PRADES ALHAMDI TAQWIN – 29322523 - ENEMBA 8

MM5009 STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING & NEGOTIATION

1. Why is Tao having difficulties in Video (1)?

The difficulties of negotiation between Tao and his superordinate Doreen asking for not possible
request to get the report done just on Wednesday. This report normally takes 4 weeks, but Doreen
just asked it for a week. The difficulties happened because of some things such as:

• The deadline was unrealistic, but Doreen told that the report must be there due to
Director’s demand
• Tao was distracted by 1 big problem telling the report must be done that early
• Tao didn’t ask for more information in terms of report, so there was a communication
which is not clear from them
• Tao didn’t say no because it will break the relationship also the reputation and mak towards
him

2. Why do you think Video (3) shows a better way to approach distributive negotiation?

This is better because of as the demand from his Boss telling him to finish the report very early,
he also tried to fight to gather more information, so He can set up possible report format with early
submission. By asking more questions Tao will be able to know BATNA of his Boss and set the
strategy by deepening the ZOPA.

It is revealed that Tao is actually able to finish the report with 4 out of 5 data, because the fifth
data will come up very later, so the Boss is okay with that. Tao asked for the format as well that
will be in PowerPoint so the report format won’t be that hard as 4 weeks deadline report.

Tao also explained why it is hard to finish the report in faster why, and Boss can know more detail
in terms of report. These all the differences making those 2 people finally can deal with the report
and deadline to do.

3. What new insights do you have that could benefit you or others in your workplace?
• Communicate even more detail and specific, with the deepness of communication between
parties, it will set the expectation together
• Understanding our counterpart BATNA to identify and deeper our ZOPA to set more
strategies and achieve our wants
• Give alternative options which can be agreed by parties within the range of ZOPA
• If the negotiation fails, we should continue to investigate of why this failure happens
 PRADES ALHAMDI TAQWIN – 29322523 - ENEMBA 8
MM5009 STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING & NEGOTIATION

4. What are your biggest opportunities for applying concepts from this Lesson in your workplace?

Based on my experiences when I have to get interact with management and BoD, the problem
within work expectation will be there if our communication method is not clear or well built. It often
happens when the BoD always asks for higher expectation with faster deadline or better result and
so on, and there’s no way to say no.

This learning subject really drives me to think strategically when negotiating, so I can know about
distributive negotiation and the way to avoid zero-sum thinking. A good negotiator must be a good
communicator as well. By setting up the counterpart’s expectation also asking for another option
in negotiation that will ease us in terms of achieving the target or what we want. I also learn how
to communicate our challenges when doing our work, so the Boss will think more when he/she
wants to give us early deadline or higher expectation.

In the end I think negotiation is a part of managing our risks, in terms of managing risks we have
to know each other constraints as well, so it will come up with the good deal at the end.