Which description best defines mediation in dispute resolution?

Which description best defines mediation in dispute resolution?

• A. A neutral third party listens to the parties in a dispute and decides on a solution.
• B. A neutral third party assists to find a solution to their dispute.
• C. The parties reach an agreement without any third party.
• D. The mediator issues a binding resolution.

Answer: (B)

Mediation is a process where a neutral facilitator helps the parties communicate, identify their underlying interests, and explore options to reach a voluntary agreement. The mediator’s role is to assist and guide the discussion, not to decide the outcome or impose a solution. This sets mediation apart from arbitration or court decisions, where a third party makes a binding ruling, and from pure negotiation, where there is no facilitator. Since the mediator doesn’t issue a binding resolution, any settlement is created and agreed by the parties themselves (often in a confidential and flexible setting), becoming binding only when the parties sign a written agreement.

Mediation is a process where a neutral facilitator helps the parties communicate, identify their underlying interests, and explore options to reach a voluntary agreement. The mediator’s role is to assist and guide the discussion, not to decide the outcome or impose a solution. This sets mediation apart from arbitration or court decisions, where a third party makes a binding ruling, and from pure negotiation, where there is no facilitator. Since the mediator doesn’t issue a binding resolution, any settlement is created and agreed by the parties themselves (often in a confidential and flexible setting), becoming binding only when the parties sign a written agreement.