Abstract
Negotiation is a vital component of supply chain management, requiring both strategic thinking and emotional intelligence to navigate complex, high-stakes interactions. Traditional supply chain negotiation programs focus on tactical skills but often overlook the psychological challenges that can undermine negotiation performance. This conceptual paper proposes the integration of hypnotherapy—a psychological technique known for enhancing relaxation, focus, and behavioral change—into supply chain negotiation training. Drawing from literature in supply chain strategy, emotional intelligence, and clinical hypnotherapy, the paper presents a novel framework for applying hypnotherapy techniques such as guided relaxation and visualization during pre-negotiation preparation, active negotiation, and post-negotiation reflection. The potential benefits include improved emotional regulation, heightened mental clarity, and reduced cognitive biases, which together contribute to more effective and confident negotiations. While the paper acknowledges cultural and ethical considerations, particularly in Asian contexts, it argues that hypnotherapy offers a valuable tool for enhancing negotiation mastery in modern supply chain environments. Future empirical research is recommended to validate the proposed framework and assess its practical impact.
Keywords
- Supply Chain Negotiation Search this journal for Supply Chain Negotiation (opens in a new tab)
- Hypnotherapy Search this journal for Hypnotherapy (opens in a new tab)
- Emotional Intelligence Search this journal for Emotional Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
- Cognitive Bias Search this journal for Cognitive Bias (opens in a new tab)
- Emotional Regulation Search this journal for Emotional Regulation (opens in a new tab)
- Conceptual Framework Search this journal for Conceptual Framework (opens in a new tab)
- Stress Management Search this journal for Stress Management (opens in a new tab)
References
- Ali, S. N. R., Rajagopal, P., Sundram, V. P. K., Saihani, S. B., & Noranee, S. (2020). ERP system implementation in a leading LED manufacturing company in Malaysia: A supply chain perspective. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 9(2), 104.
- Barber, T. X. (2001). Hypnosis, imagination, and human potentialities. Springer Publishing.
- Bazerman, M. H., Curhan, J. R., & Moore, D. A. (2000). Negotiation. Annual Review of Psychology, 51(1), 279–314. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.51.1.279
- Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
- Handra, T., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2023). The effect of human resource information systems (HRIS) and artificial intelligence on defense industry performance. IAIC Transactions on Sustainable Digital Innovation (ITSDI), 4(2), 155–163.
- Hasan, S. S., & Vasant, D. H. (2023). The emerging new reality of hypnosis teletherapy: A major new mode of delivery of hypnotherapy and clinical hypnosis training. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 71(2), 317-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2023.1156344
- Hashim, D. H. (2012). Overview of the SME sector in Malaysia. SME Corp Malaysia.
- Ibrahim, I., Sundram, V. P. K., Omar, E. N., Yusoff, N., & Amer, A. (2017). The determinant factors of green practices adoption for logistics companies in Malaysia: A case study of PKT Logistics Group Sdn. Bhd. Journal of Emerging Economies & Islamic Research, 7(1), 1–10.
- Mayer, J. D., Caruso, D. R., & Salovey, P. (2016). Emotional intelligence: New ability or eclectic traits?. American Psychologist.
- Mkumbo, F. A. E., Ibrahim, A. R., Salleh, A. L., Sundram, V. P. K., & Atikah, S. B. (2019). The influence of supply chain practices and performance measurement practices on firm performance. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(3), 809–819.
- Muhammad, M. S. H., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2025). The impact of good citizenship dimension on supply chain sustainability. SMART Journal of Business Management Studies, 21(1), 26–37.
- Muhammad, M. S. H., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2025). The impact of good citizenship dimension on supply chain sustainability. SMART Journal of Business Management Studies, 21(1), 26–37.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Fathurahman, H., Ahmad, N. N., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Consumer perspectives on the sustainability of the Malaysian palm oil supply chain: Awareness, price sensitivity, and certification impacts. Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics (MAJCAFE), 33, 408–436.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Artificial intelligence-powered risk assessment in supply chain safety. Information Management and Business Review, 16(3S).
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Integrating resource-based theory and contingency theory for enhancing supply chain resilience in Malaysia: A post-pandemic analysis. Information Management and Business Review, 16(3S).
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., Sundram, V. P. K., Jayamani, U., & others. (2024). Optimizing working capital management in supply chain finance: A multi-dimensional approach. Information Management and Business Review, 16(2), 44–52.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Rui, F., Sundram, V. P. K., & Irwan, I. (2025). Transforming higher education through supply chain management in cultivating industry-ready talent. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Narayanan, N., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., Sundram, V. P. K., Jayamani, U., & others. (2024). Measuring the unmeasured: Exploring the concept of “supply chain quotient” (SCQ). Information Management and Business Review, 16(2), 36–43.
- Rasi, R. Z., Rakiman, U. S. R., Masrom, R. Z. R. M., Ratna, N., & others. (2022). A literature review on blockchain technology: Risk in supply chain management. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 50(1), 186–200.
- Razak, A. R. A., Othman, A. A., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2015). The relationships of human success factor, information technology, and procurement process coordination on operational performance in the building construction industry – A proposed framework. Procedia Economics and Finance, 31, 354–360.
- Rosendahl, J., Alldredge, C. T., & Haddenhorst, A. (2023). Meta-analytic evidence on the efficacy of hypnosis for mental and somatic health issues: A 20-year perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1330238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1330238
- Selvarajah, J, F. A. A., Krishnasamy, T., Sureshkumar, N., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., & others. (2025). Blockchain for transparency and trust in supply chains: A conceptual model. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Selvaraju, M., Bhatti, M. A., Sundram, V. P. K., & Azmir, S. (2019). The influence of critical success factors of Lean Six Sigma towards supply chain performance in the telecommunication industry, Malaysia. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(6), 1062–1068.
- Sivan, S., Anuar, R., Krishnasamy, T., Bahrin, A. S., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., & others. (2024). Integrating safety practices into the supply chain for sustainable development in Malaysia’s building construction sites. Information Management and Business Review, 16, 24–32.
- Sivan, S., Anuar, R., Krishnasamy, T., Bahrin, A. S., Sureshkumar, N., & others. (2024). Optimizing safety practices and culture: A comprehensive examination through perception surveys in Malaysia's logistics industry. Information Management and Business Review, 16(1), 33–38.
- Spiegel, D. (2007). Tranceformations: Hypnosis in brain and body. Cortex, 43(7), 1077-1081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2007.02.002
- Sundram, V. P. K., Ghapar, F., Lian, C. L., & Muhammad, A. (2023). Engaging Lean Six Sigma approach using DMAIC methodology for supply chain logistics recruitment improvement. Information Management and Business Review, 15(1), 46–53.
- Sundram, V. P. K., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Sureshkumar, N., & Irwan, I. (2025). The future of supply chain management in the era of Industry 6.0: A conceptual exploration. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Sundram, V. P. K., Rajagopal, P., Nur Atiqah, Z. A., Atikah, S. B., Appasamy, G., & others. (2018). Supply chain responsiveness in an Asian global electronic manufacturing firm: ABX Energy (M). International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 7(2), 23–31.
- Thompson, L. L. (2009). The mind and heart of the negotiator (4th ed.). Pearson.
- Vatumalae, V., Rajagopal, P., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2020). Warehouse management system of a third-party logistics provider in Malaysia. International Journal of Economics and Finance, 12(9), 73.
- Wark, D. M. (2011). Traditional and alert hypnosis for education: A literature review. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 54(2), 96-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2011.10401744
- Wong Chee, H. O., Sundram, V. P. K., Bakar, S. M. S. A., & Narayanan, N. S. P. P. (2024). Charting a thriving path for the Malaysian palm oil supply chain: A SWOT-QSPM-powered strategic roadmap. Journal of Distribution Science, 22(10), 31–41.
- Zachariassen, F., & Arlbjørn, J. S. (2011). Negotiation strategies in supply chain management. Journal of Business Logistics, 32(1), 67-80. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2158-1592.2011.tb00166.x
- Zulfakar, M. H., Chan, C., Jie, F., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2019). Halal accreditation and certification in a non-Muslim country setting: Insights from the Australian halal meat supply chain. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(1), 10-17.
Downloads
No downloads have been recorded for this article yet. Figures appear here once readers begin downloading the full text.
How to Cite
Share this article
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Premkumar Rajagopal, Selvarajah Janathan, Umahdevi Jayamani, Irwan Ibrahim, N.Sureshkumar PP Narayanan, Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.
This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.
Keywords
- Supply Chain Negotiation Search this journal for Supply Chain Negotiation (opens in a new tab)
- Hypnotherapy Search this journal for Hypnotherapy (opens in a new tab)
- Emotional Intelligence Search this journal for Emotional Intelligence (opens in a new tab)
- Cognitive Bias Search this journal for Cognitive Bias (opens in a new tab)
- Emotional Regulation Search this journal for Emotional Regulation (opens in a new tab)
- Conceptual Framework Search this journal for Conceptual Framework (opens in a new tab)
- Stress Management Search this journal for Stress Management (opens in a new tab)
Section
Published in
Vol. 17 No. 2(I)S (2025)
AI in Audit, Workplace Safety & Digital Consumer Society
View issue contents
Published
Submissions
Have research to publish? Information Management and Business Review welcomes submissions.
Make a Submission