A Manager's Guide to Resolving Conflicts in Collaborative Networks

The O'Leary and Bingham report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government expands on previous Center reports by adding an important practical tool for managers in networks: how to manage and negotiate the conflicts that may occur among a network's members. The approach they describe – interest-based negotiation – has worked in other settings, such as bargaining with unions. Such negotiation techniques are becoming crucial in sustaining the effectiveness of networks, where successful performance is defined by how well people collaborate and not by hierarchical commands.