Working Together: Bridging the Researcher- Practitioner Gap

Re-framing Issues Research In their research on turning points, Druckman and Olekalns (2013) found that negotiators frequently chose to reframe the issues when confronted with a crisis. The simulated crisis in their study consisted of the death of a president. [...] It entailed a reframing of the issues that would encourage them to return to the table in 1985. [...] Similar to the clinical intervention example above, Koh’s work initiated and sustained a string of TPs that built on each other. [...] The three sections to follow show how this role was implemented in the context of a university faculty grievance office. [...] The outcome was that she reframed the issues in terms of the way personal tragedies impacted on her productivity and how she needed to reconnect in a more deliberate way with her family. [...] When trust is not based on shared interests or a common identity, it seems easy for the faculty members and administrators to distrust the integrity of one another. [...] This strategy worked on many occasions because a great deal of time was spent communicating with both parties about the issues and how to address them. [...] A second lesson that presented itself deals with the issue of power and status in managing a dispute. [...] This process continued until a final set of recommendations was formulated that served to resolve the conflict and create a new reality for the disputants and their situation. [...] Donohue is also a Fellow of the International Communication Association and the International Association for Conflict Management.