Negotiation

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Four Ways To Work Out Business Disputes


Business owners have four options to resolve disputes with partners, vendors or customers. Each option is based on different assumptions, and entails a different cost. Therefore, it pays to understand them better.

Option #1 - Direct negotiation

Direct negotiation is certainly the cheapest - but not necessarily the easiest - way to resolve a conflict. A good place to start, is to get clear about what one wants, why, and how much one cares for the future relationship with the other person. The next step, is finding out how the situation looks from the other person's perspective. This task requires effective questioning, listening, and observing. The final negotiation step, is crafting an agreement that both parties believe to be better than all other alternatives.

To negotiate successfully one needs some planning, communication and negotiation skills. Without them, it is easy to end up with no deal, or a bad deal, or even a personal war.

Option #2 - Mediation

The goal of mediation is not to find who is right or wrong, but how the problem at hand can best be resolved. Mediation is a process in which parties who disagree meet with a neutral third-party, who facilitates their negotiations. The mediator doesn't have any decision-making authority. The parties decide how to resolve their problem, in a way that is mutually acceptable.

Since mediation is confidential, mediation discussions and materials are not admissible in court. In a sense, when people mediate they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. If they are able to reach a mutually acceptable agreement with the mediator's assistance, that's great. Otherwise, they can still use the remaining two options. And in that case, whatever they have said or heard, offered or counter-offered during mediation, doesn't matter.

Option #3 - Arbitration

The business dispute is submitted to a neutral arbitrator, who examines the evidence, listens to the parties and renders a binding decision. The conflicting parties must accept the arbitrator's decision, no matter whether they like it or not. Arbitration is past-oriented, and requires a certain amount of fact-finding. Therefore, generally it takes more time (and money) than mediation, but less than litigation.

Option #4 - Litigation

The fourth option is to let the judge decide which party is right or wrong, based on the facts and the law. In actuality, though, the vast majority of civil cases never get that far (some statistics say up to 90%). They settle out of court. A few days - or even hours - before the trial, the two conflicting parties, assisted by their respective attorneys, prefer to negotiate their own agreement, rather than running the risk of losing in court.

For business owners - as well as for anyone else - litigation has two major drawbacks. First, it inevitably has a detrimental effect on the future relationship between the parties. Second, it can be quite expensive in terms of time, money and stress. Nonetheless, when a business dispute cannot be resolved any other way, litigation is a valid option.

About The Author

Giuseppe Leone is a Business and Workplace Mediator. Past President of SPIDR (Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution) Hawaii Chapter. Mediator for Hawaii District Courts. Email: mediationplus@yahoo.com


MORE RESOURCES:

The Associated Press

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The Associated Press - 8 hours ago
GENEVA (AP) — The United States is calling on Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program, after diplomats agreed to resume talks in two weeks on suspending ...


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Bush's U-turn toward common sense
Los Angeles Times, CA - 19 hours ago
In classic diplomatic doublespeak, the Bush administration insists this is not "negotiation" but "pre-negotiation," with Burns as a mere "observer. ...
Video: US ready for diplomatic talks with Iran RussiaToday
World supports new nuclear talks with Iran PRESS TV
Iran Columnist Analyzes Factors Leading to Nuclear Talks in Geneva RedOrbit
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Brantford Expositor, Canada - 11 hours ago
Some Six Nations members have never publicly embraced the route of protest over negotiation. David General, former band council chief, said he's been ...


BBC News

Can world trade talks keep pace with global change?
Tehran Times, Iran - 57 minutes ago
And even if ministers agree on the outline of a deal at their marathon meeting, some wonder whether this might be the last negotiation of this kind. ...
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Brazilian FM's Nazi reference rocks WTO talks The Associated Press
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White House insists US-Iraq negotiation over forces "on track"
Xinhua, China - Jul 14, 2008
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The US-Iraq negotiations over a long-term American military presence remained "on track," White House spokeswoman Dana ...


Agents need to get back to the art of negotiation and personal ...
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Jul 17, 2008
Deals were made and negotiation happened. In this more challenging market, it seems getting back to the personal presentation would be a smart move for both ...


China reiterates dialogue, negotiation over Zimbabwe issue
Xinhua, China - Jul 17, 2008
BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Thursday that it insists political dialogue and negotiation were "the only correct ...


The art of negotiation inspires `Shrew'
Daily Breeze, CA - Jul 18, 2008
For Donenberg, however, the driving force behind this "Taming of the Shrew" is the art of negotiation. And for inspiration, the 51-year-old director says he ...


Central American entrepreneurs call for more progress in trade ...
Xinhua, China - Jul 16, 2008
Representatives of about 50 Central American businesses expressed their grave concerns about the slow development in the negotiation of the Association ...


House panel backs negotiation rights for retailers on credit card fees
Chicago Tribune, United States - Jul 17, 2008
"Encouraging negotiations is not regulation," said Michigan Democrat and panel chairman John Conyers. "Retailers are now forced to enter a more or less ...

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