How Technology Affects Negotiations in an Evolving Business World : A Look Into Email Negotiations

Abstract

Negotiations are not going to leave anytime soon, but the shape of what makes a negotiation as such has changed forms. Prior, face-to-face used to be the only medium used to negotiate. Today, everyone is on their cell phones, tablets, or computers to keep up with their work, but put any form of technology down when it comes to negotiating. Moving forward, businessmen and women must understand how to efficiently negotiate over email, as we are a society that relies so heavily on technology so frequently. Much of the literature that is currently out there on email negotiations is negative—saying how horrible it is and how it will never be as good as face-to-face. The goal of this paper is to illuminate how email can be used as an efficient tool to negotiate, and how there needs to be a guide written so that everyone can be on the same page on what does and does not work in an email negotiation situation.