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Getting Beyond Win-Lose and Win-Win: A Situated Model of Adaptive Mediation

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Advancing Workplace Mediation Through Integration of Theory and Practice

Part of the book series: Industrial Relations & Conflict Management ((IRCM))

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors present a model of adaptive mediation to identify appropriate mediator strategies and tactics. This innovative model, soundly based in research, identifies four fundamental dimensions of the workplace conflict. Explicit attention is paid to constraints stemming from the context, conflict intensity, as well as the cooperative versus competitive nature of the relationship. The combination of these characteristics requires qualitatively different types of mediation and drives the strategic choices for mediation outcomes and relatedly mediator strategies and tactics. This new model prescribes the mediator to read relevant changes in situations and to respond flexibly by using strategies and tactics that fit with the particular situation at hand. This research adds to our understanding of the main antecedents of different mediation strategies and tactics that influence the course of the mediation.

The authors wish to thank Christianna Gozzi, Nora El Zohm, Kenneth Kressel, Karen LaRose, Deanna Kowal and Ljubica Chatman for their contributions to this research.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    At this stage of the research, we began to work separately with groups of domestic versus international mediators, as the behavioral tactics are considerably different from one setting to the next. The results described here focus on domestic mediation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Peter T. Coleman & Kyong Mazzaro

  2. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Munich, Germany

    Katharina G. Kugler

Authors
  1. Peter T. Coleman
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  2. Katharina G. Kugler
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  3. Kyong Mazzaro
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter T. Coleman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Research and Development, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherlands

    Katalien Bollen

  2. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Martin Euwema

  3. Faculty of Psychology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Lourdes Munduate

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Coleman, P.T., Kugler, K.G., Mazzaro, K. (2016). Getting Beyond Win-Lose and Win-Win: A Situated Model of Adaptive Mediation. In: Bollen, K., Euwema, M., Munduate, L. (eds) Advancing Workplace Mediation Through Integration of Theory and Practice. Industrial Relations & Conflict Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42842-0_2

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