In integrative negotiation, how are resources viewed?

• A. It is fixed and distributable only once.
• B. Not relevant to the outcome.
• C. Value can be created and resources are not necessarily fixed.
• D. To maximize only one party's gain.

Answer: (C)

In integrative negotiation, resources are viewed as potentially expandable; value can be created and resources are not necessarily fixed. When multiple issues matter and interests aren’t perfectly aligned, you can design agreements that increase total value for both sides by making trade-offs that each party values differently. For example, one party may prioritize speed while the other prioritizes cost, and by combining concessions on several issues, both can end up better off than in a simple one-shot split.

This contrasts with a fixed-pie mindset, where the amount to be divided is assumed to be limited and the goal is to claim as much as possible. Seeing resources as not fixed opens the door to joint problem-solving and creative solutions that enlarge the overall gains. The other options imply that resources are unimportant, always fixed, or that the goal is to maximize one side’s gain, which doesn’t capture how integrative negotiation seeks mutually beneficial outcomes.