Introduction
The BATNA or Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement is a concept presented by negotiation researchers Roger Fisher and William Ury, it is described in the book Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by the same authors. One’s BATNA is “the standard against which any proposed agreement should be measured” (Fisher 100). In the process of negotiating concerning a definite subject people become involved into the game, and each party wants to win the game by way of persuading and suggesting alternative variants. The BATNA is the range within which the results of the agreement can be accepted. You should develop the strategy and decide on the BATNA for the concrete case and maneuver within the boundaries you have established in advance.
The examples of using the BATNA strategy can be observed in companies which have a chance to choose between several offers and have to decide on the most appropriate variant. The compromise is possible if a bottom line of one party is situated within the boundaries of another party’s bottom line (Fisher 98-100). When you buy a house, you can afford it at $150,000 which is your bottom line, while the seller wants to sell it for $200,000 but his bottom line includes your offer of $150,000. In this case, the seller will sell the house to you if he/she will not have a better variant which would be within the bottom line as well.
Discussion of the Batna for the Operation Wilderness
The exercise of being involved into negotiations between groups which are in conflict can help people to learn how to act in the conditions of being under the pressure and to find the most appropriate decisions. We should learn to make our best while negotiating with each other to reach the most appropriate results and to keep our dignity.
Our group is called Town as we present the town in the Wilderness part dispute. The group Town has the following resources: three plots of land (D2, D3, and D4) where three units of timber are situated; 20,000 units of political influence, and $5,000.00. All these resources can be used to get 2,000 units of political influence, $85,000 for critical public works projects in the town, and around 6 plots of Wilderness Park which contain less than 10 units of timber.
In this respect our BATNA includes 2-3 plots of Wilderness Park with around 4-6 units of timber, 2,000-5,000 of political influence, and $85,000.00 – $100,000.00 for critical public works projects. The Town would accept any plots which would be interesting in terms of the passive recreational activities, the Timber Company is not likely to abandon its plots which are of commercial value; so, it is better to negotiate for plots of the Forest Service. As the Town possesses 3 plots of Wilderness Park with three units of timber, we have to negotiate for at least two more plots with less than seven units of timber.
The plots A1, A2, B2, C2, and D2 seem to us the most appropriate with a view to the rivers that run on the territory of these plots because the rivers make the areas of passive recreational activities more attractive for tourists and people who want to maroon. Moreover, the steep slopes are situated on the plots B2 and C2; it can be interesting for tourists as well. The bottom line is to get plots B1, C1, and C2 which can be interesting for different categories of people because the plot C2 contains steep slopes which can seem dangerous to people who come to recreational areas with their children. The Wilderness Park should be situated in the middle of the plot map on the plots B2, B3, C2, and C3 because this territory fits the purpose of the recreational area the most. The territory of the Wilderness Park should be maintained by the Town; consequently, these four plots should be given to the Town. The Timber Company would get the plot D2 instead of the C3; the river runs on its territory and the amount of units of timber is equal.
The other four groups concerned in negotiating for the Wilderness Park territory are Forest Service, Timber Company, and Environmentalists. The Timber Company should be concerned about plots with good soils which are moistened with waters of a river; it means that this group would not accept the offer less than two plots of the Wilderness Park, $20,000.00 for maintenance of its territories, and 5,000 of political power which would help it to protect the business from illegal invasions.
The Forest Service would like to keep as more of its territories as it can; however, it would agree to pass 3 plots of its territory to Town and get $1,000.00 for each. It can also consolidate with the Timber Company which would remove old growth of timber in order the Forest Service could plant the 2nd growth. Environmentalists represent the group which can help all the rest groups to reach agreement; they would not let the Timber Company maintain its operation on the territory of the recreational area of the Wilderness Park
Conclusion
The BATNA is the way to reach agreement with neither accepting unfavorable terms nor rejecting the most appropriate ones. “Vigorous exploration of what you will do if you do not reach agreement can greatly strengthen your hand” (Fisher 103).
This method of negotiating makes people ready for terms that can be suggested by the other party.
Works Cited
Fisher, Roger, and William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1991.