International Negotiations

1 

In the first extract, how many times did she back her opponent into a corner?

2 

In the second extract, what three phrases does she use to highlight the benefits of her 

plan?

3 

In the third extract, in what way has the man changed his story?

4 

In the fourth extract, what phrase does she use to hide her own opinion? How does 

she make her boss think it’s his idea?

5 

In the final extract, what phrases does the woman use to try to recover the situation?

Answers

1  Three times: So, basically, that’s your final offer?; It’s take it or leave it?; It’s not 

negotiable?

2  I’m not asking you to compromise; The way I see it, you’d actually be gaining; You 

can’t lose really.

3  First he said he had to stay within a budget; later he said there might be some 

flexibility there.

4  She hides her opinion with double negatives: I’m not convinced we couldn’t do as well 

ourselves. This is much less direct than the simpler alternative: I’m convinced we could 

do as well ourselves. She uses the phrase Why didn’t I think of that? to flatter her boss 

and make him think it was his idea.

5  Perhaps I was a bit hasty; Maybe we can sort something out.

7 

Distribute the feedback forms (see page 111 and 

www.cambridge.org/elt/

internationalnegotiations

) and go through them so that everyone knows what to focus on. 

Divide the class into groups of three and allocate roles. Make sure they know that a different 

person should monitor in each situation.

Allow at least five minutes per role play for trainees to read the role cards on pages 102 and 

103 and prepare for each negotiation. In each case, the observer should read both role cards. 

Monitor carefully to make sure everyone fully understands everything on their role cards.

Allow around ten minutes for each role play. Monitor carefully for language and the 

effectiveness of the techniques from this module. After each role play, the observer in each 

group should give feedback using the form.

Background note

Factoring (Negotiation 2) involves selling your accounts receivable (= the money that your 

customers owe to you) at a discount, often to a factoring agency. See 

http://dictionary.

cambridge.org/dictionary/business-english/factoring?q=factoring

.

If you don’t have a multiple of three trainees, the role plays will also work without an observer, 

so you could have one or two groups of two.

8 

Discuss the three situations in the class, including the solutions that were found and the 

techniques that were used. Finally, tell trainees to read the three suggested solutions in the 

commentary to exercise 7 on pages 78 and 79. Discuss the suggested solutions with the 

class, including whether any of the trainees found similar solutions.