| Course | NEG-7310 Negotiations |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 4 |
| Paper type | Discussion forum: initial response and two comments |
| Length | About 453 words |
| Format | Discussion post with APA 7 citations |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | Master of Business Administration |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NEG 7310 Module 4
Module 4 Discussion: Preparing to Renew the Shop Lease
Preparing to Renew the Shop Lease: A Planning Grid for Both Sides of the Table
Our five-year lease on a 12,000 square foot shop and warehouse ends in March. The landlord has signaled a 15 percent rent increase. Lewicki et al. (2011) stress that most negotiations are won or lost in preparation, and they set out planning steps: define the issues, assemble and prioritize them, understand interests, know one's alternatives and limits, set targets and openings, analyze the other party and plan the presentation and process. I built a grid for both sides. Malhotra and Bazerman (2007) advise negotiators to assess the other side's alternatives as carefully as their own, which is what the research on the landlord was for.
Researching the landlord changed my view of my own power. County records show he owns three buildings in the industrial park, and one has been vacant for eight months. Pinkley et al. (1994) found that negotiators with an attractive alternative obtain better outcomes, and that the effect depends on the other side knowing about it. So the Lakewood unit is only useful if the landlord believes we would move.
The process plan follows. I will open by confirming we want to stay, which addresses the landlord's interest in stability, then mention that we have toured Lakewood and share its price. I will propose a longer term in exchange for a lower rate, since a seven-year lease is worth more to him than a few dollars a foot. Repairs and yard space are trading issues: we can take on roof drain maintenance if he paves the yard. If he refuses any reduction, I will ask for three months of free rent instead, which costs him less than vacancy.
| Element | Our side | Landlord (estimated) |
|---|---|---|
| Issues | Rent, term, repairs, yard space, renewal option | Rent, term, tenant stability |
| Top priority | Rent and the fenced yard for vans | Avoiding vacancy |
| Interests | Predictable costs; staying near our customers | Steady income; low turnover costs |
| Best alternative | A 14,000 square foot unit in Lakewood at $13.25 a foot | Re-leasing, likely four to six months vacant |
| Resistance point | $13.50 a foot, current site | Unknown; vacancy costs about $55,000 |
| Target | $12.25 a foot, five years | 15 percent increase, to $13.80 |
| Opening | $11.75 a foot with a seven-year term | $13.80 a foot, three years |
Comment on Erin's Post
Erin, your job offer grid lists salary and start date, but not the employer's interests. What does the hiring manager need, perhaps a fast start, that you could give in return for more pay?
Comment on Victor's Post
Victor, your supplier's 9 percent price increase seems fixed. Have you researched whether the supplier is losing other customers? That might change your estimate of its resistance point.
References
Lewicki, R. J., Barry, B., & Saunders, D. M. (2011). Essentials of negotiation (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Malhotra, D., & Bazerman, M. H. (2007). Negotiation genius: How to overcome obstacles and achieve brilliant results at the bargaining table and beyond. Bantam.
Pinkley, R. L., Neale, M. A., & Bennett, R. J. (1994). The impact of alternatives to settlement in dyadic negotiation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 57(1), 97-116. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.1994.1006
NEG 7310 Module 4 instructions, in plain terms
The Module 4 forum covers planning and preparation, and it supports the live negotiation team project held in later synchronous sessions. Expect to prepare for an upcoming negotiation, or reconstruct the preparation for a past one, using the textbook's planning steps. Build a grid that covers your side and your estimate of the other party's. Explain what research you did on the other party and how it changed your plan. Reply to two classmates with suggestions that strengthen their preparation. Use this forum to rehearse the planning you will need for the live negotiation team project, which counts for 25 percent of the grade. Include a fallback, such as a different form of value, in case the other side refuses your main request.
Inside the NEG 7310 Module 4 example
The post opens with the situation and the textbook's planning steps. A grid sets out issues, priorities, interests, alternatives, resistance points, targets and openings for both sides. A paragraph explains how research on the landlord revealed vacancy costs, and research on alternatives explains why the other side must believe in our alternative. A paragraph plans the process, opening and trades. The replies suggest adding the other side's interests and researching a supplier's situation. The plan includes a fallback, free rent instead of a lower rate, that costs the landlord less than vacancy, and trading issues, roof drains for a paved yard, that give both sides something.
Reading the NEG 7310 Module 4 grading rubric
Mentors grade this forum on thorough use of the planning steps, analysis of both sides, support from the readings and research, and helpful replies. Posts that estimate the other party's interests and alternatives, rather than only their own, show the preparation the module teaches. Using research to plan what to disclose demonstrates strategic thinking. A clear grid makes the plan easy to evaluate, and replies that point out gaps in classmates' preparation add value. Including a fallback and trading issues shows that the plan anticipates resistance rather than assuming the opening will succeed. Linking the plan to research on alternatives makes the strategy defensible. Researching the other party's situation, as the post does with county records, shows effort a mentor will notice.
Common NEG 7310 Module 4 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Students lose points by planning only their own side, by setting targets without alternatives or by preparing goals but no process. Others fail to research the other party. Fill in a grid for both sides. Tie your resistance point to a real alternative. Research the other party's situation. Plan your opening and the trades you will offer. Plan a fallback and the trades you can offer, and decide in advance what you will reveal about your alternative and at what point. Rehearse your opening aloud before the meeting. A free first sample on your own NEG-7310 planning discussion is available on request.
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NEG 7310 Module 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NEG 7310 Module 4 sample paper?
A planning grid for renewing an HVAC contractor's shop lease, with two replies, is the discussion above.
What are the steps in planning a negotiation?
Define and prioritize issues, understand interests, know alternatives and limits, set targets and openings, analyze the other party and plan the process.
Why analyze the other party?
Its interests, alternatives and limits shape what agreement is possible and what to offer.
Does a strong alternative help if the other side does not know about it?
Research suggests its effect depends on the other side knowing and believing in it.
What is a planning grid?
A table listing issues, priorities, interests, alternatives, limits, targets and openings for each side.