CAN NEGOTIATION APPROACHES BE USED AS A TOOL IN PREVENTING COMMERCIAL DISPUTES IN DUBLIN?

Abstract

This material analyses the behaviours and consequences during a negotiation process and its outcomes by adopting negotiation techniques and conflict prevention in Ireland's commercial field for the dissertation of the Masters' graduation program in Dispute Resolution of Independent Colleges in Dublin City. It starts with a description and perception of the negotiation as a whole and how the corporate culture applies this tool daily. This research aims to analyse if negotiation approaches can prevent disputes, and it was addressed to workers who perform management and supervision functions in their respective departments in organisations in Dublin city. The secundary research was based on the literature review of previous studies that had negotiation as the focus of its variants on many different applications that resulted in the ideas and theories present on this material. The methodology used was as follows: Interpretivism philosophy; inductive approach; mono-method survey addressed to a group of professionals as the primary research that provided qualitative data for the field of the study; cross-sectional time horizon combined to non-probability sampling. The research developed a model of how interactions in the commercial environment can be interconnected between the workforces and between business partners, with negotiation as a pillar in the resolution and prevention of conflicts and disputes. The secondary objectives were: To analyse how negotiation approaches can be applied to a commercial dispute; To explore how often negotiation approaches are used in conflicts in the commercial field; To assess how inclined is the workforce on using negotiation approaches to deal with conflict. The results show that the country has qualified professionals that indirectly apply negotiation techniques in their daily routines to deal with conflicting situations. However, the lack of information regarding best practices combined with the recurring processes in their respective functions leaves an open and encouraging path for the development of best practices that will contribute to the prevention of future disputes in the irish commercial market.