The Program on Negotiation (PON)
Harvard University is of course the oldest and one of the most renowned universities in the United States. But especially in the field of negotiation, this Harvard has won renown for its original research building on the Getting to Yes idea. Much of the work at Harvard in this field is spearheaded by “PON”, the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
The Program on Negotiation was founded in 1983 as a collaboration between Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University, with the stated aim of further developing the theory and practice of negotiation and problem-solving in the field of conflict resolution. PON offerings include conferences, seminars, research projects, publications, film series, and of course the annual showcasing of a “Great Negotiator”.
These professionals regard negotiation as, simultaneously, both an art and a science. More nuanced observations from various perspectives – including law, business, the public sector, psychology, anthropology, the arts or education – have enabled PON’s academics and practitioners to develop an ever more sophisticated understanding of negotiation and mediation.