Asymmetric negotiation
Asymmetric negotiation is an influence that occurs between counterparts of significantly different sizes as measured by the parties’ relative resources and clout in a particular context. The context for these negotiations or conflicts can range from mergers & acquisitions and international trade deals, to hostage-takings and initiating change at a local school board. A larger party in one context can be a smaller party in another. For instance, a US corporation may be a much larger buyer in an asymmetric negotiation with a North American supplier, while reduced to being a relatively small player overseas in negotiations with  the European Union where it has fewer resources and less clout. Just as in asymmetric warfare, research has shown that smaller players can prevail in getting what they want from much larger players by applying distinct approaches, strategies and tactics that increase their odds of success. This specific form of negotiation contrasts with symmetrical or standard negotiations where the parties are more similar in size. History. Given the growing number of large corporations and government entities worldwide, and the corresponding growth in asymmetric negotiations, this phenomenon has received increasing attention in recent decades, with numerous journalists and academics addressing the  subject in articles and journals. International negotiator Peter D. Johnston’s book "Negotiating with Giants" provides an in-depth survey of “size-imbalanced” negotiations. In this 2008 book, Johnston studied more than 100 negotiations from across history to the present day, where smaller players got what they wanted from much larger players, with the author identifying unique strategies that worked for these “Davids” in their negotiations with wide-ranging giants or “Goliaths.” Asymmetric strategies for smaller players. According to Johnston, successful smaller players should change the game on their larger counterparts by using seven distinct approaches given the unique challenges  they face in asymmetric negotiations: