Integrative Process in Manager–Employee Negotiations: Relational and Structural Factors

Abstract

This study examines the effect of relational and structural factors on integrative process involved in manager–employee negotiations. Eighty government employees recalling specific negotiation episodes with a supervisor completed survey items measuring three integrative dimensions of the discussion. Twenty-five divisional supervisors completed measures of work unit rule observation and participation in decision making. Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) and rule observation were both substantial predictors of elaboration and mutual concessions during negotiation. Implications discussed include the importance of organizational members' recognizing the integrative potential in workplace negotiations. These findings illustrate that awareness of interpersonal dynamics and formal rule structure in the work unit can help employees better plan to negotiate elements of their work role with a manager.