The Walton and McKersie Model

The Walton and McKersie Model explains how employees and management negotiate workplace issues. It suggests there are different ways people respond to conflicts or disagreements, ranging from cooperative approaches like problem-solving to more confrontational ones like strikes or protests. The model outlines specific bargaining styles—such as integrative bargaining (finding mutual gains) and distributive bargaining (dividing limited resources)—to help understand and improve negotiations. Essentially, it provides a framework to analyze how workplace conflicts develop and how different strategies influence outcomes, encouraging more effective communication and resolution between workers and employers.