Publications

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2009
Working Paper

Negotiating the Path of Abraham

By: Kimberlyn Leary, James K. Sebenius and Joshua Weiss

In the face of daunting barriers, the Abraham Path Initiative envisions uncovering and revitalizing a route of cultural tourism that follows the path of Abraham and his family some 4,000 years ago across the Middle East. It begins in the ancient ruins of Harran, in... View Details

Keywords: Development Economics; Social Entrepreneurship; Negotiation; Business and Community Relations; Business and Government Relations; Religion; Environmental Sustainability; Tourism Industry; Middle East

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January 2006 (Revised October 2009)
Supplement

Negotiating Star Compensation at the USAWBL (A-2): Confidential Instructions for the Boston Sharks General Manager

By: Ian Larkin, James K. Sebenius and Guhan Subramanian

Keywords: Negotiation; Compensation and Benefits; Sports; Sports Industry; Boston

March 1999 (Revised November 2001)
Case

Honda-Rover (D): The Changing Tide of the BMW-Rover Alliance

By: Ashish Nanda, James K. Sebenius and Ron Fortgang

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Business Exit or Shutdown; Joint Ventures; Alliances; Knowledge Sharing; Strategy; Contracts; Negotiation Process; Negotiation Tactics; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Auto Industry; United Kingdom

March 1999 (Revised November 2001)
Case

Honda-Rover (A): Crafting an Alliance

By: Ashish Nanda, James K. Sebenius and Ron Fortgang

Faced with vexing financial challenges in 1993, British Aerospace (BAe) is determined to shed its loss-making automaker, Rover. It offers to sell its stake in Rover to Honda, Rover's partner since 1979, but Honda is reluctant to raise its stake in Rover. Meanwhile, BMW... View Details

Keywords: Business Exit or Shutdown; Joint Ventures; Alliances; Knowledge Sharing; Strategy; Contracts; Negotiation Process; Change Management; Negotiation Tactics; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Auto Industry; United Kingdom

24 Jan 2012
First Look

First Look: Jan. 24

losses and a heightened focus on gains when policies are evaluated in bundled form. Book: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/09-147.pdf Structuring Consulting Firms Authors:Tim Morris, Heidi K. Gardner, and N. Anand Publication:In The Oxford... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

May 2000 (Revised August 2001)
Case

Telecom Italia Takeover (C)

By: Michael D. Watkins, James K. Sebenius and Ann Leamon

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Telecommunications Industry; Manufacturing Industry; Italy

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1992
Chapter

Thinking Coalitionally: Party Arithmetic, Process Opportunism, and Strategic Sequencing

By: James K. Sebenius and David Lax

Keywords: Alliances; Negotiation Process; Mathematical Methods; Strategy

1991
Chapter

The Power of Alternatives or the Limits to Negotiation

By: James K. Sebenius and David Lax

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Negotiation

October 2020
Case

John Branca: Negotiating the Beatles' Northern Songs Catalog (A)

By: James K. Sebenius and Alex Green

In 1985, pop music superstar Michael Jackson instructed his attorney, John Branca, to make a bid for the Northern Songs music catalog, which contained the songs of the Beatles. In a challenging negotiation with Australian media baron Robert Holmes à Court, Branca... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Entertainment; Music Entertainment; Strategy; Music Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States; United Kingdom

January 2020
Supplement

High Drama in Milford (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Farzana Mohamed

October 2019 (Revised January 2020)
Case

John Branca: Negotiating Michael Jackson's Thriller (A)

By: James K. Sebenius and Alex Green

John Branca, attorney to pop musician Michael Jackson, must negotiate a series of deals on behalf of his client in order to safeguard his financial interests and creative license during a period of rising stardom. View Details

Keywords: Dealmaking; Negotiation; Entertainment; Music Entertainment

December 2010
Supplement

Everything or Nothing: Martti Ahtisaari and the Aceh Negotiations (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Alex Green

Describes Martti Ahtisaari's negotiating strategies and tactics along with the results of his efforts to end the decades-long conflict between Acehnese insurgents and the Indonesian government that had claimed thousands of lives. View Details

Keywords: Government and Politics; Agreements and Arrangements; Negotiation Tactics; Conflict of Interests; Strategy; Indonesia

December 2010
Case

The Israeli-Palestinian Negotiating Partners: 2010 Strategic Re-assessment

By: James K. Sebenius and Shula Gilad

A network of influential Israelis and Palestinians, jointly trained in negotiation at Harvard since 2002, faces organizational, strategic, and funding challenges in 2010. Unlike "people-to-people" or "Track II" initiatives, the Israeli-Palestinian Negotiating Partners... View Details

Keywords: Finance; Negotiation Participants; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Conflict and Resolution; Conflict Management; Social and Collaborative Networks; Strategy

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April 2010
Supplement

Bill Nichol Negotiates with Walmart: Hard Bargains over Soft Goods (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Ellen Knebel

This case describes the multi-prong negotiating approach that Bill Nichol, Kentucky Derby Hosiery Co. CEO, took to deal with an ultimatum from his largest customer, as well as the outcome of this process. It concludes with a number of Nichol's observations about... View Details

Keywords: Customers; Management Practices and Processes; Negotiation Deal; Outcome or Result; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Retail Industry

December 2007
Background Note

Tools and Tactics for Transformation: Three "Whats" and Three "Hows"

By: James K. Sebenius and Stephen Friedman

Important transformation at Goldman Sachs, where one of the authors was Chairman, required analysis, political leadership, and management in order to fundamentally shift the strategy, people, and culture on a sustainable basis. After describing the actions needed to... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Tactics; Business Strategy; Organizational Culture; Transition; Strategic Planning; Core Relationships; Multinational Firms and Management; Leadership Style; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Private Equity

2003
Case

Lakhdar Brahimi / Negotiating a New Government for Afghanistan

By: James K. Sebenius and Kristin Schneeman

Part of the PON Great Negotiator Case Study Series, this factual case study examines former UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's involvement in negotiating an interim Afghani government after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. As a result of these efforts, Brahimi... View Details

Keywords: Contemporary History; Government and Politics; Agreements and Arrangements; Leadership Style; Cognition and Thinking; Conferences; Afghanistan

2004
Other Teaching and Training Material

Great Negotiator 2002: Lakhdar Brahimi

By: James K. Sebenius and Kristin Schneeman

The Program on Negotiation honored Ambassador Brahimi in events on October 2, 2002. These began with an in-depth faculty-moderated discussion with a group of students, faculty, and guests at Harvard Business School. On the evening of the 2nd, Ambassador Brahimi... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Learning; Strategy; Afghanistan