HONG-KONG VERSUS US NEGOTIATIONS - EFFECTS OF CULTURE, ALTERNATIVES, OUTCOME SCALES, AND MEDIATION

This study investigates the effects of culture, BATNA (best alternativ e to a negotiated agreement), outcome scales, and mediation on negotia tion outcomes. Six hundred three subjects from 2 countries (288 from H ong Kong and 315 from the United States) participated in 2-party negot iations that were either mediated or observed by a third party. In the se negotiations, the Hong Kong negotiators obtained higher joint outco mes than did their U.S. counterparts. Also, in both Hong Kong and the United States, negotiators with a high BATNA obtained larger individua l outcomes than did those with a low BATNA. Finally, mediation resulte d in higher joint outcomes than did no mediation and had a stronger ef fect in U.S. (vs. Hong Kong) negotiations.