Paper Instructions: Midwestern Contemporary Art Case
Carefully read the Midwestern Contemporary Art case series (A & B) in your Reader. The case begins on page 673.
Prepare and submit responses to the following questions. As a guideline, responses should be brief — 1 paragraph or a maximum of 2 paragraphs for each question.
You are Peggy Fischer. You want to collect the $5M pledge from Peter Smith, and previous calls have gone unanswered. Your board wants to sue, but you would like to try some tactics to pressure the Smiths instead of going through with the lawsuit. You put together the following worksheet to help you plan out your influence tactics.
You can make the following assumptions in preparing this worksheet: a) you are able to reach and communicate with the Smiths, b) you are focusing on what to do now rather than what you could have done to avoid the situation, and c) if the MCA board decides to sue, it will be personally embarrassing to you, with a very public acknowledgement that you could not avoid the seaminess of a lawsuit.
Please type your answers below the questions.
1. What were the goals of an original negotiation? Even though you are planning to use influence tactics, you should outline your basic negotiation parameters.
a. What was your original BATNA? What was its value?
b. What were your superordinate goals?
c. What are your interests (as opposed to your position)?
d. What are some options for mutual gain?
2. Identify influence tactics: What influence tactics could you use on the Smiths?
3. Assess social power and network influence:
a. What power bases do you (as Peggy Fischer) have with regard to each of the Smiths?
Explain.
b. How might you (again as Peggy Fischer) draw on your personal network to influence each of the Smiths? Explain.
The following essays in your Reader will help you in understanding and completing this paper:
1.1 (Three Approaches to Resolving Disputes)
1.8 (Implementing a Collaborative Strategy)
2.8 (Where Does Power Come From)
2.9 (Harnessing the Science of Persuasion)
2.10 (The Six Channels of Persuasion)
3.10 (Can’t Beat Them? Then Join a Coalition…)
3.11 (Building and Maintaining Coalitions…)
6.1 (Doing Things Collaboratively)
6.7 (When and How to Use Third‐Party Help)
In addition, please see the table below for a primer on the differences between businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Also, below is a chart outlining potential arguments for and against litigation:
Submit your paper in Word or Pages format.
Your paper will be graded on: (1) the quality of its analysis; and (2) the quality of its writing. Demonstrate that you understand the subject matter. Demonstrate that you’ve thought clearly about it. Do not be sloppy in the construction of your sentences and paragraphs. Clarity, style and precision are highly valued.
