Training of Self-Reflection: an Artefact for Negotiation Support Systems

Negotiation effectiveness is a skill required especially in organisational contexts. To become an effective negotiator and to gain negotiation competence, practice is essential. In addition, reflection on the good and the bad of those negotiation processes is vital. In particular, to learn from mistakes and to learn from successes, negotiators need to receive feedback. Feedback must be accurate, targeted towards the negotiators, and purpose-driven to genuinely support training of negotiation effectiveness. Digital system support in the form of negotiation support systems (NSSs) can provide such support for self-reflection. Whilst NSSs document all the data of a negotiation process such as preferences, utilities, message, and concessions, the question as to which feedback elements using the rich negotiation data promote self-reflection remains unanswered. As yet, NSSs do not provide dedicated self-reflection elements. The present paper designs and evaluates seven feedback elements using a design science research approach. Four of these designed elements (namely TKI evaluation, behaviour evaluation, history graph, and feedback from the partner) can be shown to be useful in supporting participants to self-reflect on effectiveness in their concluded negotiations.