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 is a practical guide for anyone with questions about what ombuds programs are and how they operate. Part I presents the author's expert responses to common questions and concerns about ombuds programs, and Part II uses real-world examples to illustrate the unique value that ombuds programs provide.

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.

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.