What is Interest-Based Bargaining?
Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) (also sometimes called “mutual gains” bargaining or “win-win” bargaining) is a term that refers to a form of negotiating where the parties look for common ground and attempt to satisfy mutual interests through the bargaining process. Whereas traditional bargaining focuses on taking and defending positions, in IBB the emphasis is on exploring the interests of the parties and how can they be reconciled. IBB is an effort to look behind positions to determine the needs of the parties and whether there are mutually acceptable ways that labor and management can satisfy those needs. IBB differs substantially from traditional negotiating techniques in its reliance upon a variety of techniques to promote open communication, such as brainstorming, facilitation, and information sharing. The purpose of exchanging ideas and information is to develop options. Those options are then evaluated both in terms of their effectiveness in resolving the problem and their accep
