Individual Differences and Group Negotiation: The Role of Polychronicity, Dominance, and Decision Rule

Abstract

AbstractThe purpose of the current study was to integrate two streams of research that have remained largely distinct: negotiation and group composition. Specifically, this experiment examined the interactive effects of two individual difference variables (polychronicity and dominance) on multi‐party negotiation performance (task conflict and joint profit) in either unanimity or majority rule contexts. Results from business students in a multi‐issue negotiation exercise revealed that personality does play a role in group negotiation, but relationships were contingent, as revealed by the presence of a significant two‐way interaction for task conflict and a three‐way interaction for joint profit. Group polychronicity resulted in higher task conflict, but only when group dominance was low. The polychronicity–dominance interaction significantly predicted joint profit under majority rule, but had little effect under a unanimity decision rule. Consistent with task conflict results, polychronicity negatively predicted joint profit, but only for lower dominance groups under majority rule. Findings reinforce the importance of examining how multiple individual differences interact with each other, as well as with situational factors, to determine group negotiation outcomes.