Publications

Career Coach

Jonathan Shepherd

expertise, Jonathan welcomes conversations ranging from self-assessment to goal setting to tactics and execution - always acknowledging how each of these is just one piece of that thing called life. Work Experience: JP Morgan - Investment... View Details

April 16, 2021
Article

A Playbook for Negotiators in the Social Media Era

By: James K. Sebenius, Ben Cook, David Lax, Ron S. Fortgang, Isaac Silberberg and Paul Levy

The disruptive effects of social media have been felt in virtually every corner of the world. Yet the information revolution has been largely ignored in the field of negotiation. Through a series of case studies we explore how savvy practitioners can ethically harness... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Analysis; Bargaining; Negotiation; Analysis; Negotiation Tactics; Social Media; North America

2017
Working Paper

BATNAs in Negotiation: Common Errors and Three Kinds of 'No'

By: James K. Sebenius

The best alternative to a negotiated agreement (“BATNA”) concept in negotiation has proven to be immensely useful. In tandem with its value in practice, BATNA has become a wildly successful acronym (with more than 14 million Google results). But the initial... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; BATNA; Bargaining; Zone Of Possible Agreement; Reservation Price; Reservation Value; Agreements and Arrangements; Negotiation Tactics

SSRN

05 Apr 2017
Research & Ideas

For Women Especially, It Pays to Know What Car Repairs Should Cost

Women who come prepared to challenge an auto repair quote can overcome gender discrimination and negotiate a fairer price, according to recently published research. That's one conclusion from the research study Repairing the Damage: The Effect of Price Knowledge and... View Details

Keywords: by Wendy Guild Swearingen; Auto; Service

Career Coach

Phillip Andrews

industries globally. He provides guidance on U.S. immigration and work authorization to help international students and alumni navigate the U.S. job search. As a coach, Phillip enjoys working with individuals on career visioning as well as the View Details

Keywords: Consulting; Education; Emerging Markets; Investment Management; Financial Services (All); Private Equity; Financial Services (All); Venture Capital; Financial Services (All); Government; Social Enterprise; Clean Technology; Energy; Telecommunications; Impact Investing; Financial Services (All); Manufacturing; Auto/Transportation/Logistics

12 PM – 1 PM EST, 05 Dec 2017
Webinars: Career

The Startup Rules of Three

Do you have a brilliant idea for a startup? Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires more than just an inspiring concept and a plan for development. There is a reason as many as 75 percent of venture capital-backed startups fail, and nearly 95 percent of all... View Details

Fall 2024
Article

Redemption Mechanisms in Poison Pills: Evidence on Pill Design and Law Firm Effects

By: Olivier Baum and Guhan Subramanian

We present the first evidence on the incidence of “trip wire” versus “last look” poison pills. Using a hand-collected data set of 130 poison pills implemented and/or amended between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2023, we find that pills are almost evenly divided... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Negotiation Tactics; Contracts

09 Dec 2015
Research Event

How Do You Predict Demand and Set Prices For Products Never Sold Before?

in a digitally-transformed economy. “All of these decisions would be easy to make if I knew what consumer demand will be. The problem is that I have a lot of uncertainty in demand” All retailers face tricky tactical decisions related to... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Retail; Apparel & Accessories

01 Mar 2006
News

A New Path for Alumnae

Professor Myra Hart focuses her research on high-potential ventures, but the career challenges and opportunities of HBS women have also captured her attention. In 2001, she launched Charting Your Course, a career strategy program for HBS alumnae, which will be followed... View Details

Keywords: Deborah Blagg; Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; Educational Services

28 May 2008
First Look

First Look: May 28, 2008

confidential information for the Euro Elektrische Keramische Vorrichtungen, GmbH (Euro EKV) management role. Challenges include how to set up and implement the most promising sale process, come up with the right deal, and choose the best View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

2014
Working Paper

Handshaking Promotes Cooperative Dealmaking

By: Juliana Schroeder, Jane Risen, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton

Humans use subtle sources of information—like nonverbal behavior—to determine whether to act cooperatively or antagonistically when they negotiate. Handshakes are particularly consequential nonverbal gestures in negotiations because people feel comfortable initiating... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Tactics; Cooperation; Societal Protocols

SSRN

May 2013
Article

How to Negotiate with VCs

By: Deepak Malhotra

VC-entrepreneur partnership agreements often contain flaws that become highly damaging as the parties come up against issues of power, trust, and much more. Yet many of the flaws are systematic and predictable—and hence preventable. The author, a longtime consultant to... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Negotiation Tactics; Entrepreneurship

Purchase

October 1999 (Revised March 2000)
Background Note

Venture Capital Negotiations: VC versus Entrepreneur

By: Robert J. Robinson and Noam T. Wasserman

Introduces students to the challenging negotiations between venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Explores interests, sources of negotiating power, barriers to reaching agreement, and common contractual terms. Describes how the parties try to reduce information... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Tactics; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Financial Services Industry

Educators

Purchase

Fall 2011
Article

Leveraging Tribal Sovereignty for Economic Opportunity: A Strategic Negotiations Perspective

By: Gavin Clarkson and James K. Sebenius

Indian tribes and U.S. states often find themselves at the bargaining table, often negotiating "compacts" to govern gaming operations on tribal lands. The operational success of the Pequot gaming operation in Connecticut, Foxwoods, and the substantial revenue shared... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Ethnicity; Negotiation Tactics; Race; Social Issues; Relationships; Government and Politics; Economics; United States

December 1998 (Revised May 1999)
Exercise

Negotiating Peace Accords in Bellicoso for the Head of the Opposition Political Party (OPP): General Instructions and Confidential Information

Bellicoso is a multi-party conflict resolution simulation based loosely on the bitter civil war in El Salvador. It is designed to explore issues in: 1) the management of interactions between external negotiations between sides and internal negotiations within them, 2)... View Details

Keywords: War; Negotiation Tactics; Negotiation Participants; Government and Politics; Conflict and Resolution; El Salvador

December 1998 (Revised May 1999)
Exercise

Negotiating Peace Accords in Bellicoso for the Director of the National Landowners Association (NLU): General Instructions and Confidential Information

Bellicoso is a multi-party conflict resolution simulation based loosely on the bitter civil war in El Salvador. It is designed to explore issues in: 1) the management of interactions between external negotiations between sides and internal negotiations within them, 2)... View Details

Keywords: War; Negotiation Tactics; Negotiation Participants; Government and Politics; Conflict and Resolution; El Salvador

2015
Chapter

Negotiations: Statistical Aspects

By: James K. Sebenius

'Negotiation analysis' seeks to develop prescriptive theory and useful advice for negotiators and third parties. It generally emphasizes the parties' underlying interests, alternatives to negotiated agreement, approaches to productively manage the inherent tension... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Preparation; Negotiation Tactics; Negotiation Participants

01 Dec 2003
News

Marriage, Inc.

assertively seeking a mate is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s not cold, Greenwald explained to NPR’s Weekend Edition (September 28, 2003). “It’s effective time management. You are using time-tested, proven tactics from the business world... View Details

Keywords: marriage; Publishing Industries (except Internet); Information; Personal Services

August 1999 (Revised September 1999)
Case

Double Dealmaking in the Browser Wars (A)

By: James K. Sebenius

Recounts two complex negotiations in which Netscape and Microsoft compete to win a browser contract with AOL--then later with KPMG. After reviewing the web and browser sectors, this case recounts AOL's dramatic negotiations with Netscape and with Microsoft over which... View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Process; Negotiation Tactics; Negotiation Deal; Web; Web Services Industry