Does it matter what we drink, or where we drink, or that we drink together? The impact of social interactions on negotiation performance now and in the future

Abstract: Lots of negotiations take place after a time dedicated to social interaction. Businessmen, salespeople, and diplomats may offer breakfast, luncheon, or a cocktail to their negotiation partners, with the idea of establishing rapport and/or offering a relaxing moment ahead of formal negotiation work. Within such social interactions, what drives rapport creation appears unclear: is it the time invested in mingling? Or the comfortable environment (a restaurant or a business lounge)? Could it be the fact that alcohol is offered, or consumed? Or would other drinks, like coffee, also establish rapport? To answer these questions, we designed a lab-in-the-field controlled experiment that allows us to distinguish the effect of these different factors on negotiation.

Keywords: Negotiation, Wine, Rapport