Abstract: Each project proceeds through a typical cycle of stages from pre-planning to post project evaluating. During and between these stages, problems and changes are encountered and decisions must be made on solutions so the project can proceed. But because everyone on the project team comes from varying degrees of disciplines reflecting individual points of view, they express different ideas about decisions to make, and conflict usually results. This thesis paper proposes that the best type of decision-making on a project effectively merges a team's ideals into a comprehensive solution satisfying all parties involved. This can only be achieved through negotiated decision making. This thesis paper also presents various negotiating techniques useful to the Project Manager in leading the process as it is believed that the Project Manager must act as the leader of this process and thus must be an effective negotiator himself.

A downloadable pdf of this thesis can be obtained by clicking here. Appendix18 was missed in the scan so here it is (Appendix 17 was scanned twice by the print shop by accident). This thesis consists of a series of quotations and paraphrasings from a wide array of management literature (the source of each is denoted by footnote numbers within parantheses which can be looked up at the back of the thesis in the Reference section). As well one Canadian and one International project case study are presented with interesting quotations from audio taped interviews with Presidents, Project Managers, and Designers.