THIRD PARTY NEGOTIATION

Mediator:

A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives. Mediator are widely used in labor management negotiations and in civil court disputes. The overall effectiveness of mediated negotionas are fairly impressive. The settlement rate is approximately 60%, with negotiator satisfaction at about 75%.

Arbitrator:

A third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an agreement. Arbitration can be voluntary or compulsory. The big plus of arbitration over mediation is tht it always result in a settlemenyt. Whether or not there is a negative side depends on how heavy- handed the arbitrator appears. If one party is left felling overwhelmingly defeated, that party is certain to be dissatisfied and unlikely to graciously accept the arbitorr’s decision. Therefore, the conflict may resureface at a later time.

Conciliator:

A trusted third party who provides an informal communication   link between the negotiator and the opponent. This role was made famous by Robert Duval in the first Godfather film. Comparing its effectiveness to mediation has proven difficukt because the two overlap a geate deal. In practice, cconcilators typically act as more than mere communication conduits. They also engages in fact finding, interpreting messages, and persuading disputants to develop agreements.

Consultant: 

An impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through communication and analysis. In contrast to the prevous roles, the consultants role is not to settle the issues, but, rather, to improve relations between the conflicting parties so that they can reach a settlement themselves. Instead of putting forward specific solutions, the consultant tries to help the parties learn to understand and work wih each other. Therefore, this approach has no longer term focus to build new and positive perceptions and attitudes between the conflicting parties.