Common Negotiation Challenges, cont.
Second Strike Over Contract Avoided at San Diego City Schools
Issue
In February 1996, the San Diego Teachers Association (SDTA) went on a five-day strike. Afterward, union officials and district leaders announced a settlement that ended the threat of labor action but not the lingering hostility. The strike and its aftermath strained relationships at district and school site levels…
Biotech Negotiates Successfully at FDA
Business Issue
The Regulatory Affairs Department at one of the largest and most successful biotechnology companies in the world faced a multitude of negotiation challenges. Regulatory Affairs staff were charged with coordinating the activities of cross-functional teams that research and develop therapeutics, test them, and usher them through the rigorous FDA approval process…
Global Sales Training at Tripwire, Inc. Rated “Best Ever”
Business Issue
Tripwire, a leading provider of data and network integrity software, needed to train a worldwide sales team selling in 15 countries. The team faced a number of negotiation challenges…
How a Global Leader in High Tech Won Crucial Business
Business Issue
A leading high tech firm was bidding for a crucial outsourcing contract offered by its client, a major automaker. Both global companies were in the Fortune 50 and competition for this business included some of the world's best-known tech firms…
When You Need a Consistent Approach for Deals
Business Issue
Vice Presidents at one of the foremost global IT consulting firms brought us their negotiation challenges and a goal of implementing a consistent negotiation approach for the firm's entire consulting staff. The firm had undergone an international merger, and these VPs identified negotiation as a core competency for the new organization…
Publishing Company Seeks to Recoup Money and Value Left on the Table
Business Issue
In early 2007, one of the largest US magazine publishing companies faced eroding profits in a shrinking market. Competitors were able to target more customer demographics due to quicker transitions to internet marketing & sales approaches, and more specific niche titles. The publishing company was playing catch up in creating web portals for its titles to increase web advertising and generating more sophisticated subscriber data to allow for more targeted marketing of customers…
Global Leader Improved Their Gross Margin
Business Issue
A medical equipment division of one of the world's largest publicly traded medical products companies needed to improve its gross margin. After completing an analysis of the business issues, executives concluded that one of the areas responsible for the decline was the sales team. While the sales team was highly skilled in the capital product they sold and had an impressive record of past sales successes, over the past few years the market had begun to mature…