The Contract Negotiation Handbook: An Indispensable Guide for Contract Professionals (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Many books have been written on negotiation tactics and a few books have been written on contract drafting, but no book has combined the two disciplines into one-until now. Resulting from over 10 years of actual negotiation experience as both buyer and seller, author Stephen Guth offers insight into a world of negotiations and contracts that few ever see. This book isn't a feel-good book on win-win negotiations. It's an insider's view into real life negotiation tactics and ploys. Readers will learn how to use negotiation tactics such as the Columbo, the Price Slice and Dice, and the Signature Limit Lasso. Readers will also learn how to spot and counter vendor ploys such as the Pop-Tart, Mirroring, and the Only Game in Town. To put it all together, readers are instructed on contract drafting tricks such as Expressly Implied Warranties, the Endless Indemnification, and the Unlimited Limitation of Liability. Readers will never look at contracts the same way again.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Lulu.com (December 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435706390
• ISBN-13: 978-1435706392
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #150,507 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for purchasing professionals everywhere!, August 8, 2008

By	Carrie Norris (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow! The negotiation techniques described in this book are really powerful. In one section, the book explains negotiation techniques used by suppliers (what the author calls ploys), describes how to spot them, why they work, and how to counter the ploys. I've seen a lot of the ploys described in the book in action and now I have the tools to be a more effective negotiator for my company. In another section, the book describes techniques used by buyers (called tactics), how to use the tactics, and why they work. The other great thing about this book is that it breaks down legal mumbo-jumbo, like the parole evidence rule and indemnification into understandable concepts. I especially recommend this book to people that are responsible for purchasing.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I hope you don't have one the next time we meet across the negotiation table., March 10, 2008

By	Jeffrey I. Gordon "Negotiator" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

[Disclaimer: I'm Stephen's friend and we talk frequently about these topics.]

The simple truth is that there aren't that many good resources available for people who negotiate contracts, and virtually none of them are written for someone who is a contract professional and sees vendor ploys on a consistent basis. This would seem to not necessarily be a huge deal - you wouldn't think that a negotiation handbook would need to be written to that specific of an audience.

Contract professionals, however, are in a really strange position. We tend to see these ploys so many times and in so many forms that it is sometimes hard to catch the nuances. In other words, we become SO immersed in the shades of gray that we can't tell which shade is lighter or darker.

Stephen's book delineates each shade of gray. He takes each ploy, breaks it down to its component parts and explains the mechanisms by which it works (and how to counter it). Then he turns the tables to discuss buyer tactics and their operation.

Additionally, the Contract Negotiation Handbook covers specific language negotiation on several key contractual terms - which very few other publications even attempt. Lastly, Stephen reviews methods by which you can measure negotiation performance, in essence giving the reader the ability to measure the results of putting the Contract Negotiation Handbook's advice into practice!

Overall, this book more than makes good on its promise of being indispensable. I hope you don't have one the next time we meet across the negotiation table.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, April 15, 2009

By	Joan Evans (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

A must read! Great explanations and samples!!

The author truly has "been there, done that." It is primarily written from the client's perspective, however much may be gleaned from the vendor's side as to what the other side wants.

I am a contract administrator and am very pleased with this book.