Keywords

5.1 Introduction

Embodied in our DNA, negotiation is considered one of the most common interpersonal processes. It is an essential instrument in satisfying our needs, helping us discover the world, know our limits, and improve as individuals and later, as a society. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misconception about the concept of negotiation. For some, it is just an ability to convince, to trick someone, or it means selling a story. In reality, negotiation is far from such myths. It is a process which requires preparation, analysis, knowledge, setting of precise objectives, strategies, and tactics. Negotiation involves two distinct interaction partners, both of whom may influence the negotiation outcomes. (Elfenbein et al., 2008).

One of the various existing definitions states that negotiation is an art that has its origins in our native talent, guided by ethics and human behaviour, and optimized by the rational and mathematical components (Gîrboveanu, 2010, 123). In other words, negotiation refers to “the process of discussing something with someone in order to reach an agreement with them, or the discussions themselves” (Cambridge English Dictionary).

Negotiation can be defined in many forms, but it is important to acknowledge that although it may be associated with an innate ability, its rational and mathematical or scientific part cannot be neglected. This general misconception about what negotiation entails has paved the way for this research on negotiation tactics. The general perception of negotiation could benefit from this research as it offers an overview of the entire process, as well as highlights the importance of using negotiation tactics in the professional activity.

With this in mind, the aim of this study is to identify and describe the top three most common negotiation tactics or techniques and to analyse whether gender and workplace play a significant role in the usage of negotiation tactics. The study is performed in a limited geographical area, in Cluj of Romania country, primarily by means of a questionnaire, a focus group and through the analysis of other previous research.

The novelty and originality of this research consists in the analysis of the negotiation tactics from a different perspective. The literature often addresses other influencing factors such as culture, personality, ethics, the medium of the negotiation, trust. Moreover, most refer to the impact of those factors on the entire negotiation process. This research addresses different factors (gender and workplace) and analyses them in relation to specific negotiation tactics, not just in relation with the entire negotiation process.

Moreover, it refers to the entire negotiation process. We regard other factors and we analyse them related to each tactic, not resuming to analysing only the overall impact of the factors upon the negotiation process.

In what follows, we will first analyse the main stages of the negotiation process, stressing the essential elements with an impact on the final result. The purpose of this part is to highlight the importance of organizing and preparing each stage of the negotiation process, as well as the importance of using the right strategies and the right tactics to achieve the proposed goal. This will bring us to the second part of the research, the main focus of the study, which identifies and describes the top three negotiation tactics and explores a potential correlation of two variables, gender, and workplace, with the usage and preference for the negotiation tactics.

5.2 Literature Review

This chapter offers a brief theoretical overview of the literature in the field of negotiation. The purpose of this section is to bring an understanding of the already existing research relevant to the area of this study, as well as to prepare the path for the practical view of the negotiation tactics. This literature review outlines the multiple divergent opinions on the concept of negotiation tactics, it shows where the research community is up to in this field and highlights the possible gaps in the existing papers.

5.2.1 Structure of the Negotiation Process

Before identifying and discussing the top three negotiation tactics, for a better understanding of the negotiation process it might be useful to highlight the structure of negotiation. Considered a complex process, negotiation has been the subject of various authors, who have put their efforts to systematize the concept, outlining each stage of the entire process. Accordingly, negotiation could be divided in three main stages: the pre-negotiation part, the actual negotiation, and the post-negotiation part.

The pre-negotiation stage has an invaluable role in the success of the negotiation. This preliminary stage prepares the actual process by (a) identifying the goals of the negotiation or the desired result, by (b) establishing the strategy used during the later phases and by (c) planning the negotiation. The way each of these phases are accomplished determines the outcome of the negotiation. Hence, none of the steps could be skipped or neglected.

Identifying the objectives is one of the most important aspects of the negotiation. It is nearly impossible to engage in a negotiation without having pre-defined objectives. Objectives provide clarity and structure and guide the individuals to the target. The clearer the negotiator’s objectives, the better the chances of success. Most often, the negotiator determines more than one objective. An effective way to prioritize the negotiation objectives is to determine which are the main objectives, without which negotiation does not exist, which are the secondary objectives, which the negotiator seeks to win, but they are not crucial for the negotiation, and the minor objectives which despite being insignificant could still play an important role as it may be decisive for the other party.

Once the objectives are well established, it is important to draw up a plan for achieving them, more precisely to determine the strategy. Defined in the literature as a predetermined plan of action to achieve the objectives, the strategy must be compatible with reality (Prutianu, 2000, 52–53). In formulating a negotiation strategy, two major factors are essentially important: the assessment of the personal stake and the relationship with the other party of the negotiation. Hence, Richard Shell proposes the following four situations when (a) the personal stake is more important than the relationship with the other party; (b) the personal stake and the relationship with the opponent are not important; (c) both the personal stake and the relationship with the opponent are important; and last, (d) the relationship with the other party is more important than the personal stake (Shell, 2005, 172–180). These four potential situations give rise to five major strategies: competition or dominance (win-lose model), concession (lose-win model), compromise, cooperation (win-win model), and avoidance (lose-lose model) (Andrievici, 2017, 20).

In the final part of the pre-negotiation stage, more details must be settled, such as the composition of the negotiation team, the negotiation position, identifying the potential issues, the location, the schedule, etc.

Whether all these preliminary steps were efficiently accomplished could only be seen during the actual negotiation. This phase also has its own characteristics: seating arrangements at the negotiation table, communication, proposal declaration, the performance of negotiation techniques and tactics, bargaining, and reaching the agreement. Among these specific elements, tactics are of particular interest as they are the object of the research. At this point, providing a definition for tactics could benefit this paper. Hence, tactics are specific and immediate actions through which the strategy is implemented during the course of negotiation to secure an objective (Andrievici, 2017, 16–17).

Nowadays, parties to negotiation choose to seal their agreement through a written contract, which aims to ensure the implementation of the agreement and has other legal functions (Prutianu, 2000, 183–199). Yet, signing the formal contract does not mark the end of the negotiation. Negotiation reaches its finality at the moment the parties’ needs are fully met. Therefore, during the post-negotiation phase, parties to negotiation may proceed with the formalities related to the conclusion of a contract or may perform a post-evaluation of the entire process, to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

5.2.2 Controversial Views on Negotiation

Time has shown us that the concept of negotiation has been subject to various pitfalls and myths, creating thus a confusing image of what negotiation is, how should it be conducted, what is its structure, and how does a successful negotiator look like. Recently, a thematic seminar (Karrass, 2022) with a focus on negotiation was conducted, which identified the following 5 top myths related to negotiation:

  1. 1.

    You either win or lose in a business negotiation

  2. 2.

    Good negotiators are born not made

  3. 3.

    To be a good negotiator you must be very argumentative and opinionated

  4. 4.

    Negotiating involves telling lies to get your way

  5. 5.

    Nice people end up last

Also, various authors and professionals have speculated that certain differences between parties to a negotiation may bring the negotiator to a favourable position. A relevant example in this regard is the difference of gender. Some believe it is an influencing factor in the negotiation process, thus creating either an advantage or a disadvantage to the negotiator. Others, on the contrary, argue that gender differences are not a criterion for differentiation in the negotiation process. In a study conducted in 2012, Eriksson suggested that “the gender of the negotiation counterpart should be taken into consideration when analyzing gender differences in initiation of negotiation” (Eriksson & Sandberg, 2012).

Further, the image of negotiation has often been described as a well-defined process, with a structure and a contingency plan. It is believed that its challenge lies in the human resources and the personality of each negotiator. In this regard, the literature shows that there are minor differences between women and men in the approach or even the execution of negotiations. More precisely, a researcher in psychology at the University of Houston has shown that there is a difference between men and women in initiating a wage bargaining which may be due to certain personality traits, especially – assertiveness: “We found that the gender difference in initiating negotiations (men are more likely to initiate than women) is larger when interacting with a male boss. However, rather than women initiating like men when they interacted with a female boss, it turned out that men initiated less when interacting with a female boss” (Reyes et al., 2021).

There are far more variables which are believed to have an impact on the negotiation process, such as communication, educational background, personality, organizational culture, and national culture differences (Ahammad et al., 2016). However, this particular example of gender differences is of particular importance as it is a controversial subject not only in the negotiation field but in the entire business area. There are people who believe that women are not as successful as men in business and implicitly in negotiations. This perspective is mainly influenced by the culture or by the long history in which the women’s position was dominated by men, and they did not have access to top management positions or in any negotiation processes.

The more recent studies show that women are, in fact, more present in the top management positions and proved to be even more efficient and successful. This outcome is probably generated by the strong ambition and perseverance to prove that women fully deserve their positions within the companies and that they can be at least as successful as men, if not even better. Despite these efforts, researchers also showed that women still face a gender gap in negotiation, especially when it comes to salary. As previously explained, women are less successful in negotiating their salaries. As a consequence, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, in 2021, women earned 27% less than men’s median annual earnings in USA, confirming, thus, the gender gap in negotiation.

It is commonly accepted that gender is considered a delicate criterion of differentiation in any field and because of all the misconceptions around this subject, thus, it is important to fill this research gap by analysing statistically whether gender indeed brings advantages or disadvantages in a negotiation or has a significant impact on using negotiation tactics.

5.3 Research Methodology

5.3.1 Documentary Analysis

For this paper, several research methodologies were used in order to answer the research question. The first methodology was a documentary analysis in which reports and articles with a focus on negotiation were examined in order to create an overview of this concept and to identify the gaps and misconceptions around the negotiation process, in particular the negotiation tactics. The results of this analysis were briefly explained in the previous Chap. 2.

By using this methodology, it follows that, first, there are various papers discussing the negotiation process. However, most of them are contradictory, thus creating confusion around the entire concept, with a result of insecurity among negotiators who do not understand exactly what steps they should follow to be successful. Also, because of all the misconceptions about what really matters in a negotiation, negotiators are not able to identify the important factors which influence their performance.

Another aspect noted using the first methodology is that the difference between men and women is very much disputed in the literature at a level of speculation. Therefore, statistical research on this matter will benefit the whole field of negotiation, by clearly stating whether there is a significant link between gender and the usage of negotiation tactics.

Last, the documentary analysis has shown that the workplace could be a very important factor that influences the usage of negotiation tactics.

5.3.2 Focus Group

The second methodology was a focus group. This methodology was chosen for its advantage in offering an in-depth understanding of the participants and their thinking. It allowed us to gather the necessary information about people’s conception of negotiation and its factors of influence. In other words, it helped us understand the processes behind the observed results considering the thoughts, feelings, and expressions of the participants. Another advantage of this methodology is that it offers speed, details, and efficiency in supplying the results.

In order to identify the factors with the strongest impact on the negotiation, we conducted three open discussion sessions with three compact groups. The composition of the first group was 8 managers/company owners, in the group two 8 sales agents, and the third group had a component of 8 students. A total of 24 people answered the following basic question: What is the main influence of a successful negotiation?

The results were as follows:

  • 21 people stated that the factor with the strongest impact in conducting a successful negotiation is the use of tactics;

  • 18 people consider that knowledge has a strong influence in the negotiation process;

  • 15 people answered that the personality or attitude of the partners in a negotiation leads to successful results;

  • 13 people stated that the information they have in the negotiations can make the difference between winning and losing;

  • 7 people consider that training is important (Fig. 5.1).

Fig. 5.1
A bar graph for the top factors influencing the negotiation. Tactics, 21. Information,13. personality, 15. knowledge, 18. preparation, 7.

The distribution of Top factors influencing the negotiation. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

5.3.3 Questionnaire

The third methodology used to collect data was a questionnaire. The ultimate purpose of this methodology is to establish a relationship or a link between various variables. The survey is a flexible research approach for investigating different topics, and it was chosen for its inexpensive way of collecting data, and time efficiency because it allowed us to gather information from a large audience and also because we could easily use it to compare and contrast other research. Another advantage was its broad coverage of the issues pursued in this research.

Because of all these benefits, the entire study was performed mainly through this survey which identified which are the top three most used tactics amongst negotiators in the Cluj County and examined the way in which these tactics are used depending on two criteria, the workplace and the gender of negotiators.

The present study was a cross-sectional one. The data collected are based on the results obtained by completing the questionnaire described in the following chapters. The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 20. The data were labelled as ordinal variables (3-point Likert scale was used) as well as nominal variables. Nominal variables were calculated by calculating the frequency. The Chi-square test was used to determine whether there was a predisposition to use the techniques in the ranking obtained and the gender of the participant in this study. The ANOVA test was used to highlight differences between categories, for variables with more than two categories; thus, the connection between the field of activity and the predisposition to use the presented negotiation techniques was analysed, as well as the correlation of the techniques and the gender of the respondent.

This survey targeted responses from individuals in top management positions. We first planned to contact the potential participants by email only. In this way, we were able to reach more people in a short period of time, but it turned out that not many people responded to the questionnaire, so we decided to contact the potential respondents by telephone, which was a more direct and invasive way to involve them in this research. This second strategy proved to be more effective.

Following the list of negotiation tactics compiled in Ioana Andrievici’s book entitled “101 Negotiation Tactics”, for the purpose of this research, 10 of the most frequently used negotiation tactics were chosen to be part of the questionnaire. A relevant criterion in choosing these 10 negotiation tactics was also the possibility to easily distinguish one tactic from another so that the respondents can easily identify which is the negotiation tactic addressed in a specific question and whether they have used it during their activity. We considered that a larger number of negotiation tactics addressed in this questionnaire would have created confusion among the respondents. This is because many of those tactics described by the author Andrievici have similar elements. Thus, the questionnaire was limited to a number of 10 negotiation tactics.

Respondents were asked to answer the 10 questions, each regarding a specific negotiation tactic, whether they have (a) never used, (b) used once or (c) frequently used a specific tactic during their professional activity. The 10 negotiation tactics addressed in the questionnaire were: The “Yes, but…” Tactic, The Limited Authority Tactic, The First Offer Tactic, The Last Offer Tactic, The Common Points Tactic, The Conditional Concession Tactic, The Silence Tactic, The Specific Argumentation Tactic, Alternatives Tactic, and The Compliments Tactic. At the end of the questionnaire, there was an open-ended question, offering the possibility to write other tactics used by respondents besides the ones included in the survey. Among the 119 respondents, 18,5% operate in the services sector, 19,5% in the economic sector, 15% in tourism, 16% in consultancy, 10% in the medical field, 10% in the accountability sector and 11% in the public administration. As regards the gender of respondents, the majority of 59% were men (Figs. 5.2 and 5.3).

Fig. 5.2
A pie chart for the distribution of samples according to the field of activity. The highest value of 19% is for services and the lowest value of 10% is for book keeping and medical.

Distribution of the sample according to the field of activity. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image
Fig. 5.3
A pie chart for the gender distribution of the sample. Men make up 58.8%, and women 41.2%.

Gender distribution of the sample. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

5.3.4 Limitations of the Study

The findings of this study must be seen in light of some limitations. The first refers to a demographic limitation, as we were able to apply the questionnaire only to people originating or living in Cluj County Area. This means that the results may not be as relevant to a wider geographical area.

We encountered a second limitation in the process of gathering data, mostly due to the potential respondents’ lack of interest. We expected about three times more responses to the questionnaire, which leads to insufficient sample size for statistical measurements. This is also related to the time constraints. Although we were aware that we did not reach the target number of answers, we were constrained by time to deliver the results of this study. Otherwise, we would have insisted more to get a higher number of answers and extend to other geographical areas.

After analysing the methods, instruments, and techniques used to collect the data, especially through the feedback received from respondents, we realized that we could have addressed the survey questions from another viable perspective and that we might have formulated the questions in a difficult manner for the respondents.

We have also noticed that there are other important factors that actually influence the preference for negotiation tactics, such as the personality of the person involved in the negotiation process, or the educational background, which may open the way for future research. Thus, from this perspective, the findings of the study related to the influencing factors in negotiation could be limited.

5.4 Research Findings

5.4.1 Top Three Negotiation Tactics. Does Gender Influence the Preference for Negotiation Tactics?

Having outlined the negotiation process and the various and contradictory views on the negotiation concept, at this point we could turn our attention to the main topic of the study, the negotiation tactics. The reason for choosing to focus the research on this topic is that negotiators often form their strategies and decide upon their stake but may lack the tactics to implement those strategies or perform them deficiently, thus the result is different from what they expected.

Respondents were asked to answer whether they have never used, used once, or frequently used a specific tactic during their professional activity. At the end of the questionnaire, there was an open-ended question, offering the possibility to write other tactics used by respondents besides the ones included in the survey. The research revealed that the most commonly used negotiation tactics are the Specific Argumentation Tactic, the Alternatives Tactic, and the Common Points Tactic. The following section offers a brief explanation of each of these tactics from a theoretical perspective, as well as address the survey’s key findings (Fig. 5.4).

Fig. 5.4
A bar graph for the most used negotiation tactics. The highest value is 77.1 for specific argumentation tactics, followed by 76.3 for alternative tactics.

Top three most used negotiation tactics. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

5.4.1.1 The Specific Argumentation Tactic and Its Correlation with Gender

The Specific Argumentation tactic consists in arguing in detail about a fact, product or service with the aim of increasing the persuasion, clarity, and credibility in the eyes of the opponent. Its focus is on convincing the other party by using specific arguments. This tactic relies on the idea that through specific arguments, the negotiator is perceived as an expert in the field, offering the opponent a sense of security, trust and credibility.

According to the survey, the specific argumentation tactic is the first most used negotiation tactic in professional activities. Over 77% of the respondents indicated the specific argumentation tactic as a frequently used negotiation tactic in their professional activity, while only a 5% of the respondents have never used this tactic (Fig. 5.5).

Fig. 5.5
A comparison bar graph for the specific argumentation trade. The total bar for the many times responses has the highest value of approximately 90.

The specific argumentation tactic. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

p = 0.663 > 0.05 there is no significant link between gender and the technique of negotiating specific arguments.

A possible correlation between the respondents’ gender and the preference for a type of negotiation tactic was explored using the Chi-Square Test. The results show that the majority were men, with 60% of the total respondents who used the specific argumentation tactic once or more frequently. However, a statistically significant relationship between the respondents’ gender and the preference for this type of tactic has not been confirmed.

5.4.1.2 The Alternatives Tactic and Its Correlation with Gender

In the Alternatives Tactic the opponent is given the possibility to choose between two or maximum of three options, which simplifies the decision-making process. It is especially useful when the negotiator needs a swift and clear answer to the offer. It is considered to be slightly aggressive as it gives the other party the only possibility to make a choice between the determined options, thus avoiding asking the opponent whether he really wants or needs any of those options (Prutianu, 2000: 101). It should be applied to negotiations with indecisive opponents and only where there is a well-organised plan and the two or three alternatives are clear (Rujoiu, 2011, 124–126).

Respondents to the survey indicated the Alternatives Tactic as the second most used negotiation tactic in their professional activity. Nearly 76% of respondents frequently used it. In terms of preference for the Alternatives Tactic, the Chi-Square Test demonstrates that it is not significantly correlated to the gender of respondents. Notwithstanding, 42% of respondents who used this tactic once or more frequently were women (Fig. 5.6).

Fig. 5.6
A comparison bar graph for the alternative tactic. The total bar for the many time's responses has the highest value of approximately 90.

The alternative tactic. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

With p = 0.266 > 0.05 there is no significant link between gender and the technique of negotiating alternatives.

5.4.1.3 The Common Points Tactic and Its Correlation with Gender

The Common Points Tactic differs from the other two, as from the very beginning it seeks to create a cooperation climate for the parties. The philosophy behind the tactic is that it is more likely for the negotiations to continue when parties find common points in the early stages. It is usually applied to win-win negotiations, when reaching an agreement is important, or when the opponent is difficult to approach. The Common Points Tactic is found on the principle that an optimal solution must be found to overcome each obstacle that intervenes during the course of negotiation (Coman, 2019, 145–147).

The Common Points Tactic is also in the negotiators’ top preferences when it comes to tactics. Ranked as the third most used tactic, the results of the survey show that 74% of respondents frequently used the common points tactic. The ratio of men and women using this tactic is similar, with a majority of 60% being men. Despite this percentage, the Chi-Square test shows that the preference for this tactic it is not significantly correlated with gender (Fig. 5.7).

Fig. 5.7
A comparison bar graph for the points of understanding technique. The total bar for the many times response has the highest value, around 90.

The Points of understanding technique. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

As p = 0.638 > 0.05 there is no significant link between gender and the point negotiation technique.

5.4.2 Does the Workplace Play a Significant Role in Using Negotiation Tactics?

The research also examined the role of the workplace in the usage of negotiation tactics. Thus, a potential relationship between the field of activity in which respondents work and the predilection for using the above-mentioned tactics was explored. The results of the study indicated the existence of a significant relationship between these two variables. Further, the results revealed that respondents working in the services sector, especially in tourism and consultancy or in the business sector are more likely to use the negotiation tactics than the ones working in the medical services, the accountability sector, and in the public administration (Fig. 5.8).

Fig. 5.8
A bar graph for the workplace and the frequency of use of negotiation techniques. The value of the services bar is the highest at 18%, and the value of the pharmaceutical is the lowest at 10%. Values are approximate.

Fields of activity and the frequency of use of negotiation techniques. (Source: Authors’ own processing based on the collected data)

Full size image

As the ANOVA test points towards Sig. = 0.023 < 0.05, there is a statistically significant link to a 95% confidence threshold between occupation (workplace) and the 10 negotiation techniques.

Flexibility at the workplace proved to be an important determining factor in using negotiation tactics more frequently. A person working in the economic field or in the services sector, more specifically in tourism and consultancy, enjoys greater flexibility in the way he may carry out his activity. Also, it is possible that people working in the economic field have been exposed to negotiation tactics during their studies so that they have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to be used later in their jobs. Tourism and consultancy involve negotiation. Clients have needs that must be met by the agency or by the consultant. It is not only the price but also the terms of the contract and many other aspects to negotiate upon. The specific circumstances of these fields offer the freedom to negotiate and to apply the right negotiation tactics, in order to reach the satisfaction of both parties. To be noted, it is not a specific job, but its nature which offers the employee greater flexibility, and encourages or even requires the usage of such negotiation tactics at the workplace.

Conversely, the medical services, the accountability sector, and the public administration demand more rigour. These are very well-regulated fields, with numerous protocols to follow. There is little room for negotiation, as deviation from the rules is usually sanctioned. It can be noted that the flexibility factor is minimal, discouraging employees from using negotiation tactics in their activity. Therefore, the lower rate of use of negotiation tactics in these areas is explained by the fact that these economic sectors create an austere environment for negotiation in general.

To a certain extent, considering the degree of flexibility offered by different fields, the results were predictable. It is true that the workplace influences the use of negotiation tactics, creating either a favourable environment or an austere environment for practicing negotiation tactics. Therefore, a significant relationship between the field of activity and the predilection for using the negotiation tactics was validated.

5.5 Final Remarks

“Negotiation is not a policy. It’s a technique. It’s something you use when it’s to your advantage, and something that you don’t use when it’s not to your advantage.” (John Bolton). With this in mind, the entire analysis started on the idea that negotiation is not just a simple bargain, but implies techniques or tactics, which can and should be learned during the academic path, and later used in the professional activity. The analysis has first determined the top three most used negotiation tactics. The results of the questionnaire are very similar (77%,76%, and 74%), thus the exact order of the three tactics may be debatable. However, it is an indisputable the fact that the Specific Argumentation Tactic, followed by the Alternatives Tactic and the Common Points Tactic are the top three most used negotiation tactics according to the performed research.

Further, the analysis looked into a possible correlation between the gender and the preference for each of the three negotiation tactics identified as the most used in professional activities. Overall, there was a slight discrepancy between the percentage of women and men who used these negotiation tactics. In all three cases, the percentage of men exceeded the percentage of women. A reason behind this ratio might be that the majority of 59% of respondents were men. Yet, a significant correlation between gender and the preference for negotiation tactics has not been confirmed. Taking into consideration these facts, gender does not significantly influence the preference for a negotiation tactic.

At the same time, the research examined whether the workplace has a significant role in using negotiation tactics. In this case, the results showed that the workplace is significantly correlated with the usage of negotiation tactics. The workplace influences the usage of negotiation tactics by creating a favourable or an austere environment for practicing negotiation tactics.

In the light of these considerations, although only one of the two tested variables (i.e. workplace) has been confirmed as significantly correlated with the usage of the negotiation tactics, it is no less true that both of them, the gender and workplace, to a certain extent may partly influence the way in which the negotiation tactics are used. Nevertheless, other factors such as education history or personality may play a more significant role in using the negotiation tactics more frequently, which could be a path to new research in the future.

As for the managerial implications of this study, it is important to mention that negotiation is a complex process, with serious implications in most areas of activity: social, economic, military, diplomatic, etc. Parties involved in negotiation projects have an intense need to improve their negotiation skills. We believe that the results of this scientific paper may influence especially the educational field. With this being said, our recommendation is that professional studies in any field related to negotiation be completed with the information brought by this research. At the same time, an adjustment of the academic curriculum in the field of negotiation is necessary.

It is also important to mention that through this research we have shown that there are different stereotypes related to negotiation, especially those related to gender differences. We believe in gender equality and that probably the most important practical implication of this research, applicable any time, for anyone, is that people should leave the misconception that men are better than women in negotiation.