Abstract

Communication interaction has been ignored or treated as an extraneous variable in most bargaining research. The basic assumption underlying this study is that communication interaction is the essence of bargaining. The theoretical rationale underlying this study established communication interaction as the dependent variable. An interaction model based upon a systems approach to small group communication behavior was used to observe, record, and quantify communication by means of a category system. The hypothesized difference in terms of communication interaction between consensus and impasse sessions was supported. The results of the study suggest that interaction analysis can be used to predict negotiation outcomes. A bargaining research model that views negotiations as a form of small group problem-solving and focuses on communication interaction appears to provide insight into bargaining behavior.

This content is only available as a PDF.
You do not currently have access to this article.