When negotiators are unable to reach an agreement or resolve a conflict, a third-party intervention may help. In this chapter, we reviewed three formal types of third-party intervention: arbitration, mediation, and process consultation. Each of these types has its strengths and weaknesses as an intervention and approach to dispute resolution. The styles differ in the degree to which the disputants surrender control to the third party over the negotiation process and/or the outcome. Arbitration involves a structured process in which disputing parties have relatively free rein to present their stories, while the arbitrators decide the outcome, often imposing a resolution on the disputants. Mediators exert a great deal of control over how the parties interact, both in terms of their physical presence and their communication; although mediators may point the parties toward possible resolutions through suggestions and guidance, they typically do not choose the resolution for the disputants. Finally, process consultants are less involved in the disputed issues than arbitrators or mediators, but they are heavily involved in helping to establish or enhance communication and dispute resolution skills that the parties can then apply to the immediate dispute and future communication.

Other third-party roles and types, including informal versions of the three formal approaches we addressed, are increasingly being studied systematically to determine their application and impact. Organizational support for alternative dispute resolution procedures promises great dividends for organizations willing to invest the necessary resources in system design and operations. A great deal remains to be done to determine the mastery and propriety of particular informal third-party styles and techniques for various types of conflict and to achieve a better understanding of how third parties— individually and organizationally—can effectively assist in resolving disputes.

Finally, we briefly reviewed some of the emerging work on alternative dispute resolution (ADR). ADR encompasses a variety of techniques that employers adopt to handle workplace disputes and avoid litigation with employees and with others outside the organization. ADR can include not only mediation and arbitration but also several hybrid methods that use neutral third parties to hear employees' concerns. The purpose of ADR is to find dispute resolution processes that reduce costs, minimize lawsuits and court cases, and allow organizations to handle employee conflicts efficiently and effectively.