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March 2000 #2 Welcome to my second newsletter. Again, the idea is to provide access to interesting information about conflict management, and some other odds and ends. This month the emphasis is on multicultural issues. Each month will be different. I'll provide links to interesting articles and web sites. There will be book reviews, humor, stories, quotes and news from Southern Africa. Over 30 people responded to my request to subscribe for my newsletter through eGroups. Thanks! My hope is that everyone on my email list will eventually sign up. All you have to do is send a blank email to conflictmanagement-subscribe@egroups.com I welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement. John Ford ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Articles Cultural Issues in Mediation: Individualist and Collectivist Paradigms. By Walter A. Wright Every mediation has a unique character influenced by the cultural perspectives of its participants. When issues based on individual rights or strong group identification arise in a mediation, a mediator's awareness of individualist and collectivist paradigms can help surmount cultural barriers to an agreement. http://www.mediate.com/articles/wright.cfm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Announcements Is every mediation muticultural? Northern California Mediation Association (NCMA) 6th Annual Conference March 18, 2000 Emeryville, California The keynote speaker is Roberto Chené, (Director of the Southwest Center for Intercultural Leadership.) who will speak on mediation and multiculturalism and lead a workshop entitled: "Building a Multicultural Organization from the foundation up." Another workshop will focus on the impact of multiculturalism in regard to decision making. For more information visit the NCMA web site at: http://www.mediators-ncma.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Training Evaluation Tool Trans-Measure is a tool that provides trainers with a simple, user friendly means of systematically measuring and improving employee transfer of training from the learning setting to the job. It requires clearly identified learning objectives (or tasks that employees will be able to perform) and links them to a series of 4 questions that are sent to trainees six months after the training. 1. Did you know how to perform this task before you took the seminar? Yes/No 2. Do you remember how to perform this task? Could you perform it today if asked? Yes/No 3. How often do you perform this task on the job? Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, never 4. How important is it to your success and the success of the organization that you perform this task efficiently? Very Important, important, somewhat important, not very, unimportant. The tool allows statistical data to be generated, such as the prior knowledge rate, the transfer of training rate, and the organizational value added rating. If you would like a copy of the 10 page tool send me an email( johnford@mediate.com) and I will send it to you as an attachment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. News from Southern Africa Burundi Peace Bid Underway: Mandela's approach as the new mediator has brought Burundi's civil war out of obscurity, and his dynamism and charm have given an impetus to the long-stalled negotiations. Sowetan, 20000222 Mandela To Submit Peace Plan For Burundi: Mandela said yesterday he would submit a draft peace plan to Burundi's divided leaders in a bid to find a quick end to a civil war which has cost 200 000 lives since 1993. US President Bill Clinton earlier urged Burundians to find peace or face "a disaster", and said he feared the war could spread beyond Burundi's borders if a solution was not found. Clinton joined the talks in a two-way video link from the White House at Mandela's request. Business Day, 20000223, Mandela Back In SA From Burundi: Mandela left Burundi peace talks in Arusha yesterday, but he has already given the negotiators plenty to do and to think about. Some of the delegates were shocked by the frank language of their new mediator, but have nevertheless agreed to two of Mr Mandela's suggestions to speed the peace process up. They have agreed that the facilitation team should help draft an outline peace plan, including compromise proposals on the sticking points. Delegates also agreed to set up a "guarantee committee" to ensure implementation of an eventual peace deal. Pretoria News 20000224, ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Interesting web sites Looking for reasonably priced conflict resolution books? ABEBooks is an option to consider. Think of them as an online second hand book store. I picked up Augsberger's "Conflict Resolution across Cultures" for $10, and Ury's new "Getting to Peace" for $14. http://www.abebooks.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Quotes "Good cultural analysis seeks to identify what forms of power and influence are most likely to be used by whom and in which situations" Chris Moore and Peter Woodrow, Mapping Culture Track Two, Vol 8 No.1 July 1999 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. New Books Business Dispute Resolution: Best Practices, System Design & Case Management by Thomas D. Cavenagh The book provides the businessperson with all of the information necessary to create an effective dispute resolution program through careful overviews of both litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of each for the resolution of business disputes. In addition, the book provides chapter-length descriptions of successful and innovative dispute resolution programs in place at several companies, large and mid-size, public and governmental, including BP Amoco, Georgia-Pacific, Darden Restaurants, Dollar General Corporation and the United States Postal Service. The book contains extensive dispute resolution program operating documents from each of the companies profiled, including contract clauses, employee handbook provisions and sample ADR agreements. Finally, excerpted legal decisions are provided in each chapter to provide the reader with an understanding of the law of ADR. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. John Ford's Monthly Newsletter To subscribe and unsubscribe Send a blank email to: conflictmanagement-subscribe@egroups.com conflictmanagement-unsubscribe@egroups.com To review previous newsletters on the web: http://www.egroups.com/list/conflictmanagement/ |