What can computer programs do to facilitate negotiation processes?

Recently, there has been considerable interest in the development of computer systems for use in negotiations. However, these systems are exclusively focussed on joint problem solving in cooperative settings. This paper concentrates on negotiation situations that are marked by conflict. Using a social-theoretic framework we identify the scope of computer assistance for negotiation in non-cooperative situations. We focus on the descriptive part of Raiffa’s asymmetric descriptive/prescriptive strategy for competitive decision-making. An outline of a software system is presented. Such a system can help build a database of negotiation case histories that can be represented graphically. We explore its use in competitive bargaining situations where the system can provide a descriptive model of the opponents’ bargaining behavior and help classify a negotiator in terms of negotiation strategies he is inclined to use. This allows the user to adopt a prescriptive approach in t~. process of concession-making in negotiations. The principles of a computer program FACILITATOR to facilitate the process of negotiation are also presented. * chaudhur@umb sky.bitnet ** mgmtrao@acsu.buffalo.edu *** sukuntar@emx.utex as.edu Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the ACM copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the Association for Computing Machinery. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or specific permission. a 1991 ACM 0-89791-456-2/91 /0010 /0269... $ 1.50