Ethics in

Negotiation
 Do Ethics Matter?
• Why are ethics important?
• How do you define “ethics”?
– Morality is the advantage of the stronger?
– Moral virtue?
– Nature or nurture?
– Duty?
– Material morality?
– Ultimate good?
 Four Philosophies

Results Duty

Ethics

Social Personal
(
Resolving Moral Problems
Ethical Conduct
• Ethically ambiguous?
– What is the meaning of
truth?
– What ethically
ambiguous tactics are
there?
– Is it all right to use
ethically ambiguous
tactics?
 Ethical Conduct

• Deception
– Omission
– Commission

(
Deception Model
Motives and Consequences

• Power
• Competition
• Cultural
– Individualistic/Collective
• Opponent perception
 Consequences

Positive and Negative

– Effectiveness
– Perception
• Others
• Self
 Justifications
• What can or have you rationalized away?
– What are the consequences of excusing our
behavior?
• Does looking for and expressing the necessity
of using deception work?
– What are the consequences from your personal or
work experience of this behavior?

(
 Rationalizations
• Unavoidable
• Harmless
• Avoids negative
consequences
• Altruistic
• “They had it coming,”
or “They deserve it,”
or “I’m just getting
my
due”
Deceptive Opponents?
• Ask probing questions
• Phrase questions in different ways
• Force the other party to lie or back
off
• Test the other party
• “Call” the tactic
• Ignore the tactic
• Discuss what you see and offer to
help the other party change to
more honest behaviors
• Respond in kind
What Choices Will You Make?
Ethics, too, are nothing but
reverence for life. This is
what gives me the
fundamental principle of
morality,
namely, that good consists in
maintaining, promoting,
and enhancing life,
and that destroying,
injuring, and limiting life
)