| Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, Oct, 2011, pp. 513-532 @2011 Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences Is the Destabilization of the Cournot Equilibrium a Good Business Strategy in Cournot-Puu Duopoly? Abstract: It is generally acknowledged that the medium influences the way we communicate
and negotiation research directs considerable attention to the impact of different
electronic communication modes on the negotiation process and outcomes. Complexity
theories offer models and methods that allow the investigation of how pattern and
temporal sequences unfold over time in negotiation interactions. By focusing on the
dynamic and interactive quality of negotiations as well as the information, choice,
and uncertainty contained in the negotiation process, the complexity perspective
addresses several issues of central interest in classical negotiation research. In
the present study we compare the complexity of the negotiation communication process
among synchronous and asynchronous negotiations (IM vs. e-mail) as well as an electronic
negotiation support system including a decision support system (DSS). For this purpose,
transcripts of 145 negotiations have been coded and analyzed with the Shannon entropy
and the grammar complexity. Our results show that negotiating asynchronically via e-mail
as well as including a DSS significantly reduces the complexity of the negotiation process.
Furthermore, a reduction of the complexity increases the probability of reaching an agreement. Keywords: duopoly, oligopoly, topological chaos, ergodic theory, invariant measures |