The Impact of Demographic Variables on Negotiators’ Problem-Solving Approach: A Two Country Study

Abstract

The influence of demographic variables on the problem-solving approach in negotiation has been widely supported in the academic literature, but a majority of these studies have been limited to a single-cultural and/or Western-based context. To expand our understanding of this interrelationship at a cross-cultural level, this study examines gender, age, sales negotiation experience, tenure in the organization, and education level and their impact on the problem-solving behaviors of negotiators from two countries – the United States and Philippines. Our findings showed that none of the demographic variables influenced the problem-solving behaviors of Filipino negotiators. Gender, age and education did not affect American negotiators’ problem-solving behaviors. However, a u-shaped effect was found on sales negotiation experience and tenure in the organization for the American sample.