Negotiations occur in many different settings. We negotiate with family members, friends, and business associates. Negotiations happen so frequently that we often don't even realize when they occur.  Negotiations occur because people value things differently. 

People are not born with negotiation skills. They must be learned. We engage in many informal negotiations every day; however, in a business setting, more formal negotiations occur. In fact, negotiation is the norm for high value transactions.

We have seen that there are many factors at play in shaping behavior in the workplace. Nonetheless, the question remains: How is it that decent people can behave in an unethical manner in business?

Research suggests a number of reasons. The KPMG Forensic Survey polled a representative sample of American workers and found that pressure for results was the most often cited reason for misconduct. Another interesting finding from the KPMG survey was that only 34% of respondents said a desire for personal gain prompted unethical behavior.