Theory-Driven Design of a Negotiation Canvas for Reaching Win-Win Agreements

In today’s interconnected world, negotiations are essential for navigating the complexities of personal and professional life. Resulting in a “negotiation network”, integrative negotiation strategies are gaining relevance for mutual benefit. However, negotiators often fall short due to inadequate preparation, focusing more on their own negotiation goals than understanding the other party’s priorities and interests. This challenge stems from inadequate preparation which is crucial in the overall negotiation process. A comprehensive preparation empowers negotiators to conduct a stronger and more reflective negotiation and to enable unexpected challenges with more confidence. As a result, negotiators can make informed and strategic decisions. However, an artifact that explicitly addresses the preparation process and prepares inexperienced negotiators in a structured and theoretically founded manner is missing. Therefore, we introduce a theory-driven negotiation canvas to prepare negotiations and reach win-win agreements. The canvas, addressing crucial negotiation elements, offers a structured approach to preparing for an upcoming negotiation. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of negotiation preparation and provides a valuable tool to empower negotiators.