CBN Principled Negotiation Strategy 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does ZOPA stand for in negotiation theory?
- Zone of Possible Agreement (Correct answer)
- Zone of Pending Arbitration
- Zero-Offer Position Alignment
- Zone of Proportional Adjustment
Correct answer: Zone of Possible Agreement
ZOPA is the range between each party's reservation point where a mutually acceptable deal can be reached.
Question 2: When interests appear incompatible, principled negotiation recommends:
- Splitting the difference on each issue
- Brainstorming multiple options before evaluating any (Correct answer)
- Letting the more powerful party decide
- Referring the dispute to binding arbitration immediately
Correct answer: Brainstorming multiple options before evaluating any
Inventing options before judging them widens the solution space and often reveals trades not visible from fixed positions.
Question 3: An anchor in negotiation refers to:
- The mediator who keeps both parties at the table
- The first numerical offer made, which biases subsequent counteroffers (Correct answer)
- The clause that locks in a deal upon signature
- The objective standard used to evaluate fairness
Correct answer: The first numerical offer made, which biases subsequent counteroffers
Anchoring exploits cognitive bias: the first number stated disproportionately influences the final settlement range.
Question 4: Which behavior reflects the 'separate the people from the problem' principle during a heated exchange?
- Pointing out the other negotiator's past failures
- Acknowledging the other party's emotions while redirecting to the substantive issue (Correct answer)
- Postponing the meeting until emotions cool
- Bringing in a third party to mediate immediately
Correct answer: Acknowledging the other party's emotions while redirecting to the substantive issue
Acknowledging emotions validates the relationship while keeping focus on the joint problem to be solved.
Question 5: A negotiator proposes packaging several issues together rather than resolving them sequentially. This technique is called:
- Logrolling (Correct answer)
- Salami slicing
- Bracketing
- Anchoring
Correct answer: Logrolling
Logrolling bundles issues so parties can trade across them, creating value by exploiting differences in priorities.
Question 6: Fisher and Ury's concept of 'inventing options for mutual gain' is distinct from compromise because:
- It requires both parties to give up equal amounts
- It seeks creative trades that expand total value rather than dividing a fixed pie (Correct answer)
- It involves a neutral third party creating the solution
- It is only applicable to multi-party negotiations
Correct answer: It seeks creative trades that expand total value rather than dividing a fixed pie
Mutual-gain options grow the pie through creative trades; compromise merely splits it.
Question 7: Which statement about reservation points (walk-away points) is correct?
- They should always be disclosed early to build trust
- They define the worst acceptable outcome; any deal worse than this should be rejected (Correct answer)
- They are identical to the target outcome
- They should be set after the negotiation begins to stay flexible
Correct answer: They define the worst acceptable outcome; any deal worse than this should be rejected
A reservation point is the threshold below which accepting a deal is worse than pursuing your BATNA.
CBN Principled Negotiation Strategy 3
What does ZOPA stand for in negotiation theory?