This book provides a detailed rationale for the creation of ombudsman offices; suggestions for structuring and documenting an ombudsman program and how to address issues that arise in litigation; a comprehensive presentation of various legal issues associated with organizational ombudsman programs;and numerous examples of how ombudsmen function in their organizations to illustrate how they are effective in addressing issues that people would not otherwise raise.
"Many people and organizations do not understand what organizational ombuds are and how they work. They want to know what value these programs really add, and they frequently express skepticism about ombuds' claim of confidentiality and how these programs can operate independently within an organization when an ombuds may be an employee of the organization. This book is a practical guide for those who have questions such as these about organizational ombuds programs and how they operate"--
This book explores the ombudsman as a global institution. It has spread all over the world and its institutional development is increasingly being governed transnationally. Initially an institution of administrative law, the ombudsman has become a human rights institution and institution of good governance. These ideational shifts have influenced the global diffusion of the ombudsman but also the way in which this institution of accountability functions. The ombudsman is a peculiar institution of public accountability - both an institution and individual - that observes changes in the general political climate and engages in renegotiations of its intra-institutional position. The global models associated with the ombudsman are a source of organizational ideas, legitimacy, and sense of orientation, but they treat institutional actors differently, working also as mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. The book tracks the global diffusion and institutional evolution of the ombudsman. Its chapters on institutional cases further explore the joint institutional history of the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice in Finland, and the European Ombudsman.
This book provides an integrated and philosophically-grounded framework that enables a coherent approach to organizations and organizational ethics from the perspective of practitioners in the workplace, managers in organizations, and organizations themselves.
Public and private organizations can benefit from the creation and implementation of an ombudsman program designed to problem-solve at the organizational level. This timely book presents the ombudsman in concept and in practice, offering full design and operational details from start-up to key activities and roles, as well as the benefits for the top executives, the employees and the customers. Case studies from numerous fields are examined to illustrate how a strong ombudsman program is vital to avoiding litigation, resolving conflicts and assisting management.
New ways of managing conflict are important features of work & employment in organizations. World's leading scholars examine range of innovative alternative dispute resolution practices, drawing on international research, scholarship, covering case studies of major exemplars & developments in different parts of global economy. Aust & NZ content.
“Raines masterfully blends the latest empirical research on workplace conflict with practical knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively manage and prevent a wide range of conflict episodes. This is a highly applicable ‘top shelf book’ that will assist anyone from the aspiring manager to top level management and leadership in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. It will also be a fast favorite of professors, trainers, and students of business and conflict management.” - Brian Polkinghorn, Distinguished Professor, Center for Conflict Resolution, Salisbury University. “With her broad dispute resolution, teaching, and editing experience, Susan Raines is uniquely qualified to organize what is known about conflict management in the workplace. She has succeeded in providing private, public, and nonprofit managers with accessible concepts and tools to deal effectively with the internal and external conflicts they must confront every day. Essential reading for all managers!” - Alan E. Gross, senior director, training coordinator, New York Peace Institute “After reading an advance copy of Raine’s impressive book, I can’t wait to begin to use it as a seminal text in my classes in organizational conflict. I am amazed at her ability to cover so well such disparate subjects as systems design, public policy disputes, small and large group processes, customer conflicts, conflicts in a unionized environment, and conflicts within regulatory contexts. Her user-friendly writing style is enhanced by her salient examples of exemplary and mistake-laden practices within public and private sector organizations. A ‘must-read’ for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in organizational conflict.” - Neil H. Katz, professor, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Nova-Southeastern University “Conflict management skills are essential to a manager’s success. Raines, a leading scholar and practitioner, provides a comprehensive and strategic new guide to these critical skills and how to use them in any organization.” - Lisa Blomgren Bingham, Keller-Runden Professor of Public Service, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University
This book uses comparative law and comparative international law approaches to explore the role of human rights ombuds, classic-based ombuds and other types of ombuds institutions in human rights protection and promotion, their methods of application of international and domestic human rights law and their roles in strengthening good governance. It highlights the increasing importance of national human rights ombuds institutions globally and their roles as national human rights institutions (NHRIs). Chapters address: ombuds institutions as mechanisms to strengthen democratic, horizontal and vertical accountability, the rule of law and good governance; national human rights ombuds institutions as NHRIs; the investigatory, litigation, promotional and other powers of human rights and classic-based ombuds and their methods for applying international and domestic human rights law; ombuds institutions and the protection and promotion of international children’s rights; national human rights ombuds additional mandates as OPCAT national preventive mechanisms, UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 33(2) framework mechanisms and EU national equality bodies; human rights ombuds and business and human rights; ombuds institutions, gender and women’s rights; the European Ombudsman and human rights; national human rights ombuds and other ombuds models by region, accompanied by case studies on national human rights ombuds; and the legal and extra-legal factors affecting ombuds institutional effectiveness.
The public sector ombudsman has become one of the most important administrative justice institutions in many countries around the world. This international and interdisciplinary Research Handbook brings together leading scholars and practitioners to discuss the state-of-the-art of ombudsman research. It uses new empirical studies and competing theoretical explanations to critically examine important aspects of the ombudsman’s work. This comprehensive Handbook is of value to academics designing future ombudsman studies and practitioners and policymakers in understanding the future challenges of the ombudsman.
