Conflict resolution through mediation in public administration

Abstract

The article argues that mediation, in its essence, is a mechanism for social development, and solving problems in the public administration system through mediation contributes to organizational change and personal development of civil servants. The problem under investigation is to identify the factors that determine the final states of the social costs and benefits of the parties involved in the conflict and the methods of effective conflict management. According to the specified research problem, the conceptions about conflict are reviewed, which serve as a support for the steps taken in the analysis of the phenomenon of conflict in the public administration. The paper describes the elements of the conflict phenomenon and conflict management styles and states that the constructive approach to conflict resolution, based on active action strategy and the application of the win/win principle, is a mechanism that offers the possibility to change the current conflict situation and improve the decision-making process.