Seven Secrets for Negotiating with Government: How to Deal with Local, State, National, or Foreign Governments—and Come Out Ahead

Preface

The purpose of this book is to help you succeed in your dealings

with governments. It is based on three fundamental propositions.

First, the primary method for individuals and organizations to deal

with governments is negotiation. Second, negotiations with gov-

ernments are different from other kinds of negotiations. Third,

despite vast differences in cultures and political systems, all gov-

ernments—local, state, national, and foreign—perceive and con-

duct negotiations in similar ways. This book takes the view that

negotiating with governments, a vital and virtually constant task

for most organizations and many individuals today, constitutes a

distinct type of negotiation that demands special skills, techniques,

and strategies.

A government