Tag Archives: Bottom Line

Resources for Teaching About BATNA, Bottom Lines, and LIRA

If you teach students that it’s important to analyze their BATNAs, consider including material in your course on litigation interest and risk assessment, aka LIRA. Virtually every negotiation, mediation, and ADR survey course teaches students that they should figure out their BATNA when negotiating or mediating. That is sooooo much easier said than done, as … Continue reading Resources for Teaching About BATNA, Bottom Lines, and LIRA

Decision-Making as an Essential Element of Our Field

Several contributors to the Theory-of-Change book suggested that we should reconceptualize our field, shifting away from defining it in terms of particular dispute resolution procedures such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. I think that this idea makes sense, and this post suggests that we should include a decision-making lens that may be part of a … Continue reading Decision-Making as an Essential Element of Our Field

LIRA @ CPR

This post summarizes presentations, data collected, and discussion in the “Risky Business: A Toolbox for Managing Litigation Interests and Risks” program on February 28, 2020 at CPR’s annual meeting.  There never is enough time to cover everything you want to say, so this post elaborates the discussion at the program. Based on our book, Litigation … Continue reading LIRA @ CPR

How to Calculate and Use BATNAs and Bottom Lines with LIRA

Everyone talks about knowing one’s BATNA in negotiation and mediation.  But that’s a lot easier said than done. In litigated cases, the value of the BATNA usually is the expected trial outcome, but that is notoriously hard to predict for many reasons.  The outcome of numerous legal and factual issues may depend on the evidence, … Continue reading How to Calculate and Use BATNAs and Bottom Lines with LIRA

George J. Siedel: Are Negotiators Subject To Liability For Using Their BATNA Power?

From George J. Seidel, Williamson Family Professor of Business Administration and Thurnau Professor of Business Law at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business: Many thanks to John Lande, Hiro Aragaki, and Sanda Kaufman for their recent posts that have clarified the meaning of “BATNA.”  BATNA is an important concept because it is often a … Continue reading George J. Siedel: Are Negotiators Subject To Liability For Using Their BATNA Power?

Do You Use “BATNA” Wrong?

If so, you have a lot of company. Having reviewed negotiation publications and listened to colleagues, I can confidently assert that most of us grossly misuse the term “BATNA.” This is one of my pet peeves, which drives me crazy – an admittedly short excursion. I discussed this in my top-notch post, BATNA, MLATNA – … Continue reading Do You Use “BATNA” Wrong?

Clarifying BATNA, MLATNA, WATNA, ZOPA and More

In an earlier episode, we established that there is widespread confusion about what the heck is the difference between a BATNA and MLATNA. I created this table for my negotiation class illustrating the relationships between WATNA, MLATNA, BATNA, bottom lines, and ZOPA.  It is based on a simulation of a simple personal injury case. Hopefully … Continue reading Clarifying BATNA, MLATNA, WATNA, ZOPA and More