It is always amazing to see how wide a spectrum of results can be obtained from replicating an identical negotiation with different principal actors; it makes no difference whether there subjects are inexperienced or whether they are senior executives and young presidents of business firms. That is an important lesson to be learned here.

The need is not for the creation of new analytical techniques specially designed for the negotiation process, but rather for the creative use of analytical thinking that exploits existing techniques.

A mediator is an impartial outsider who tries to aid the negotiators in their quest to find a compromise agreement.

Final-offer arbitration should have great appeal for the daring (the risk seekers) who play against the timid (the risk avoiders).

Game theory, however, deals only with the way in which ultrasmart, all knowing people should behave in competitive situations, and has little to say to Mr. X as he confronts the morass of his problem.

A lot depends on the starting point.

There is no shortage of disputes.