Posted by Reilly Atkinson on October 18, 2000 at 21:04:54:

In Reply to: The Potential for Knowledge Management in Conflict Management posted by Martyn R Jones on October 14, 2000 at 17:14:24:

Martyn -- You pose an interesting and frightening issue. Much as I would like to say that KM, or equivalent variants, can be a big help in resolving conflicts, I don't think KM would be of much help in many. The frightening aspect is, to me, that we are in about the same state regarding conflict resolution as we were a thousand years ago. At a profound level, we haven't learned much.

One area in which KM can and does play a big role is in litigation. As trial attorneys say, "Never ask a question, unless you know the answer." But trials, in the democracies at least, are ultimately very civilized proceedings -- everybody knows the rules. Even with this in mind, divorces and disputes over wills, for example, are conflicts that only get partial resolution -- and, for the most part, everybody involved knows everything. The troubles all come from emotions and interpretation of facts and actions.

Parents become alienated from their kids, business partners split up, some clerk won't let you return the shoes that don't fit, complaints get lost in 90 minutes of voice mail menus ...
What more is there to know about Israel and the Arab World?

It's one thing to negotiate across a magnificent mahogony table, with many staffers in the background. It's quite another when you have a teenager throwing a tantrum, or when your boss is yelling at you for something he did.Or worse, negotiating with someone who has lost a family from your force's actions, or been bankrupted by your policies. Knowledge won't always cut it -- sad to say.

Regards,
Reilly

---

Follow Ups:

• Re: The Potential for Knowledge Management in Conflict Management Vaughn P Fox 13:00:02 10/20/00 (8)
  • Re: The Potential for Knowledge Management in Conflict Management Reilly Atkinson 18:51:43 10/20/00 (7)
    • The ethics of knowledge management in a conflict situation Daan de Koning 04:28:17 10/23/00 (4)
      • Re: The ethics of knowledge management in a conflict situation Vaughn P Fox 13:36:09 10/23/00 (3)
        • Re: The ethics of knowledge management in a conflict situation Daan de Koning 06:05:04 10/24/00 (2)
          • Re: The ethics of knowledge management in a conflict situation Ron de Weijze 19:20:56 01/10/01 (0)
          • Re: The ethics of knowledge management in a conflict situation Vaughn P Fox 22:51:28 10/24/00 (0)
    • Re: The Potential for Knowledge Management in Conflict Management Vaughn P Fox 22:20:53 10/21/00 (1)
      • Daan & Vaughn Reilly Atkinson 19:11:49 10/23/00 (0)

---

Click Here to Post Follow Up in New Forums

    Knowledge Management Think Tank (New)

  

 Subject: 

Message: