international dispute resolution

What is International Dispute Resolution? 

As businesses increasingly branch out globally, they face the possible need for international dispute resolution tactics.

Business negotiators coping with deeply entrenched conflict often feel defeated and hopeless when conflict-solving strategies fail. However, research from the world of international dispute resolution suggests that taking repeated breaks can improve the odds of reaching an agreement down the road. 

For example, misunderstandings, and confusion can be the norm when negotiators speak different languages and are preoccupied with managing cultural differences. But experienced negotiators find what’s interesting about a so-called mistake and try to use it to do better. That might mean apologizing for a gaffe and initiating a deeper conversation about any apparent cultural differences it unearthed. 

Some other steps negotiators can take toward success in international dispute resolution can include using active listening skills. Because active listening enhances understanding, it can be particularly effective when negotiating through interpreters or when one of the parties is negotiating in a foreign language.

Even so, if early attempts to resolve your dispute fall apart, try to avoid viewing the effort as a failure. Instead, build momentum toward your next effort at resolution, capitalizing on any trust you’ve gained.

Remember, too, that because the two sides in a lingering dispute have difficulty seeing each other’s pain, international dispute resolution is best viewed as a journey rather than an event.

In this FREE special report from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School,  Dispute Resolution, Working Together Toward Conflict Resolution on the Job and at Home, the editors of Negotiation Briefings cull valuable negotiation strategies and curate popular content to provide you with a concise guide on how to improve your dispute resolution skills.

We will send you a download link to your copy of the report and notify you by email when we post new business negotiation advice and information on how to improve your negotiation skills to our website.

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