The Program on Negotiation (PON) serves a unique role in the world negotiation community. As a dynamic, interdisciplinary research center dedicated to improving the theory and practice of negotiation and dispute resolution, PON draws from numerous fields of study, including law, business, government, psychology, economics, anthropology, the arts, and education.
Founded in 1983 and based at Harvard Law School, PON is a consortium of faculty and students from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, and other Boston-area schools. Today PON is a vibrant and expanding community working collaboratively on a wide range of projects, including developing and publishing new material for negotiation education, sharing ideas with colleagues around the world, and increasing the awareness of best practices.
In all projects and activities, PON focuses on creating innovative ways to:
- Encourage new thinking in negotiation theory
- Serve the mission of PON’s consortium schools to help prepare graduates to assume leadership roles in the world community
- Nurture the next generation of negotiation teachers and scholars
- Provide a forum for the discussion of ideas and practices
- Increase public awareness of successful conflict resolution processes and
- Connect the discussion of conflict resolution with current events and real-world contexts
