{
  "title": "Conflict management: does the first proposal dictate the agreement?",
  "url": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-du-conflit-premiere-proposition-ancrage-en",
  "language": "en",
  "datePublished": "2025-12-16",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "SHR — Swiss Human Resources",
    "url": "https://www.shr.swiss",
    "address": "Esplanade de Pont-Rouge 9A, 1212 Lancy, Suisse"
  },
  "summary": "An opening proposal does more than start a discussion: it can set its reference point. Research suggests distinguishing that starting point from a defensible basis for settlement.",
  "section": "Research",
  "topic": "Conflict Management",
  "place": {
    "name": "Fribourg",
    "region": "Fribourg",
    "country": "CH"
  },
  "keyPoints": [
    {
      "heading": "What the literature establishes",
      "point": "Adam Galinsky and Thomas Mussweiler (2001, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) showed in experimental negotiations that first offers influence final agreements and can benefit the person making them."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The mechanism: adjusting without really leaving the starting point",
      "point": "Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman (1974, Science) describe anchoring: an estimate can remain influenced by an initial value, even when that value is arbitrary."
    },
    {
      "heading": "The premature conclusion",
      "point": "One might conclude that the best approach is always to make the first demand and make it as ambitious as possible."
    },
    {
      "heading": "What the evidence cannot guarantee",
      "point": "Experimental negotiations do not capture the full complexity of workplace conflict: shared history, hierarchical dependence and safety obligations can change the situation."
    },
    {
      "heading": "A practical check in Fribourg",
      "point": "Within SHR's “Conflict Management” programme, an exercise could start with a disagreement over an agri-food delivery deadline, production capacity in bilingual industry or access to shared equipment in Fribourg's university sector."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "authors": "Mussweiler",
      "year": "2001",
      "source": "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology"
    },
    {
      "authors": "Kahneman",
      "year": "1974",
      "source": "Science"
    }
  ],
  "wordCount": 424,
  "image": "https://www.shr.swiss/img/blog-editorial-2025-12-16-en.jpg?v=4",
  "translations": {
    "fr": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-du-conflit-premiere-proposition-ancrage",
    "en": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-du-conflit-premiere-proposition-ancrage-en",
    "de": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-du-conflit-premiere-proposition-ancrage-de",
    "it": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog/gestion-du-conflit-premiere-proposition-ancrage-it"
  },
  "relatedPages": {
    "programme": "https://www.shr.swiss/formation/gestion-du-conflit/fribourg",
    "city": "https://www.shr.swiss/formations-ville/fribourg",
    "blog": "https://www.shr.swiss/blog"
  },
  "citationPolicy": "Citation autorisée avec mention « SHR — Swiss Human Resources » et lien vers l'article."
}