mr. Albondigas’ actions to him, validating his emotions and feelings, and taking seriously his ideas and fears. In that way, the selfish and narcissistic traits of his personality could, if triggered properly, help him build a positive ending to his delusion and become convinced that the flying saucer is leaving the exercise yard.

Conclusion

The situation discussed in this paper is a complex scenario involving a mentally ill hostage-taker whose delusions made him a threat to the surrounding people. The task of the negotiation team was to analyze his mental state and behavior and create a plan of action based on the conclusions. In particular, in the present situation, it was decided to engage several mental health professionals as consultants and post-incident care providers, carry out interviews with the people who knew the offender and could provide additional information about him, and apply trait theory and behavioral approaches as the bases for negotiations.

The former approach would be used as a tool to help study the offender’s motifs, drivers, and personality, and the latter – to implicitly motivate him to view the entire situation in a more optimistic light and, eventually, become convinced of his victory and release the hostages.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). DSM-5 (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Bressert, S. (2017). Delusional disorder symptoms. Web.

Kocsis, R. N. (2009). Applied criminal psychology: A guide to forensic behavioral sciences. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher.

Mental health and delusional disorder. (2017). Web.

Schneider, A. K., & Honeyman, C. (2006). The negotiator’s fieldbook. Chicago, IL: American Bar Association.

Slatkin, A. A. (2009). Training strategies for crisis and hostage negotiations: Scenario writing and creative variations for role play. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher.

Slatkin, A. A. (2010). Communication in crisis and hostage negotiations: Practical communication techniques, stratagems, and strategies for law enforcement, corrections and emergency service personnel in managing critical incidents. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher.

Strentz, T. (2011). Psychological aspects of crisis negotiation (2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Whitbourne, S. K. (2017). Abnormal psychology: Clinical perspectives on psychological disorders (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Advanced Practice Nurses are vital players in the contemporary healthcare environment. Their scope of practice enables them to provide a wide range of care services to patients and be an integral part of healthcare teams. The nature of nursing practice means that it is impacted by various personal values, attitudes, and beliefs that shape nurses’ views of practice issues and help them navigate their roles successfully. Formulating a personal philosophy of care can be helpful to nurses because it aids in identifying the core principles that the nurse will apply in their work and aligning them with those of prospective employers to fit in with the organizational culture of care. The present paper will seek to describe my personal philosophy of practice with respect to medical care, communication with patients, reimbursement, and billing. The essay will also discuss how I intend to align my philosophy with that of prospective employers. Finally, because reimbursement is an important topic to consider in preparing for employment, the paper will describe a plan for negotiating salary and benefits that I will apply in my first job.

Philosophy of Practice

Medical Care

In describing my philosophy of practice, it is essential to outline the aim of each process and the guiding principles behind it. Firstly, I believe that medical care should be aimed at prolonging people’s healthy lives while improving their quality of life. The prevalence of chronic diseases and conditions in the contemporary world is rather high, and many of them have a negative impact on people’s quality of life. Here, care providers have a duty to help individuals live better lives, even if their condition cannot be fully treated. In acute and life-threatening conditions, the focus is typically on preserving an individual’s life. Still, it is essential to understand that some treatments could do so while reducing their quality of life dramatically, which might not be in the patient’s best interests.

Aligning medical care with the principles of independence, autonomy, and respect is essential to make treatment choices and support ethical practice. The principle of independence is integral to the quality of life since people need independence to remain healthy and happy. In patients whose chronic conditions do not allow for full independence, care providers should seek to help patients achieve the highest possible level of independence appropriate for their health. The principle of patient autonomy is crucial to decision-making because it helps to ensure that the medical care benefits the patient by supporting their health and life goals. In addition, respect for patients is crucial to medical care because it facilitates ethical practice and contributes to the relationship between patients and providers while also protecting patients. Finally, it is also essential to note the importance of evidence-based practice. Continuous development of science is one of the primary characteristics of the modern age, and care providers need to utilize this advantage appropriately to provide high-quality care (Stanley, 2011). Selecting treatments based on research evidence can support health professionals in helping patients to reach their health and wellbeing goals safely and efficiently.

Communication with Patients

The second aspect of my practice philosophy is communication with patients, which, I believe, should aim at building a therapeutic relationship with patients. This concept emphasizes the importance of developing a connection with patients and forming a partnership based on shared goals, mutual trust, and respect. I believe that therapeutic relationships are essential to medical care since they allow personalizing care and tailoring it to the patient’s needs. For this reason, the concept fits well with my philosophy of medical care and could serve to help translate it into practice settings.

There are three fundamental principles on which communication should be based to enable the formation of a therapeutic relationship: trust, transparency, and patient engagement. Trust is an essential principle in the care process, and providers should seek to earn it in order to benefit patients. When patients do not trust their care providers, they might not adhere to their recommendations, which postpones treatment delivery. The principle of transparency means that patients should receive full information about their diagnosis, treatment options, and other relevant areas of care and care planning. By practicing full disclosure with patients, care providers can earn their trust while also supporting patient autonomy in decision-making. Finally, patient engagement is also an important factor that improves the relationship between care providers and patients. In accordance with this principle, health professionals should seek to include patients in the decision-making process when possible. This will also contribute to patient autonomy and trust, making the patient a partner in the care process rather than the subject of it.

Reimbursement and Billing

The processes of reimbursement and billing distinguish healthcare from other industries since they can be rather complex to navigate. In my philosophy of practice, the main goal of reimbursement and billing is to support fairness in care delivery by ensuring that providers are compensated adequately for their services. These processes should also promote compliance with relevant rules and regulations on the organizational or state level. Consequently, the main principles guiding reimbursement and billing for me are justice, accuracy, and clarity. On the one hand, care providers should seek to be reimbursed in accordance with the services rendered and avoid extra or hidden fees, thus adhering to professional and regulatory standards (Buppert, 2018). On the other hand, it is essential to fill in the necessary documentation and communicate with payers correctly to avoid inconsistencies or other issues. By practicing accuracy and clarity in their documentation and communication with payers, nurses and other care providers can ease the processes of reimbursement and billing and promote fairness in compensation. Learning about various standards and requirements is thus essential to applying reimbursement and billing in practice successfully.

Alignment with Organizational Philosophy

Although my practice philosophy will guide my work as an APN in the future, it is possible that it will differ from the care philosophy promoted by my future employer. In aligning personal philosophy with the organizational one, there are some important considerations. First of all, it is essential to evaluate whether or not the corporate philosophy complies with professional ethical standards and rules adequately. Because many of these ethical standards are integral to my philosophy, significant dissimilarities could mean that the organization supports unethical practice. In this case, it would be best to find a different employer or, if this is not possible, to encourage positive practice change through the adoption of professional ethical standards. If the dissimilarities are minor, I would examine their significance and adjust appropriately. For example, if the organization has similar ethical values but views medical care in terms of its dimensions and processes rather than goals and values, I would combine this view with my personal values, thus developing my philosophy of medical care further. While these adjustments may not be straightforward and could require clarification with colleagues or leaders, I believe that a positive institutional philosophy of care could help me to enhance my own philosophy, making me a better nurse.

Negotiating Salary and Benefits

Negotiating salary and benefits is crucial since it helps to ensure that both the employer and the employee are satisfied with contract terms. The first step of the plan for me would be to formulate a set of realistic expectations with respect to salary and benefits since this would give me a clear stance to be negotiated. Then, I would follow the negotiation steps discussed by Buppert (2018) by prioritizing the terms, explaining them to the prospective employer, and highlighting my possible future input that would justify these expectations. In communicating with the prospective employer, I would ask questions about the benefits that are typically offered to people in similar positions to see if the offer matches those (Buppert, 2018). If there are any disagreements on the salary and benefits, I will engage in open dialogue with the prospective employer so that we could arrive at a middle ground. I believe that this plan would help me to negotiate fair compensation and perks while also supporting the development of a positive relationship with my employer.

Conclusion

Overall, the paper highlighted the important aspects of my personal philosophy of practice and related them to ethical standards applicable to nursing. Formulating this philosophy has helped me to better understand my professional values and examine how they could be translated into future practice. In my future employment, I will seek to align these values and principles to those of the organization, thus developing my philosophy further. In negotiating salary and benefits, I would apply similar principles of transparency, justice, and trust, which should help me to ensure fair contract conditions.

References

Buppert, C. (2018). Nurse practitioner’s business practice and legal guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Stanley, J. M (Ed.) (2011). Advanced practice nursing: Emphasizing common roles (3rd ed.). F. A. Davis Company.

Introduction

The workers in a company need to be treated nicely to maintain a positive work environment. As a result, companies are responsible for ensuring that their employees receive the best possible care while at work. Employers can dramatically improve their workers’ overall performance as well as their morale through the use of this strategy. Various institutions’ employees join labor unions to fight and negotiate for their rights at work when they are subjected to mistreatment by their employers. This ensures their rights are respected in the workplace, resulting in them being treated nicely. Labor unions are essential to protect the rights and liberties of workers across a wide range of industries,

The rights and freedoms of nursing staff, like those of other workers, must be respected and maintained. There are many issues that nursing professionals confront in their professions at Stanford healthcare companies. Nurse staffing shortages can lead to extended working shifts in the healthcare facility, and one of these problems is compensation and workplace conditions for nurses. Through their unions, nurses will continue to press for more in the future. As the cost of living rises, healthcare facilities may find it challenging to keep up with the rising demand for more excellent wages. The union will have difficulty defending its position even if the facility rejects the request. This paper will discuss and analyze labor-management negotiation among Stanford nurses.

Management Proposal

The Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement (CRONA) is a labor union that strives to improve the working environment and ensure nurses meet their needs. CRONA recently negotiated several three-year contracts with the nurses’ employers. After a one-week walkout, the nurses sat down to talk. Hospital workers had complained for years about low wages, understaffed facilities, and mental health issues (Mogensen, 2022). They were exhausted by the long hours they had to put in because they lacked staff members. At the height of the pandemic, this severely impacted their mental and physical health. The two parties could not agree, although the employees had known their objections. Patients’ understanding, or how much nursing care they need, is considered when determining staffing levels, as stipulated in the contracts. Additionally, the arrangements enhanced benefits for retirees and paid time off for nurses hired. The nurses’ union declared victory in the negotiations, and as a result, they agreed to resume work on May 3rd (Kim, 2022). As a result of nurses’ willingness to go on strike to be heard, CRONA was able to negotiate benefits for its members successfully.

CRONA and Nurses

Nurses play an essential role in the health sector, including delivering proper patient care, serving as a leader, and ensuring patients receive patient-centered care. Patients and healthcare organizations alike depend on them being present in the sector. It’s essential to remember that nursing can be a challenging job, and as a result, one must be prepared to deal with the many difficulties that come with it. Despite this, nurses must use the union to advocate for their rights in the workplace (Finkelman, 2017). The healthcare environment has several labor union difficulties for nursing workers. About five thousand nurses from Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital are represented by CRONA, a union in Stanford.

CRONA is critical in ensuring that nurses at health facilities do their jobs efficiently, which in turn helps improve the general public’s health. Labor unions look at various factors to determine whether or not nurses are treated fairly to keep them happy and engaged in their work (Burchill, 2014). The CRONA will be able to identify and remedy any errors the employers make. So that nurses may do their jobs more efficiently, and as a result, better healthcare services can be provided to the public.

Nurses Grievances

Nursing staff compensation is a frequent CRONA issue in healthcare organizations. A healthcare worker’s compensation is the amount of money paid by their employer for providing services to the organization, such as caring for patients. Most of the labor union issues and challenges faced by healthcare workers are addressed by adequate compensation for nurses working in the healthcare organization. It is important to remember that regional differences in pay for nurses aren’t to be expected simply because of differences in the overall cost of living. Because of a lack of compensation for nurses, morale and productivity in the workplace are negatively impacted.

Extended hours are another issue that labor unions deal with when it comes to nursing staff in enterprises. Nurses may be required to perform long shifts that pose health risks. The nurses’ unions’ fight against working conditions helps keep these dangers to a minimum. Short staffing is another problem that labor unions must also cope with. It is not uncommon for nurses to get overworked due to being allocated too many patients at one time. Due to an organization’s nursing shortage, this is the case. Nursing unions must strive to protect their members from being overworked at any given time. As a result, the nurses were more inclined to provide high-quality care to the patients. Nurses are also at risk of violence in the workplace; thus, labor unions must deal with it effectively. Patients or coworkers may be the source of violence.

Management Position

Labor-management cooperation necessitates recognizing that it may be impossible to satisfy all parties. Management can take several appropriate and prioritized stances on the topic of overtime pay. Mutual gain negotiation is the only way to reach an agreement. Management must advocate for a cooperative approach to solving the issue (Krachler et al., 2020). This strategy would clearly show that management is concerned about the desire of employees for more valued personal time to be revealed in the. This strategy likewise relies on offering as many options as possible to meet the workforce’s needs. An attempt to bridge the gulf in interests by generating a viable package of negotiation elements in which each party offers something to the other side and vice versa is called a “mutual gain” bargaining condition (Kagwe et al., 2019). This goal is achieved by tying in other areas of concern and bringing them into the discussion. Both parties must be prepared to come up with possible package options for the other side.

Alternatives to Counter Proposal

Management places a high value on the time employees spend with their families and friends outside of work. The company’s goal is for its workers to be happy. Management also believes that a peaceful working relationship between management and the union is critical. All parties involved benefit from this type of working partnership. Management agrees to provide specific options to the union’s plan to ensure this occurs. One option is to pay an employee one hour of overtime at time-and-a-half if they are scheduled to work extra but fail due to a scheduling error on the part of management (Gooch, 2022). Before arranging overtime, management could also call for volunteers to help out.

Union Proposal and Employee Concerns

The union proposal helps the union members convince their participants that they are listening to the employees’ worries by staying concerned with issues and working hard to keep negotiations civil. The union will participate in a collective bargaining process to address the problems raised by management and union members. Mediation may be necessary to support management and members’ concerns at the forefront of discussions (Krachler et al., 2020). The union must pay attention to the wants of its members when it comes to personal time and family life. Pattern bargaining, which shows that the union in another state agreed on the same issues, is needed to demonstrate to union members that productivity and cost reductions can be achieved. The union proposal will demonstrate to the members how the same union may successfully negotiate the approval of the overtime proposal while preserving personal time and family life for its members. There is a strong emphasis on open communication with management and the union’s efforts to solicit members’ feedback on agreements that have been reached. Realistic bargaining expectations from the union’s members are essential.

Union Arguments to Management for Proposal

The union can make the case to management that members are more ready to sacrifice time with their families to work late if the company rewards them. A union’s primary function is to promote the economic well-being of its members as well as to provide them a voice and a say in the decision-making process (Krachler et al., 2020). Individuals spend their off-work time with loved ones, doing chores around the house, or participating in church or other community activities. Managers should make an effort to show their appreciation for employees who stay late by granting at least two hours of extra pay. Therefore, members who feel valued are more willing to put aside their other duties and obligations to assist the management in achieving its goals. Members’ morale is also boosted because they can now earn extra money for working longer.

The Impact of Negotiation and Organizational Performance

Negotiation is often conceived of as a cooperative problem-solving or decision-making process that necessitates research and flexibility of mind to uncover options and devise innovative solutions. The labor union difficulties mentioned above directly impact the facility and the individual nurses’ performance. Adequate remuneration directly impacts individual employees’ productivity, which can lead to workplace disputes like strikes and other concerns. Nurses must use the union in contract negotiations to get an adequate and sustainable salary. However, if problems develop, the facility’s bottom line may suffer (Krachler et al., 2020). The actual effectiveness of a company is harmed when people are not motivated to work at their best because of workplace dangers, lengthy work hours, personnel shortages, and even violence in the workplace.

Conclusion

CRONA and health employers must agree that the priority must always be on what is best for the employee and the company. Most of the time, negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement is preferable to a worker walkout. They accepted that management would not get all they wanted but that conditions would be negotiated and some concessions must be made. Employees can benefit from a more cohesive relationship between management and the union if both sides work together to achieve this goal.

References

Finkelman, A. (2017). Professional nursing concepts: Competencies for quality leadership. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Gooch, K. (2022). Stanford health care to nurses: No pay for those who strike. Becker’s Hospital Review. Web.

Kagwe, J., Jones, S., & Johnson, S. L. (2019). Factors related to intention to leave and job satisfaction among registered nurses at a large psychiatric hospital.Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(9), 754-759. Web.

Kim, B. (2022). Stanford nurses ratify contract with hospitals, set to resume work on Tuesday.The Stanford Daily. Web.

Krachler, N., Auffenberg, J., & Wolf, L. (2021). The role of organizational factors in mobilizing professionals: Evidence from nurse unions in the United States and Germany. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 59(3), 643-668. Web.

Mogensen, J. F. (2022). After a week on strike, Stanford nurses just approved a new contract.Mother Jones. Web.

Negotiation plays a crucial role in patient education as it helps to establish trust, understanding, and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients. In the process of negotiation, both parties work together to find mutually beneficial solutions to meet their needs and achieve shared goals. Therefore, it is crucial to employ negotiation in patient education so that the consumers of healthcare services feel providers’ support and willingness to pursue a patient-centered approach. This method is more useful than traditional insistence on treatment approaches without asking about patients’ preferences or beliefs.

In patient education, negotiation is essential for addressing the patient’s needs and preferences. Patients have unique health literacy levels, learning styles, and prior knowledge about their health conditions. These factors influence the type of information and teaching methods that are most effective for them (Wittink & Oosterhaven, 2018). By negotiating with the patient, healthcare providers can choose an education plan that will meet the patient’s individual needs. As a result, they will enhance patient understanding, engagement, and satisfaction.

Negotiating with patients can also improve patient adherence to treatment plans. Patients who are engaged in the decision-making process are more likely to follow through with recommended treatments and lifestyle changes (Halabi et al., 2020). By negotiating with patients, healthcare providers can understand their concerns, fears, and motivations and work with them to create a treatment plan that takes these factors into account. This can reinforce successful overall outcomes and improve patient well-being.

In conclusion, negotiation plays a critical role in patient education by helping to establish trust, understanding, and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients. By negotiating with consumers, healthcare staff can tailor the education to meet the patient’s individual needs, increase the likelihood of patients following the treatment plans, and boost the chances of successful outcomes. Therefore, not only patient education but also negotiation during the educational process is crucial for positive results.

References

Halabi, I. O., Scholtes, B., Voz, B., Gillain, N., Durieux, N., Odero, A., Baumann, M., Ziegler, O., Gagnayre, R., Guillaume, M., Bragard, I.,& Pétré, B. (2020). “Patient participation” and related concepts: A scoping review on their dimensional composition. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(1),5-14. Web.

Wittink, H., & Oosterhaven, J. (2018). Patient education and health literacy. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 38, 120-127. Web.