Productive Conflict: Negotiation as Implicit Coordination

This study uncovers the benefits of conflict through examining the functions, intergroup relationships, and symbolic significance of negotiation. Drawing from survey and ethnographic data in two teacher‐school board negotiations, the study reveals that bargaining serves a communication function of signaling potential problems, clarifying misunderstandings, and exchanging information. These functions surface indirectly through interaction patterns and subtle cues implicit in arguments, proposal exchanges, and examples. The productive nature of conflict in negotiation also hinges on developing ties among and between teams, constituents, and publics.