Your ground is my ground - The measurement of Common Ground in negotiations

Abstract: This study investigates the pivotal role of the existence of a common ground in negotiations and its underscoring influence on communication quality and negotiation outcomes. Proposing a Common Ground Scale adapted from Convertino (2008), the study explores the causal relationship between the existence of a common ground in negotiations and negotiation effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. A B2B negotiation case is employed to test the scale, revealing in a first step significant causal relationship between the common ground and the perceived effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. While successful in establishing a Common Ground Scale, the study acknowledges limitations in the simplicity of the negotiation case and plans a follow-up survey for further refinement.

Keywords: communication, negotiation, common ground