Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Mediation Research and Practice: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶
bridging the gap between workplace
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Mediation Research and Practice: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jul 07, 2023 148 likes •407 views

h h Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Mediation Research and Practice: The Irish Experience NW Dispute Resolution Conference 2016 Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley h h Presentation Overview The

slide-1
SLIDE 1

Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Mediation Research and Practice: The Irish Experience

NW Dispute Resolution Conference 2016

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

ú ’ há há á

slide-2
SLIDE 2

Presentation Overview

 The framework of our approach  The context of workplace mediation in Ireland  The case for bridging the research-practice gap  The KIWMRG as a „Community of Practice‟

 Why we formed  Who we are

 Co-operative Enquiry as our method of choice

 Unique features of our approach

 The MII Project as an example of how we operate  What does this mean for you?

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

ú ’ há há á

slide-3
SLIDE 3

Framing our Approach

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

Establishing a workplace mediation „Community of Practice‟ Using „Co-

  • perative

Enquiry‟ as our research method A real project as a case in point

slide-4
SLIDE 4
slide-5
SLIDE 5

Conflict Management Practices & Innovations in Organizations

Conventional Practices

ADR Practices

Individual Grievances Collective Disputes

  • Multi-step grievance &

disciplinary procedures

  • Resort to employment tribunals &

litigation in courts

  • Multi-step disputes procedures,

usually with provision for external conciliation or adjudication following an impasse

  • Open-door policies
  • ‘Speak-up’ & related systems
  • Organizational ombudsman
  • External and internal mediators
  • Review panels of managers or peers
  • Union/non-union employment arbitration
  • ADR-led conflict management systems
  • Proactive conflict prevention
  • Intensive communications surrounding

change management

  • Proactive line and supervisory

engagement in conflict handling

  • Conflict management systems
  • Socializing conflict out of the organization
  • ‘Assisted bargaining/mediation within

procedure to avoid impasse

  • ‘Brainstorming’ & related techniques
  • ‘Interest-based bargaining’ with facilitation
  • Fact-finding
  • Arbitration, ‘mini-trials’ & ‘med-arb’
  • Intensive communications surrounding

change management

  • ADR-led conflict management systems
  • Proactive conflict prevention
  • Proactive line and supervisory engagement in

conflict handling

  • Conflict management systems
  • Socializing conflict out of the organization
slide-6
SLIDE 6

Workplace Conflict in Ireland

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 What emerges from research into alternative

dispute resolution practice in Ireland is:

... a picture of mediation as a mechanism of which the

  • peration and efficacy depend upon the context in which

it is located. Senior managers may use it as a central part

  • f HR strategy, they may see it as a somewhat peripheral

element of an overall strategy that relies primarily upon strong management-union linkages, or they may envisage it as an unformed, yet to be clarified, set of possibilities and potentials (Teague et al, 2015:112)

slide-7
SLIDE 7

The Use of Mediation in Ireland

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

Workplace Mediation

Internal Mediation Services External Mediators State Institutions

slide-8
SLIDE 8

The Case for Research

 Solid, empirical, issue-driven research:

 Provides evidence for what we think we know  It broadens perspective beyond our own  It enhances the credibility of a profession and helps

  • btain/justify resources

 It provides new ideas to try out

in new contexts

 It can address „burning‟ questions

that have accumulated

 It can inform policy & practice

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

ú ’ há há á

slide-9
SLIDE 9

The Case for Research-Informed Practice

Practicing mediators have a responsibility

to at least draw from, if not support or engage in, mediation research. I realized that without understanding the underlying theoretical principles of practice, we are merely skilled mechanics trying out one tool after another without understanding what tool would be appropriate to the task. (Lang, 2000)

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

slide-10
SLIDE 10

The Traditional Approach to Research

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

ú ’ há há á

 Focus is on theoretical development  Often no direct link to practice  Empirical dimension involves academics studying practice

from the outside

 Practitioners become the „subject‟  Key outcome - publication in high ranked journals which

few „real‟ people read

slide-11
SLIDE 11

Community of Practice

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 Dynamic social structure  Common issues/concerns  Focus on individual & group goals  Defined life cycle  Spirit of learning & collaboration  Trust, mutual respect, reciprocity & commitment  Create, capture & diffuse knowledge  Tangible results applicable to practice

slide-12
SLIDE 12

The KIWMRG as a Community of Practice

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

KIWMRG Advisory Group Steering Committee

ú ’ há há á

slide-13
SLIDE 13

The Co-operative Inquiry Method

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 Collaboration of academics and practitioners  Active research  Creative ways of identifying and addressing the issues  Focus on making practice better  Follows a specific sequential iterative process  Can be internally or externally initiated

slide-14
SLIDE 14

The Co-operative Inquiry Method

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

slide-15
SLIDE 15

Key Elements of our Approach

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

  • Research „with‟ rather than research „on‟
  • Merging of the researcher and the subject
  • Focused enquiry with the aim of shaping the

future

  • Live research questions identified by peers
  • Research by practitioners for practitioners
  • Egalitarian structure
  • A „learning community‟ focused on continuous

learning and personal development

  • Theory informing practice and practice informing

theory

ú ’ há há á

slide-16
SLIDE 16

Identifying the issues: The KI Workplace Mediation Research Seminar 2015

Overarching Ambition Strategic Goals Key Areas

  • f

Research

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

ú ’ há há á

slide-17
SLIDE 17

Seminar Outputs

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

Overall ambition: To establish Ireland as an international hub for workplace mediation research Strategic goals:

1.

Co-ordination of workplace mediation in Ireland

2.

Gathering and publishing what has been done to date

3.

Maximizing involvement in this area.

ú ’ há há á

slide-18
SLIDE 18

Identified Key Research Areas

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 Effective mediation

practice

 Barriers to mediation use  Ethics  Mediation regulation  Internal or external

mediation

 Engaging participation in

mediation

 Experience of mediation  Outcomes from mediation  Cost benefit analysis  The future of workplace

mediation

 Trade unions and

  • rganisations

 Regulation and third

party frameworks

 Professional membership  Conflict competence  Mediation practice

ú ’ há há á

slide-19
SLIDE 19

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

Activity # 1:

Identify three research areas/questions that you believe should be prioritised in your context? (Creative, brainstorming!)

ú ’ há há á

slide-20
SLIDE 20

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

Activity # 2:

How could a Community of Practice be established in your context to address these questions? (Creative, brainstorming!)

ú ’ há há á

slide-21
SLIDE 21

Effective Mediation Practice: The MII Project

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 The Role of the MII  What motivated the Project  Why us?  What was the brief?  How did we approach the task?  Progress to date

slide-22
SLIDE 22

Approaching the MII Project through Co-

  • perative Enquiry

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 Invitation for participation to those in KIWMRG  Skill building – library, literature review, writing for

publication

 Shared Dropbox organised in initial agreed folder

structure

 Sourcing empirical research academic descriptive

literature and “grey” literature

 Reflection on approach and reorganisation based on

learning

 Egalitarian structure and consensus decision-making  Shared template for review of assigned documents  Initial thematic analysis based on reviews

slide-23
SLIDE 23

In Conclusion

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley

 What has all this got to do with you?

ú ’ há há á

slide-24
SLIDE 24

For queries and/or further information please contact:

  • Dr. Deirdre Curran, NUI Galway

deirdre.curran@nuigalway.ie Treasa Kenny, Burtenshaw Kenny Associates tkenny@eircom.net Alec Coakley, Conflict Mediation alec@conflictmediation.ie

Or visit us: www.kiwmrg.ie

ú ’ há há á

Deirdre Curran, Treasa Kenny, Alec Coakley