Group negotiations are a fact of managerial life, yet the outcomes of teamwork are highly unpredictable. Sometimes groups cohere, reaching novel solutions to nagging problems, and sometimes infighting causes them to collapse. How can you predict when conflict will emerge in groups, and what can you do to stop it?

Dora Lau of the Chinese University … Read More 

We generally think of mediation as a dispute-resolution device. Federal mediators intervene when collective bargaining breaks down. Diplomats are sometimes called in to mediate conflicts between nations. So-called multi-door courthouses encourage litigants to mediate before incurring the costs – and risks – of going to trial. … Read More 

In three experiments, Roman Trötschel and colleagues found that perspective taking helped self-interested negotiators discover opportunities to log roll and generate mutual gains that reduced partial impasse. … Read More 

The choice: arbitration vs. mediation. You’re not sure which of two common dispute resolution processes, mediation or arbitration, to use to resolve your conflict. … Read More 

As compared with other forms of dispute resolution, mediation can have an informal, improvisational feel.

Mediation can include some or all of the following six steps … Read More 

As the famous tale “The Gift of the Magi” illustrates, sometimes the best outcomes in negotiated agreements is a lose-lose situation for both parties. … Read More 

If you manage people, disputes will show up at your door. The marketing VP protests that the budget cap you and your new finance VP proposed is hindering a research initiative you supported. … Read More 

What role does a mediator play in internal negotiations? In this article, mediation in the context of negotiation is discussed with reference to recent findings in negotiation research. … Read More 

What makes a good mediator? And how is it that mediators—who themselves lack any power to impose a solution—nevertheless often lead bitter disputants to agreement? … Read More 

When parties involved in a serious conflict want to avoid a court battle, mediation can be an effective alternative. In mediation, a trained mediator tries to help the parties find common ground using principles of collaborative, mutual-gains negotiation.

We tend to think mediation processes are all alike, but in fact, mediators follow different approaches. Before choosing … Read More