A Negotiation Approach to Project Sales and Implementation

Abstract

We conceive the project sales and implementation process as a continuous joint decision-making process between the customer and supplier. We draw a parallel between the stage model of negotiations and phases of the project sales and implementation process, and apply the framework of negotiation analysis to the context of project management. A sample of negotiation strategies for both counterparts is presented to illustrate how the negotiation analytic framework can be used to describe and analyze different strategies the supplier and customer can employ in different phases of the project sales and implementation process. We find that a qualitative application of the approach facilitates the description of generic negotiation maneuvers in projects, supports the analysis of project negotiations, and provides several practical suggestions to improve negotiation outcomes.