Mediation and Negotiation in Business Conflicts

Mediation aims at resolving conflict through negotiation. This negotiating aspect of mediation makes it very suitable for business conflicts. Yet European business stands aside and appears to be averse to this specific dispute resolution mechanism. As research shows, part of the problem is the poor knowledge and wrong (‘soft’) perception business people have of mediation. In this chapter we want to explain how mediation really works and how it can benefit businesses. We also suggest what could and should be done to further stimulate business mediation in the EU. Finally, we conclude that when businesses decide to choose mediation as the way of resolving their disputes, they show the desire to work towards Peace.