Negotiation as paradox: macro and micro foundations

The following is an extended abstract of a conceptual paper based on a literature review. The negotiation process is rife with tensions. Within the past decade, organizational paradox theory has emerged as a lens for examining tensions across contexts. This article reviews the organizational paradox theory literature and applies key concepts and frameworks from the literature to the negotiation context. The article discusses how to apply a paradox lens to the study of negotiations, focusing on three specific macro-level theories (inherent tensions, the latency and salience of tensions and the nestedness of tensions), two specific micro-level theories (paradox mindset and microfoundational interactions), and one multi-level theory on culture. The article then discusses how the literature on negotiations informs organizational paradox theory. Finally, the article concludes with recommendations for future research on negotiations and paradoxes.