Mid Term Exam

Mid-Term Exam Instructions

Article for Review:

Read Ben & Jerry’s co-founder quits amid feud with parent company Unilever (September 25, 2025). Carefully analyze the issues raised in the article, which explores the negotiation conflict between Ben & Jerrys activist-minded board and Unilevers corporate leadership regarding business operations in Israeli settlements.

Questions:

Respond in detail to each of the following questions:

1. Negotiation Styles and Personality:
2. Drawing on Thompsons frameworks for understanding negotiation styles and personality, identify the distinct negotiation approaches exhibited by Ben & Jerrys board and Unilever in the conflict over selling products in Israeli settlements. How might differences in motivation and personality contribute to the escalation of their feud? Use examples from the article to support your answer.
3. Separating the People from the Problem:
4. Using Fisher’s principle of separating the people from the problem, analyze how the relationship between Ben & Jerrys founders and Unilever influenced the progression and public nature of their dispute. Give two concrete actions either party could have taken to separate interpersonal conflicts from the substantive business issue.
5. Dangers of Positional Bargaining:
6. According to Getting to Yes, why is bargaining over positions often counterproductive in contentious negotiations? Cite evidence from the Ben & JerrysUnilever case to illustrate the limitations of positional negotiation and how a focus on underlying interests could have facilitated a better outcome.
7. Emotional Management:
8. Thompson describes the importance of emotional management in contentious negotiations. Reflecting on Jerry Greenfields public statements and activism, evaluate how emotional displays affected the negotiation process and the broader stakeholder response. What strategies from Mind and Heart of the Negotiator chapter 5 could have helped moderate these effects?
9. Inventing Options for Mutual Gain:
10. Getting to Yes emphasizes inventing options for mutual gain. Propose two creative solutions that Ben & Jerrys board and Unilever might have considered to reconcile their differences while advancing both parties interests in social responsibility and corporate profitability. Justify your options with concepts from the assigned readings.

Submission Requirements:

• Your responses must be thorough and provide detailed, well-reasoned explanations for each question as well as supporting evidence.
• Submit your exam answers in correct APA format, including in-text citations as appropriate.
• Include a references section at the end of your submission with all works cited, in proper APA style.
• Organize your responses clearly, numbering each answer to match the questions above.

Academic Integrity:

Ensure all work is your own and that you cite all sources used per APA guidelines. Failure to do so may result in academic penalties.

Article:

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder quits amid feud with parent company Unilever

September 25, 2025 Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder and “brand ambassador” of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, quit his position in September 2025 after a public feud with parent company Unilever. The disagreement centered on the company’s handling of the conflict in the Gaza Strip and its decision to sell its products in Israeli settlements.

The story traces back to July 2021 when the Ben & Jerry’s board, known for its social activism, announced it would stop selling its ice cream in the West Bank and Gaza. The board argued that selling the products there was “inconsistent with our values”.

However, the action caused a public rift with Unilever, which had acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 while agreeing to preserve the brand’s social mission and the independence of its board on matters related to its social integrity. The conflict escalated into legal challenges and shareholder activism.

Feud comes to a head

In July 2022, Unilever sold its Israeli business, including the rights to Ben & Jerry’s brand, to Avi Zinger, the local licensee, to bypass the board’s decision. This sparked outrage among the Ben & Jerry’s founders and its activist supporters.

In response, Greenfield publicly voiced his opposition to Unilever’s actions, accusing the corporation of prioritizing profits over social justice. “The reality is that businesses are incredibly political,” Greenfield stated. “The average business is using its money to influence elections, and they’re using their money and their lobbyists to influence legislation”.

Greenfield’s departure highlights the tension that can arise when a large, publicly traded corporation attempts to integrate and manage an activist-minded subsidiary. The incident has also raised questions about whether corporations will continue to bow to political pressure or if other leaders will follow Greenfield in reaffirming their commitment to social justice.

Note from client “These are sources we use” I don’t provide the reading because you can ask AI about these reading.

“References

Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in (3rd ed.). Penguin Books.

Thompson, L. (2020). The mind and heart of the negotiator (7th ed.). Pearson.

Ben & Jerrys co-founder quits amid feud with parent company Unilever. (2025, September 25).