A judge ruled last month that Apple violated antitrust laws in conspiring with some of the largest book publishers to fix e-book prices. While Apple continues to fight the allegations, there is a lot to be learned from the released e-mail exchange between Steve Jobs and James Murdoch. The e-mails had an important role in the lawsuit, but they also provide an savvy high-stakes negotiation between the leaders of two powerful firms.
Eric Sherman writer for Inc.com, reviews the series of e-mails and the negotiation principles used to create the best conditions for winning.
“A series of emails about ebook prices between Apple and HarperCollins, including ones written by Steve Jobs, were recently released as part of the Department of Justice price-fixing suit against Apple and a number of major publishers. As the site Quartz pointed out, these offer some great insight into how Jobs negotiated.
However, Zachary Seward at Quartz called it an example of “hard-nosed” negotiation at which Jobs excelled. I’d take a different view. This is not hard-nosed. The emails show how an excellent negotiator used a series of principles to create the best conditions for winning. Let’s look in greater detail at the exchange between Steve Jobs and James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and the ultimate decision maker, and see how Jobs ultimately got his way.”
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