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LOST IN TRANSLATION: WHERE IS THE RELATIONAL CONTEXT IN NEGOTIATION RESEARCH?

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Title: LOST IN TRANSLATION: WHERE IS THE RELATIONAL CONTEXT IN NEGOTIATION RESEARCH?
Authors: OLEKALNS, MARA1 m.olekalns@mbs.edu
Source: Academy of Management Annals. Jul2026, Vol. 20 Issue 2, p663-698. 36p. 2 Color Photographs.
Subject Terms: *Negotiation, *Professional relationships, *Interpersonal relations, Relationship quality, Social context
Abstract: Economic and psychological paradigms conceptualize negotiations as time-bounded events set apart from our organizational relationships. These paradigms yield a deep understanding of how negotiators can maximize their dealmaking effectiveness. They also constrain our understanding by abstracting negotiations from the ongoing relationships within which they are embedded. Deeper insight into negotiation dynamics requires a broader view, one that locates negotiations within their relational context. By distilling constructs from disciplines that offer this broader perspective, I identify three insights that expand our conceptualization of negotiation. First, the interaction between broad relationship and domain-specific negotiation narratives shapes how individuals approach negotiations and how they craft settlements. Second, embedding negotiations within a relationship trajectory highlights a recursive dynamic: relationship quality determines at-the-table tactics, and this experience spills over to transform the ongoing relationship. Third, relational tone—the what and how of interpersonal interactions—resets the between-negotiation relationship trajectory. This maintenance work establishes relationship expectations and facilitates (or impedes) convergence to shared narratives, becoming a critical input into subsequent negotiations. In conclusion, I discuss the unifying constructs that broaden negotiation theory, identify the pedagogical implications of a relational perspective, and outline the methodological expansion needed to benefit from these insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Academy of Management Annals is the property of Academy of Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Business Source Index
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  Data: LOST IN TRANSLATION: WHERE IS THE RELATIONAL CONTEXT IN NEGOTIATION RESEARCH?
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Academy+of+Management+Annals%22">Academy of Management Annals</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 20 Issue 2, p663-698. 36p. 2 Color Photographs.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Negotiation%22">Negotiation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+relationships%22">Professional relationships</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+relations%22">Interpersonal relations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relationship+quality%22">Relationship quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+context%22">Social context</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Economic and psychological paradigms conceptualize negotiations as time-bounded events set apart from our organizational relationships. These paradigms yield a deep understanding of how negotiators can maximize their dealmaking effectiveness. They also constrain our understanding by abstracting negotiations from the ongoing relationships within which they are embedded. Deeper insight into negotiation dynamics requires a broader view, one that locates negotiations within their relational context. By distilling constructs from disciplines that offer this broader perspective, I identify three insights that expand our conceptualization of negotiation. First, the interaction between broad relationship and domain-specific negotiation narratives shapes how individuals approach negotiations and how they craft settlements. Second, embedding negotiations within a relationship trajectory highlights a recursive dynamic: relationship quality determines at-the-table tactics, and this experience spills over to transform the ongoing relationship. Third, relational tone—the what and how of interpersonal interactions—resets the between-negotiation relationship trajectory. This maintenance work establishes relationship expectations and facilitates (or impedes) convergence to shared narratives, becoming a critical input into subsequent negotiations. In conclusion, I discuss the unifying constructs that broaden negotiation theory, identify the pedagogical implications of a relational perspective, and outline the methodological expansion needed to benefit from these insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Academy of Management Annals is the property of Academy of Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.5465/annals.2024.0055
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 36
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      – SubjectFull: Negotiation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal relations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Relationship quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social context
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              Text: Jul2026
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              Y: 2026
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