Mock Labor Relations and a Group Rawlsian Experiment (Economic EDUCATION ARTICLES‪)‬

ABSTRACT Recent contributions to the contract negotiations literature suggest that ultimate contract success is determined by whether the settlement fosters a positive relationship between the parties. Given the adversarial nature of the conventional negotiation process, obtaining an optimal outcome may be difficult. An alternative to the adversarial process is found in the work of Rawls who argues that a just outcome is most likely obtained when individuals choose from behind a veil of ignorance, a situation in which participants negotiate without knowing their future position. The purpose of this research is to test the value of negotiation from behind a veil of ignorance.