Lost in Translation: Where Is the Relational Context in Negotiation Research?

Abstract

Economic and psychological paradigms conceptualize negotiations as time-bounded events set apart from our organizational relationships. These paradigms yield a deep understanding of how negotiators can maximize their dealmaking effectiveness. They also constrain our understanding by abstracting negotiations from the ongoing relationships within which they are embedded. Deeper insight into negotiation dynamics requires a broader view, one that locates negotiations within their relational context. By distilling constructs from disciplines that offer this broader perspective, I identify three insights that expand our conceptualization of negotiation. First, the interaction between broad relationship and domain-specific negotiation narratives shapes how individuals approach negotiations and how they craft settlements. Second, embedding negotiations within a relationship trajectory highlights a recursive dynamic: relationship quality determines at-the-table tactics, and this experience spills over to transform the ongoing relationship. Third, relational tone—the what and how of interpersonal interactions—resets the between-negotiation relationship trajectory. This maintenance work establishes relationship expectations and facilitates (or impedes) convergence to shared narratives, becoming a critical input into subsequent negotiations. In conclusion, I discuss the unifying constructs that broaden negotiation theory, identify the pedagogical implications of a relational perspective, and outline the methodological expansion needed to benefit from these insights.