The negotiation situation is very delicate in that it is a federal government contract. The reason that negotiating with the federal government is more complicated is that one has to ascertain whether they are speaking with the actual decision maker to approve the contract. With government contracts, there are several decision making signatories that need to be accomplished in order to pass objectives that are discussed and agreed upon during negotiations. An additional factor at play in this negotiation is that the parties need to be sensitive that the representative from the government does not like to invest large sums of capital on technology. It is for this reason that the company has to be extra prudent when trying to deal with how they are going to approach their value strategy with the government contractor who is fiscally conservative, (Mandelbaum, R., 2016). Thus, it will be imperative for the government contract negotiations to be focused on strategies relating to promoting the value of the GPS systems, assessing the representative’s role in the government organization as a decision maker, and also according to the codes of ethics and professionalism that must be present in negotiations, which is fundamentally different than negotiating for a personal transaction where one is buying a home.
Secondly, the negotiator for the GPS company is going to have to ascertain whether they are in fact negotiating with the proper representative for the government, (Wachtel, D., 2016). If they do this, they will be able to do a great deal and be ensured that they have negotiated with the proper authority figure. This aspect comes to play when a company has not researched who needs to be in charge. By doing so, the company can actively seek out pertinent decisions to the contracts that they are trying to sign. If the company is unable to come across the proper agent in the federal government to approve their case, they are going to experience a great deal of issues with the contract because it may not be honored if the proper signatory has not approved. Additionally, the contract may need to be signed by many different authorities in order to disburse government funding for the invest. Thus, the representative of negotiations from the GPS company has to be exceedingly careful regarding who they are negotiating with in order to ascertain that they do in fact have a viable deal that will proceed forward that their company can rely on. Without this pivotal research, the GPS company is undergoing a substantial risk by relying on the success of a government contract.
Lastly, the representative from the GPS company needs to be aware of negotiation protocols, ethical procedures, and standards of professionalism in their negotiation tactics, (Harris, K., 2016). Negotiating is one of the areas of law and business that is truly an art form. There are some professionals who have the gift it takes and others that do not. What separates the sensational negotiators from the average ones are those who possess class, decorum, sophistication, and professionalism while arguing their case. If they do not respect ethical standards, practice professionalism, and do not present themselves with sophistication, their arguments will not be taken seriously and they will also likely not have success in their endeavor. This is precisely why the intellect behind the art of negotiation must be supplemented with manners, professionalism, and adherence to ethical standards as well.
In negotiating to purchase a home, it is very different than negotiating for the federal government job proposal contracts. The reason for this is that it is a very different type of transaction because there are less signatures needed than for a federal government contract. Additionally, it is far easier for the person who is negotiating a contract for a home to bend the rules and get more advantages in their favor. When negotiating with the federal government, it is obvious that there are many more hurdles to cross in getting the right authorities to sign off on the transaction.
References
Harris, K. (2016). Negotiation Techniques. Writing Assistance, Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.writingassist.com/resources/articles/negotiation-techniques/
Mandelbaum, R. (2016). How to Negotiate Effectively. Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20101101/how-to-negotiate-effectively.html
Negotiation Techniques for Predicting a Negotiator’s Decisions: You Can Improve Your Negotiation Skills, but Knowing How You Behave as a Negotiator Will Refine Your Negotiation Techniques. (2016). Harvard. Retrieved from: http://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/dealmaking-daily/negotiation-skills-and-negotiation-techniques-predicting-negotiator-decisions-and-behavior/
Wachtel, D. (2016). Improving Your Negotiating Skills: Tips Learned in the Trenches. The Negotiation Experts. Retrieved from: http://www.negotiations.com/articles/negotiating-skills/
