Withdrawal Signals in Negotiation

Withdrawal from negotiation is defined as the situation when a negotiator loses interest to continue a negotiation. Its detrimental effect on the negotiation is obvious as the chance of having a negotiated settlement is rather slim once withdrawal occurs. Through an in-depth anecdotal longitudinal analysis of wages negotiations between the Hong Kong Construction Industry Bar-bending Workers Union (CIB-BWU) and the Hong Kong Bar-Bending Contractors Association (BCA), several withdrawal symptoms were identified. Among them, three were found to be powerful detectors of withdrawal. Firstly, ultimate withdrawal was found to be preceded by a series of dysfunctional behaviors. In the steel bender negotiation case, CIB-BWU refused to work overtime to press for concession. This served as an ultimatum before withdrawal. Secondly, divergent view among the fractions within the CIB-BWU because of the differences in their respective demand was another major factor that had led to withdrawal. Thirdly, slowing down of negotiation process was also found to be a prelude of withdrawal because it represents a state of insufficiency or slow progress. These three cues are analogous to the concept of catastrophe flags as proposed by Gilmore’s (1981) work in explaining catastrophic phenomena. This paper aims to extend this analogy and conceptualization in construction dispute negotiation (CDN).