Identify primary source material on the parties to the negotiation (individuals or organizations)
Primary sources are sources created by an organization. Most organizations have some kind of a web presence - some individuals do as well. Use a variety of search engines to identify organizational or personal web sites, blogs, etc. Keep in mind that most organizations will have a 'public' web site and a 'private' web site (such as a password-protected intranet or internal web site) so you may or may not be able to find out much this way.
What kind of documents are you after? You want to think like an investigative journalist in order to answer the 5Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why), as well as How, as it relates to your organization.
- Look for a description of the organization's mandate, structure (e.g., organization charts, lists of key officers or executives) and performance. These are usually listed under an "about us" link.
- Look for press releases or official statements (e.g., written documents, audio recordings, podcasts, videos, or transcribed speeches). These are usually listed under a "news" or "for the media" link.
- Look for a Human Resources or Careers section for information for prospective employees. This is also a good place to find organizational policies and copies of labor contracts (collective agreements).
- Look for annual reports or other regulator documents relevant to your organization. All publicly-traded corporations, as well as provincially and federally regulated organizations must be accountable in some way. These are usually listed in the "investor relations" section on corporate web sites. Submissions to regulatory bodies should also be online (check on the websites of the organization as well as the regulatory body).