Boulwarism

Boulwarism is a negotiation tactic named after General Electric's former vice president Lemuel Boulware, who pioneered the strategy.

In negotiations with labor unions, it is an offer which is ultimate and to which no further revisions will be made. Before making the offer, the offering party will check all relevant details of the labor dispute, such as competitors' policy on similar problems and industry standards. It is commonly used to refer to "Take-it or Leave-it" bargaining tactics. According to Boulware, the position would be locked in, and would only be modified if new facts or considerations came to light. Events such as a strike were not considered to be a cause to change the 'rational solution' that was already proposed.