De Dreu divides strategies of conflict resolution in person-centered and environment-centered strategies (De Dreu et al, 2001). This distinction can be understood as the division similar to the managerial and behavioral strategies CHEON Dae Yun introduced (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001).
To begin, the managerial strategy is deemed to be a strategy of conflict management as it equally takes into account the quality of economic effects
and quality of life and workplaces, health, education, environment, and fairness. The strategy frequently used among these managerial strategies is negotiation.14)
The most important key in negotiations is an effective negotiator. An effective negotiator has following characteristics: empathy, friendliness, attentiveness, relaxedness, openness, less dominance, and less contentiousness.
The negotiator plays a more effective role when a situation is more uncertain (Womack, 2001).
In particular, Womack distinguishes effective negotiators or mediators in the planning stage. He distinguishes them from average or ineffective negotiators, while defining them as persons who are able to consider a variety of choices, focus on a common problem, be interested in long-term goals, recount conversations in summaries and mirror questions, know how to raise different opinions later, and first present positive consensual questions (Womack, 2001).
Womack emphasizes also that effective mediators will take human relation-centered characteristics as their features. According to him they understand that communications must be mutual, rather than one-sided, they respect honest self-expressions and sensitivity of other parties, they make certain intents of the other parties repeatedly with mirror questions to know them exactly, and encourage face–to–face contacts.
Furthermore, he defines them as persons who emphasize the role of stories and events maintain a balance in construction or speech, concentrate on goals for collaboration and problem-solving, make efforts to impersonalize and objectify conflicts, and make free communications possible, while creating an atmosphere of trust.
On the other hand, a behavioral strategy can be called an approach that attempts to manage conflicts through mutual cooperation along with the recovery of humanity. It is to maintain a positive view and trust as an equal party and to try to resolve conflicts through a cooperative culture of dialogue and compromise (LEE Do Sun, 1990).
The cooperative culture necessary for conflict management is said to be
CHapter 03 created mainly through kindness and truth along with recognition of open
communication, the need of conflict resolution, and the legitimacy of interests of each party (Deutsch, 1969). Some keys to the conflict resolution are to eliminate antagonism, cultivate a sense that the parties are equal beings and partners, and bring about a change in attitudes of the conflict parties (Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs 1999; CHEON Dae Yun, 2001).
In other strategies of conflict management the followings are considered:
structural strategies, such as respecting values of subordinates and listening to their ideas and feelings as well as methods of depending on one’s superiors through role modifications, organizational redesigns, personnel exchanges, scouting third parties from external personnel, mediators and consultants, and the procedure of appealing a conflict (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001).
Lastly, the strategy is that of managing conflicts by consultation, conciliation, coordination, arbitration, finance and coercion of third parties (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001). The role and competency of coordinators as conflict managers in relation to the adjustment method are especially important in conflict management (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001; Burrell, 1990).
Mediation is a negotiation strategy through which a third party intervenes between conflict parties and induces reconciliation. Appropriate leadership for coordinators is required to exclude blame and judgment aimed at the opposition party while instead focusing on the facts of the conflict (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001).
Such coordinators have no official institutional authorities. They should play only the role in offering advice and ideas concerning conflict problems and provide a path to resolve conflicts while the conflict parties freely exchange mutual opinions (Burrell, 1990).
Thus, effective coordinators must be persons who listen to conflict parties’
opinions along with their appropriate questions. Also they must be able to persistently manage the quality and quantity of stories told while providing appropriate time for practical questions.
In addition to this, arbitrations or negotiations by third party conflict management should include characteristics such as mediation or negotiation.
Table 2.10 shows us a comparison of these techniques (CHEON Dae Yun, 2001;
Goldberg, SB, et al, 1999; Burrell, 1990; Buntzman, 1990)(See Table 2.10).
Table 2.10 a comparison of conflict management techniques
Division Negotiation Mediation arbitration
Involuntary or voluntary Voluntary Voluntary or involuntary Voluntary or involuntary
Existence of the third party
Intervention - Selected outside parties Third party selected by parties involved, experts in relevant fields
Range - Private/public corporation Private/public corporation
Selection - Mutual consent Mutual consent
Role - Agreed settlement Unilateral decision
The existence of binding
force Setting up binding force by consultation is possible
The setting up of binding force by consultation is possible
The existence of binding force or non-binding force Level of formalization and
organization Informal, disorganized Informal, disorganized Low level of formalization
Procedures
Characteristics Evidences, arguments, unlimited profit hand over Evidence, arguments, unlimited profit hand over
Main means Negotiation Reconciliation, adjustment
negotiation Fact finding negotiation Ground for decision Bilateral agreement Bilateral agreement based
on advice of the third party Bilateral evidential matter and decision of arbitrators
Public or private Private Private Private or public
Source: CHEON Dae Yun, 2001, p. 236; PARK Myeong Hyeon, 2004, p.32-33; Goldberg, S.B., et al., 1999.
Strategies are used to manage conflicts are focused on structural variables in a policy decision process and tactical variables as well as coalition, rational planning, judication, negotiation as management strategies in accordance with the stages of different policy processes (Stephenson & Pops, 1990).
Dahl suggests three social policy decision models of coalition, hierarchy, and bargaining (Dahl, 1955). Zartman, influenced by Dahl, presents those of coalition, judication, and negotiation (Zartman, 1978). Dror adds rational planning as the fourth model (Stephenson & Pops, 1990).
LEE Dal Gon explains how to manage conflicts in four dimensions. His
CHapter 03 methods include the creation of a superior party among the conflict parties,
keeping as far as possible from conflicts, negotiation focused on coming face-to-face in order to increase each groups’ own interests, and intervening by a third party when conflict parties cannot find appropriate solutions or do not make efforts toward resolution.