THE INFLUENCE OF NEGOTIATOR PREFERENCE ON IMPASSE PROCEDURE CHOICE: THEORY AND EVIDENCE
Abstract
This dissertation represents an investigation of the use of impasse resolution procedures in the public sector bargaining system. In particular, it focuses on two facets of the procedures: first, the investigation of individual negotiator peceptual structures of attributes commonly linked with impasse procedures and second, the influence of an individual negotiator's preferences for these procedures on the final choice decision. Three separate analyses were performed on a set of data collected from Indiana school district negotiators (union and mangement). First, perceptions of negotiators concerning a stated set of characteristics were analyzed using discriminant analysis in order to investigate the perceived differences in procedures. Second, these perceived qualities were used to construct a multi-attribute utility model of the five impasse procedures. Finally, a choice model of impasse procedure was constructed based on the work of Kochan and Baderschneider (1978). The results of this three-part investigation lead to the following conclusions. Given a set of attributes, union and management negotiators perceive mediation, factfinding, and voluntary interest arbitration as being very similar procedures. Compulsory interest arbitration and strikes are perceived as being different from each other as well as the other three procedures. Union and management representatives rank the procedures in an identical order: (1) mediation, (2) factfinding, (3) voluntary interest arbitration, (4) compulsory interest arbitration, and (5) strikes. Neither union nor management negotiators utilize a consistent set of attributes when evaluating their preferences for impasse procedures. The attributes hypothesized to be important in the preference decision were used most often by management negotiators. These attributes explain little of the variance in union negotiators' preference for impasse procedures. Prior use of an impasse procedure is no longer a significant variable for explaining current use of an impasse procedure once preference variables are introduced into a choice model. This finding enhances understanding of the true nature of the "narcotic" effect. The addition of preference variables to the Kochan-Baderschneider model contribute additional predictive power to the model.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Business community
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.