Anatomy of Strategy Adaptations: Analyzing Interaction Patterns in Negotiations

Abstract: Strategy adaptations, a negotiator’s intrapersonal shift between integrative and distributive strategies, play a central role in shaping negotiation dynamics and outcomes, yet little is known about the interaction patterns surrounding them. This study examines what opponent behaviors precede and succeed strategy adaptations and how these behaviors vary across phases and adaptation cues. Based on lag sequential analysis of 134 dyadic, multi-issue negotiations, our findings show that strategy adaptations are surrounded by identifiable interaction patterns in both preceding and subsequent opponent behaviors. Adaptations mostly involve single transitions and often trigger reciprocal responses from the opponent. Patterns differ across negotiation phases, with early adaptations triggering value creation responses and later ones triggering value claiming responses. Finally, adaptation cues mattered. When adaptations followed content cues, opponents were more likely to respond with behaviors from a different strategic orientation, whereas opponent-cued adaptations were typically followed by behaviors within the same orientation.

Keywords: Interaction Pattern; Strategy Adaptations; Integrative Strategies; Distributive Strategies; Structural Sequences