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Journal of the International Ombudsman Association Journal of the International Ombudsman Association Journal of the International Ombudsman Association V O L U M E 6, N U M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 3 volume 3, number 1, 2010 1 Journal of the International Ombudsman Association TABLE OF CONTENTS V O L U M E 6, N U M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 3 Editorial Staff .................................................................................................................. 5 Poised for Transition ................................................................................................6 DAVID MILLER, EDITOR Interviews with Pioneers of Higher Education Ombudsmen ......... 8 TOM SEBOK ABSTRACT Eleven pioneers of higher education ombudsing were interviewed for this article; including three differ- ent types of pioneers: 1) those who served in the ombudsman role in the early days before there were professional organizations, Standards of Practice, formalized training, journals, newsletters, or confer- ences, etc.; 2) those who, largely through their publications and presentations, significantly influenced the thinking and practices of their colleagues; and 3) those who played key roles in starting and/or lead- ing the professional organizations that support the work of higher education ombudsmen. A variety of topics are presented, including such things as their recollections of starting this work, meeting other col- leagues, forming associations with other ombudsmen, challenges, rewards, and/or their accomplishments. KEY WORDS higher education, ombudsman, pioneers, university, college, challenges volume 6, number 2, 2013 2 Journal of the International Ombudsman Association Reconsidering the Neutrality and Impartiality Standard: A Multidisciplinary Analysis ............................................................................ 45 ZACHARY P. ULRICH ABSTRACT All organizational ombuds (OO) are neutrals, but what does “neutral” and “impartial” mean in the context of other professions, and what implications might those alternative meanings have for ombudsman practice? This paper analyzes the IOA standard of neutrality and impartiality by leveraging findings from the diverse fields of moral philosophy, historical analysis, political science, systems theory, mathematical modeling, social cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology, among others. The paper goes on to explore both the benefits and shortcomings of the neutrality and impartiality standard vis-à-vis the ombudsman role, and briefly explores whether or not the application of alternative stan- dards might better suit the OO profession as it evolves, specifically as an agent of organizational conflict monitoring and reporting, as an agent of organizational change, and as an advocate for individuals and groups when necessary. KEY WORDS ombudsman, neutrality, impartiality, IOA standard, multidisciplinary, fairness A Simple Methodology for Increasing Visibility and Capturing Organizational Ombuds Worth ........................................................................ 60 KATHERINE Y. BIALA ABSTRACT Attempting to capture the significant positive effects that an Ombuds Office can have upon an organization, the author poses a simple, objective and easily managed data collection meth- odology that illuminates the Ombuds’ worth to an organization. Seven Risk Categories are defined, with guidelines for data collection being confined to only what is told directly to the Ombuds by a visitor upon initial intake. IOA standards of confidentiality and impartiality and availability of objective data are discussed in relation to the Risk Categories. An example of a Risk Categories data report is provided, with an evaluation of limitations of this methodology. KEY WORDS Ombudsman, worth, visibility, usefulness, effectiveness, confidentiality. volume 6, number 2, 2013 3 Journal of the International Ombudsman Association The Ombudsman and Post Conflict Department Rebuilding ...... 68 KATHERINE HALE AND JAMES P. KEEN ABSTRACT Resolution of serious conflicts within organizations often leaves actors in a stressed state facing residual issues that remain unaddressed. Parties and departments involved in such post conflict situ- ations can benefit from support in addressing relational, structural, process, and fairness issues to rebuild a productive and supportive working environment. The authors provide insights in organizational post conflict rebuilding drawn from their own experience as well as from literature in the Conflict Resolution and Ombuds fields. Additionally, the International Peace Building field provides applicable lessons from national societies working to reconcile past grievances while developing fresh terms of engagement to rebuild the social and structural fabric. KEY WORDS ombuds, organizational conflict , dispute resolution, leadership, peace building, post conflict Financial Costs of Workplace Conflict .......................................................... 83 MARTIN FRERES ABSTRACT Conflict resolution in the workplace is claimed to save organizations money, yet, quantifica- tion of costs are rare. A – necessarily incomplete – but systematic review of the scholarly literature and websites identifies medical health, individual psyche, team behavior, wasted time, legal and dispute costs, customer relationships, HR & OD, and counter-productive work behavior as the major paths through which workplace conflict costs organizations money. Workplace conflict appears to waste approximately 3 hours per week per employee, be directly related to costly turnover, and result in virtually avoidable legal fees. KEY WORDS conflict, workplace, costs, financial, quantitative study, literature review AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHIES ................................................................................95 MISSION STATEMENT ......................................................................................97 INStructiONS FOR AuthORS ......................................................................98 REVIEW PROCEDurES ...................................................................................102 PUBLICATION AND TRANSFER OF COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT ...................104 IOA STANDARDS OF PRACTICE ....................................................................106 volume 6, number 2, 2013 4 Journal of the International Ombudsman Association EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS FOUNDING EDITOR David Miller Brian Bloch Laurie Patterson Alan Jay Lincoln Ombudsman Ombudsman Employee Ombudsman Consulting Ombuds The Global Fund to Office of the Special Akron General University Ombuds Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis Trustee for American Medical Center (Retired) and Malaria Indians/ISKCONResolve Akron, OH University of Geneva, Switzerland Cabin John, MD Massachusetts Lowell Thomas Sebok Lowell, MA Mary Rowe Director, Ombuds Office Ombudsperson University of Colorado Massachusetts Institute at Boulder of Technology Boulder, CO Cambridge, MA MEMBERS Dianne Bouvier Elizabeth Graham James Lee David M. Richardson University Ombudsman University Ombuds Consultant Health Care Ombuds- Ohio University Ohio University Ombudsperson man - Mediator Athens, OH Athens, OH UN Funds & Programmes Kaiser Permanente New York, NY Fontana, CA Helmut Buss Mim Gaetano Ombudsman for the UN Ombudsman Samantha Levine-Finley Kirsten Schwehm Funds & Programmes Mars, Inc. Associate Ombudsman Ombudsperson New York, NY Ballarat, VIC Nat. Institutes of Health Louisiana State Univ. Rockville, MD Baton Rouge, LA Steven Cordery Wilbur Hicks Corporate Ombudsman IOA Distinguished Laurie Mesibov Georgia Shaver United Technologies Emeritus Member University Ombuds Director, Mediation Corporation, Burgess Baltimore, MD Univ. of North Carolina Services, World Food Hill, West Sussex, UK Chapel Hill, NC Programme (Retired) Jai Nitai Holzman Rome, Italy Claudia D’Albini Ombudsman Wallace Meissner Ombuds Program Dir. ISKCONResolve Ombudsman Marsha Wagner The Univ. of Arizona Tucson, AZ Pan American Health University Ombuds Tucson, AZ Organization Officer, Columbia Univ. Cynthia Joyce Washington, DC New York, NY Philip Ettman University Ombudsperson Professor University of Iowa Sandra Morrison Thomas Zgambo Westfield State College Iowa City, IA Staff Ombudsman Ombudsman Westfield, MA Scotiabank World Bank Group Thomas Kosakowski Toronto, ON Washington, DC Dorothy Graham Assoc. Ombudsperson University Ombuds University of California Lisa Neale John Zinsser Kennesaw State Univ. Los Angeles, CA Associate Ombuds Managing Principal Kennesaw, GA University of Colorado Pacifica Human Denver, CO Communications, LLC volume 5, number 1, 2012 5 Charleston, SC Journal of the International Ombudsman Association David Miller EDITORIAL Poised for Transition DAVID MILLER, EDITOR As a profession, we stand on the shoulders of giants. For those in the 21st century attending graduate programmes on alternative dispute resolution, or researching optimal means for securing and reinforcing ombudsman visibility, or joining established ombudsman offices in a multiplicity of sectors, there is a debt to be acknowledged - of service, of recognition, of deep appreciation for the unbelievable character, achievements and examples our forebears in Om- budsmanry have shown. A handful of completely extraordinary people have actually created us! It is high time we acknowledged and celebrated their achievements and legacy. The JIOA Editorial team has long proposed to celebrate our Pioneers across sectors by describ- ing who they are and have been, sector by sector. We have also considered describing pioneers by the contributions they
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