7Making Initial Contacts with Disputing Parties

mediators enter disputes as a result of (1) direct invitation by one or more of the parties, (2) referrals by secondary parties, (3) appointment by a recognized authority such as a government official or agency or (4) direct intervention by the mediator. Each of these means of entry poses specific strategic choices for mediator activities and may affect the quality, type, and probability of a settlement.

Direct invitation by a party or parties is probably the most common mechanism by which a mediator enters a dispute. The request for mediation may come from a single party, from both if it is a two-party dispute, or from a subgroup or coalition of all disputants if it is a multiparty conflict. A ...

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