Editor’s Introduction

• Published date: 01 July 2014
• Date: 01 July 2014
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21103
• Author: Susan S. Raines

C R Q, vol. 31, no. 4, Summer 2014 355

© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the Association for Confl ict Resolution

Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) • DOI: 10.1002/crq.21103

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

This issue of Confl ict Resolution Quarterly focuses on the rapidly evolv-

ing fi eld of organizational confl ict management. Across sectors, orga-

nizational leaders are realizing the benefi ts to be gained through better

confl ict prevention and early resolution.

 e fi rst article is written by David Brubaker and an amazing team of

experienced and talented practitioners and academics.  ey pool their col-

lective wisdom to describe current trends while predicting future changes

in organizational confl ict management.

In a similar vein, we present a series of articles in the mini-colloquy on

the role of the organizational ombudsman. In this series of connected prac-

tice notes, the highly talented and experienced team of ombudsmen from

the National Institutes of Health share their experiences and viewpoints

with us. While the litera ture on the work of ombudsmen borrows from the

fi elds of mediation, law, communications, and psychology, there are few

articles focused exclusively on the ombudsman function.

 e use of specially trained ombudsmen within organizations is grow-

ing. Ombudsmen seek to manage either internal (e.g., workplace) or exter-

nal (e.g., customer) disputes with an emphasis on confl ict prevention and

early resolution. With this set of articles, Confl ict Resolution Quarterly seeks

to deepen the existing knowledge of organizational confl ict management

in general and with the ombudsman role specifi cally in order to spark con-

versations about the enormous potential of the ombudsman role to shape

more collaborative, effi cient, and humane organizations.

Happy reading!

SUSAN S. RAINES, Ph.D.

Professor, MS in Confl ict Management Program

Kennesaw State University

Editor-in-Chief, Confl ict Resolution Quarterly

sraines@kennesaw.edu