Shape the Game 133
of becoming a WTO member and so not yet involved.) Some-
what discouraged, Paul and the team went back to the drawing
board.
Establishing the Agenda
The next step was to rethink the agenda they were trying to
accomplish. Deciding what agenda to purse is equivalent to ask-
ing, Which issues will be negotiated, and which will be set aside?
Will the agenda be broad and comprehensive, or will it focus on
a narrow set of issues?
How the agenda is defined will have a major impact on what
coalitions can be built and sustained. The broader the agenda,
the more parties will see the potential to advance their interests.
But of course, there is a downside; if the agenda is too broad, it
may become intractable. In addition, it’s possible to “overbuild” ...