Let's Make a Deal: Consumers, Negotiation and Telecommunications Pricing in Canada

Abstract

The aim of this study is to re-contextualize prior negotiation theory emanating from the field of communications in a unique contemporary setting. The research focuses on the Canadian residential telecommunications sector, where the dominant business model involves the use of a rather peculiar variable pricing strategy, which has compelled a proportion of consumers to adopt competitive negotiation strategies. Through a series of three focus groups, the project gleans insight into the participants’ experiences and perceptions of the telecommunications procurement process. Based on prior theoretical assumptions and on this original research, the study tests the appropriateness of descriptive phase models of negotiation in the Canadian telecommunications industry, providing a new dimension to the nascent body of academic research in this area.