International Negotiations

International Negotiations Trainer’s Notes © Cambridge University Press 2012

www.cambridge.org/elt/internationalnegotiations

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59

Professional English

International 

Negotiations

Trainer’s Notes

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2 

Trainees read the background information to find out why neither side has a BATNA.

Suggested answers

The waiter/waitress has no real BATNA because the customer could simply refuse to hand 

over a tip, in which case the waiter/waitress gets nothing. Similarly, the waiter/waitress 

could refuse to give back the half banknote, in which case the customer gets nothing. The 

main variable, the quality of the service, cannot be changed during the negotiation.

Make sure they all understand the word tip in this context, as well as phrases like to excuse 

yourself (= to leave a meeting, etc., in order to go to the toilet), the red carpet treatment 

(= treating somebody like a VIP – a very important person) and a flash of inspiration (= a good 

idea that comes to you suddenly). You could also point out that in many countries, a torn 

banknote can still be exchanged for a new note at a bank, as long as the two halves match.

Then distribute the feedback forms (see page 111 and 

www.cambridge.org/elt/

internationalnegotiations

) and go through them with the class so that everybody understands 

what they need to focus on during the negotiation. Divide the class into pairs and assign roles. 

Monitor carefully while trainees are reading their role cards and help with any problems.

Allow five to ten minutes for the negotiation. Monitor carefully for language and techniques 

used. At the end, trainees use the forms to give each other feedback. Then open up the 

discussion to include the whole class, focusing on the tactics that different trainees used 

during the negotiations and the outcomes reached. Finally, trainees read the commentary on 

pages 71 and 72 to see how well they did. Discuss the commentary with the class.

If you have an odd number of trainees, one trainee can observe the negotiations using the 

feedback form, and report back on the strengths and weaknesses of the negotiations.