For Americans striking a deal is a solution: quick, pragmatic, goal-oriented. In fact, in the U.S. context deal-making is considered to be a valuable business skill.
Impersonal vs. Personal
Americans do not separate the personal from the professional. Business is always personal. It is both legitimate and effective to appeal to emotions when negotiating.
Balance vs. Imbalance
Americans have high tolerance for imbalanced negotiated outcomes. It is perfectly legitimate for each party to strive for advantage.
Firm vs. Flexible
Americans consider every agreement as renegotiable. Everything is in flux. Parameters change. Contractual parties are always free to renegotiate.
Price
Americans do not believe that there is such a thing as an objective price. They believe that market forces should determine price. And that means negotiation.
Comfort Level
Americans have a high comfort level when negotiating over price. They consider it to be a sign of assertiveness, resourcefulness, and business acumen.
Renegotiation
Frequent Renegotiation and Non-Ratification of Treaties: The U.S. diplomatic history is marked by numerous instances where treaties were signed but not ratified, or where the U.S. reserved the right to renegotiate or withdraw—such as the failure to ratify the 1911 Reciprocity Treaty with Canada or the 1927 Naval Disarmament Conference in Geneva, which ended without agreement.
McDonald brothers
The Founder (2016). This film tells the story of Ray Kroc and the McDonald brothers. Kroc enters into an agreement with the brothers to franchise their restaurant, maintains constant contact as the business grows, but ultimately finds ways to change the terms and force the original owners out. The movie highlights how agreements can be transactional, with parties reserving the right to alter or exit arrangements when it suits their interests.