BATNA & ZOPA Calculator

BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) is the pivot point of every negotiation. The ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement) shows whether a deal is possible at all.

Roger Fisher & William Ury Getting to Yes (1981)

The Harvard negotiation concept

"Getting to Yes" by Roger Fisher and William Ury (1981) revolutionized negotiation theory. Instead of haggling over positions, the Harvard concept focuses on interests: what do both sides really need?

Core concepts

  • BATNA — Your best alternative if the negotiation fails. The stronger your BATNA, the more negotiating power you have.
  • Reservation Point — The worst deal you'll still accept (= your BATNA value).
  • ZOPA — The zone between both reservation points. A deal is only possible here.
  • Interests vs. positions — Positions are what someone demands. Interests are what someone needs.

No deal without a ZOPA

If the BATNA values don't overlap, there is no zone of agreement — in which case "no deal" is the best outcome.

ZOPA Calculator

Enter values as numbers (e.g. salary in K, price in EUR, percent). The unit doesn't matter — it's about the relationship.

Your side

Other side (estimate)

Inspiriert von Roger Fisher & William Ury — Harvard Negotiation Project

Applied to

Weiterlesen

Trivia

  • "Getting to Yes" has been translated into 36 languages and sold over 15 million copies.
  • Roger Fisher was an advisor during the Camp David negotiations between Israel and Egypt.
  • William Ury negotiated with Hugo Chávez and helped end a civil war in Indonesia.
  • The third edition (2011) added Bruce Patton as a co-author.
  • The acronym BATNA is so widespread that it is now in the Oxford English Dictionary.