Third, if you do have the opportunity to present your analysis to the real administration players, chances are that you will not be telling them anything they don't already know. Many of us chose to work in the academic world, because we love the pursuit of truth and the notion that human behavior can be governed by reason. We want to believe that the best argument wins a debate. Unfortunately, it is not. The best argument does not necessarily prevail in a negotiation.
Bargaining power does.
Contrary to the old adage, knowledge alone is not power when it comes to influencing management financial decisions. You need effective strategy to transform financial information into bargaining power. The tactical track will focus on how to convert financial information into power. Your union's mission, after all, whether or not you have won collective bargaining rights, is to develop the power to change institutional priorities. Often, administration will actually publish an official budget to prove its point.