Mediation in professional relationships in France: tactics and outcomes

Abstract

This study has two goals. First, it attempts to update the various tactics used by mediators in the context of professional relationships in France. Second, the study analyses the outcomes of the different aspects of mediator action. Tying together semi‐structured interviews with mediators and social negotiators involved in mediation and non‐participatory observation, the results show the existence of a range of diversified tactics that a mediator can mobilise based on his or her perception of the existence of dynamics for agreement. In contrast to existing Anglo‐Saxon research, the mediator in the French context feels entitled to become a genuine third party and have an impact on key issues during debates. Highlighting three contingent variables (level of conflictuality, mediator's mediating experience, negotiators' mediating experience) puts the mediator's intrusion into perspective.

Inside the mediation room - efficiency, voice and equity in workplace mediation

“…The use of workplace mediation and ADR has increased in recent years, albeit at different speeds, in Europe (EUROFOUND, 2010;Grima and Paille, 2011;Clark, Contrepois, and Jeffreys, 2012) and other countries including Australia (Forsyth, 2012), New Zealand (Corby, 1999), Japan (Benson, 2012) and most notably in the US where it is perhaps most firmly established (Lipsky et al, 2012;Stipanowich and Lamare, 2013). There is certainly evidence that interest in, and use of workplace mediation in the UK is growing.…”