Negotiation depends on the ability to made promises that can be kept. Arbitration occurs when parties to a dispute either decide to or are forced to accept the decision of a third party. The third party is called an arbitrator or arbiter. Mediation occurs when disputants decide their own process and decision settlement. A mediator helps the parties develop options and meets separately with the parties to help them see options realistically so that they can come to an agreement that all parties accept.
Mediation is a voluntary process.
We will now define the concepts of interest and conflict more precisely. Interest, Issues, and Conflicts Interests are what people want. Issues, or positions, are views people hold regarding how they are going to get what they want. People may differ on issues while agreeing on interests. Conflicts are real or perceived states of competing interests.