Article
Negotiation Journal

Howard Raiffa: The Art, Science, and Humanity of a Legendary Negotiation Analyst

Format:Print

Abstract

Rightly known as the “father of negotiation analysis,” Howard Raiffa was my thesis advisor, colleague, and friend for over 30 years. The bulk of this article develops an account of his intellectual trajectory from game theory to statistical decision theory to decision analysis and to negotiation analysis. It suggests how these superficially separate fields relate to each other and inform the theory and practice of negotiation. I intersperse this account with nuggets of insight that I picked up from Howard for dealing with people, analyzing problems, doing research, teaching effectively, and building a legacy.