Abstract

Theory defines negotiation as a continual interpersonal interactive process of decision making. Multilateral negotiations are differentiated from bilateral negotiations because of their wider size, bigger complexity and greater heterogeneity. Management studies relating to negotiations have focused mainly on the negotiation processes between companies, customers and suppliers, and industrial relations. Less investigated, however, are the negotiations involving two companies that design strategic paths of cooperation, especially regarding the effect of the intervention of outside (third) parties. The aim of this paper is to understand the role that the third who joins(a key stakeholder in this case) can play in multilateral negotiations in achieving integrative agreements, through the analysis of the case studies relating to the treaty put in place between Fiat and Chrysler to establish a strategic alliance in the automobile sector.