How does the presence of lawyers affect the process of mediation? You might guess that when one or both sides bring an attorney to a mediation, the process would become more contentious and adversarial, with impasse more likely, than if they parties worked solely with a mediator.

That conventional wisdom is contradicted by new research by professors Jean Poitras of HEC … read more »

The problem: You’re not sure which of two common dispute resolution processes, mediation or arbitration, to use to resolve your conflict. Mediation is appealing because it would allow you to reach a collaborative settlement, but you’re worried it could end in impasse. You know that arbitration would wrap up your dispute conclusively, but it wouldn’t give you much say in … read more »

“Religious Fundamentalism in Palestine and Israel
and its Impact on Women”
with

Laila Atshan
Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government
and psychologist in Palestine
and
Dina Kraft
Free lance journalist based in Tel Aviv, Israel and Nieman Fellow 
 
Date: Monday, January 30, 2012
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM
Where: Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Knafel Building North, 1737 Cambridge Street, Room N-262 (Bowie Vernon Room).
Contact Chair: Donna Hicks (dhicks@wcfia.harvard.edu).

Speaker Bios
Laila Atshan is … read more »

Sometimes parties to a dispute disagree on key facts and forecasts but lack the technical or scientific expertise needed to come to a consensus. Suppose, for instance, that a developer is seeking to build a high-rise condominium building in a village that is experiencing a development boom. Longtime residents fight the proposal, arguing that another tall building would increase congestion … read more »

Paola Cecchi Dimeglio is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at PON. She studies the effects of gender, culture and organizational behavior on international strategic alliances using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Currently, at PON, Dr. Cecchi Dimeglio is focusing on three research projects: 1) the effects of gender and culture on the decision-making, negotiation and conflict management processes in international partnerships … read more »

If you’ve ever had a minor car accident in which neither you nor the other driver was obviously at fault, familiar advice may have run through your head as you got out of your car: Don’t say you’re sorry! Don’t say you’re sorry!
Most of us have been cautioned in such contexts that an apology can be equivalent to an admission … read more »

Significant business disputes typically involve more than one issue—including disputes that appear to be “just about the money.” Who pays and when? In what form is payment made, with what level of confidentiality, and with what effect on future disputes?

In the heat of the moment, disputants too often focus on one conspicuous issue (such as money), a mistake that risks … read more »

The Dark Side: Reporting on the War on Terror
with Roger Cohen, New York Times Foreign Correspondent, and
Carlotta Gall, New York Times Reporter
Date: December 5, 2011
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM
Where: CGIS South, 1730 Cambridge Street, Room S-030 (Concourse Level)
… read more »

Q&A with Professor Susskind, MIT’s Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning, and Vice Chair of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School

Q: You’ve taught for years about overcoming organizational obstacles. What are the most common roadblocks to effective negotiations?

Typically, obstacles occur at all four stages of the negotiation process. First is the preparation stage. Frequently, people under-prepare, even … read more »

Workplace disputes are inevitable. Employees air grievances, consumers file lawsuits, and strategic partners threaten to fire you and hire your competitor. All too often, such conflicts end up in the courts. In addition to consuming incredible amounts of time and energy, lawsuits often ruin long-standing relationships with suppliers, customers, and shareholders.

Increasingly, organizations are applying the principles of dispute system design … read more »