Pass the CIPS CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply L5M15 Questions and answers with CertsForce

Negotiation is defined by CIPS as a structured process between two or more parties aiming to reach amutually acceptable agreement. While improving value or terms is often a goal, the essence of negotiation is achieving agreement, not victory over the other side.

Pull tactics engage, involve, and motivate others (e.g., inspiring with vision, inviting joint problem-solving, exploring interests). Push tactics rely on directing, arguing, or asserting with facts and logic. Thus “inspiring” and “negotiating” are pull; “rationalising” and “asserting” are push.

CIPS distinguishes betweenhonestyandopenness. Negotiators must always acthonestly(ethical integrity), butopenness—disclosing all information—can weaken your position. The key is to balance transparency with confidentiality and strategic discretion.

Positional bargaining starts with fixed opening stances and trades concessions from those stances. This often reduces flexibility and can make participants defensive or entrenched, inhibiting creativity and joint problem-solving.

Meredith Belbin’s research found that high-performing teams have a balanced mix of complementary roles rather than simply highly skilled individuals. The nine Belbin roles (e.g., Plant, Coordinator, Implementer, Completer Finisher) reflect diverse strengths that, when combined, improve overall team performance.

Power distancegauges how cultures accept unequal power distribution and hierarchy—key to planning authority lines, escalation, and decision-making in cross-cultural negotiations.

Rationalisingbelongs to thepush influencing style. It uses logic, facts, and evidence to convince others, leveraging authority or data. It contrasts withpull techniquessuch as inspiring and consulting, which engage others collaboratively.

Primary datais original information gathered firsthand for a specific purpose—such as surveys, interviews, or focus groups. By contrast,secondary datacomes from existing sources. A survey, therefore, is an appropriate primary data-gathering tool.

Push tactics emphasise advocacy: using facts, logic, and directive communication to move others. They can deliver short-term compliance and clarity but may limit ownership/commitment compared with pull tactics, which are more involving and collaborative.

Underexploitative authoritativemanagement (Rensis Likert model), leaders rely onfear and punishmentto control subordinates. Communication is top-down and trust is minimal—contrasting with participative or consultative styles.