PREVENTION OF THIRD PARTY VIOLENCE ON A LOCAL
LEVEL
TRAINING GUIDELINES
for the participants of the pilot program
Prepared by András Krémer
Scientific researcher
Introduction
We prepared a three-day training program in the framework of the project
that makes it possible for the participating local government institutions to
start “the prevention and treatment of third party violence” program. With
the help of this training program it is possible to provide for those institutions,
negotiating mechanisms, internal rules that are necessary for the secure
launching of the program.
Before we introduce the methodology, we need to clarify certain basic definitions. First of all, what do we
mean by “third party”? When speaking about third party or participant, we mean the employer and the
employee by the first two parties, and the third party is the client, similarly to the customer, client in the
commercial, service sector. Thus, from the perspective of the violent actions apart from the traditional
actors we also have to take into account the presence of an external, third-party, or third parties.
When defining the basic concepts, we also have to pay attention to the fact that the concept “three-party
dialogue” despite of the similarity of the words, has a different meaning, three-party dialogues are held by
social partners and those social partners are the employer, the employee and the state. This is presented in
the first part of this methodological guide, where we can read about three-party dialogue and interestnegotiating mechanisms.
There exists a third concept as well, which is used in this Guide in the description of the Norwegian
methodology. This “three-party cooperation” also needs to be explained in this context. The partners of
the cooperation are the employer who is responsible for work-security, the trade unions (thus the
representation of the employees) and the third party is what the model calls “the responsible party of work
security”. As it becomes clear from the description in this Guide, this concept is also used in the Hungarian
regulations.
Following the clarification of all the difficulties of definitions, let us overview the training material, its
agenda, brief content review and the aspects of its application. The Hungarian developers of the program
are fully committed to the promotion of the Hungarian adaption of the program in the widest possible
spectrum, for this reason we urge all interested parties to contact the experts of the Hungarian National
Association of Local Authorities, use their support to create more and more workplaces and administrative
organizations with systematic and appropriate conditions, methods, institutions for secure and efficient
operation and services.
First day: theoretical preparation
The aim of the first day is to define the conceptual framework of the program, determine the legal, social
and organizational environment, review the aims, methods, available resources, including the actors. In the
course of the first part, we also recall personal memories of events that directly experienced or that
happened to us in our working environment, this helps us to pin down the possible deficiencies, the lack of
adequate preparation and bad decisions concerning those happenings. We may define the direction of the
correct solutions through comparisons of these examples to the concepts and proposals that are to be
introduced in our program.
Introduction, Definition of Third Party Violence
In the introduction of the Guide, we already referred to the fact that it is a basic requirement concerning
the administrative activities of the state to perform its administrative and regulatory duties in an efficient
way while taking into account the needs of the citizens. These activities are undertaken by a public authority
staff the members of which have a high professional profile and are selected according to strict, predefined
selection processes. In order for these employees to be able to constantly live up to the high expectations
concerning their positions, the head of the staff, the employer has to make sure that the employees work in
a reliable, predictable, secure, thus in this sense a comfortable working environment.
The employer and the employees may create these conditions jointly. The client may put the
administrator into danger on purpose or by chance. In order to prevent this situation from taking place, it is
important to have a relationship between the partners built on trust that makes the analysis of the events,
the correction of the defaults of the persons or systems possible.
Violence and threat at the workplace
The employee has to be defended against all possibilities of violence, threats and all contacts with
negative effects as far as possible. According to the results of Norwegian studies, people working in the
service sector are the most exposed to threats of these types. According to the observations, 5-6% of the
employees are subjects of some type of atrocity by the customers on a monthly basis. Women are twice
more likely to suffer from such incidents, however it is important to note that twice as much women work
in this sector than men. The most vulnerable employees are people working in the areas of health care,
social care, education, catering and hotel industry, transport.
Events that are considered acts of violence or threats include cases where the employee is harmed,
threatened by an open, or hidden statement, gets unwanted sexual attention, or his or her sense of well−being
and security, or health are damaged in any way through his or her contact with the client.
This may manifest in the form of:
• physical violence
•psychological violence, or pressure (this may be undertaken in verbal form or body language, its aim
is to cause stress, anxiety, insecurity in the insulted party);
• sexual violence that may result in mental and physical damages;
• may be face−to−face, by phone, written or through the electronic media
Prevention, treatment, follow−up
In order for such unwanted cases to be prevented and efficiently treated, all such events have to be
registered, damages may only be recuperated and experiences processed in this way. On t he one hand,
follow –up is a way to provide attention for the aggrieved employee, on the other hand it makes it
possible to assess the success of the support given to the same individual.
At this point, it is important to emphasize that such preventive, responsible, extensive institutionalized
practices at the workplaces may only be built on high−level mutual trust. If the employee fears that he or
she will be made responsible for the given event, he or she will certainly not be interested in investigating
the circumstances of the incident. If the given workplace environment allows it, he or she has to endure not
only the critics of his superiors but also those of his or her equals. For this reason, it is indispensable for the
social partners to create an atmosphere where all parties affected may trust each other. Only in this
atmosphere of trust, may the parties discuss, share, analyze their experiences, may participate in its
common processing and in the prevention of further cases.
„Make note of an incident from your personal working experiences!”
•Are all these cases criminal cases?
• Can they only be solved by a criminal approach?
• Is it enough to involve the police (authorities)?
• Is this only the problem of the person abused?
• Colleagues, leaders, trade union representatives, the community?
The possible answers to the questions above suggest that these events extend beyond the narrowly
defined criminal procedures, they either cannot be proved or the damaging act cannot be described by the
means of criminal law.
The Hungarian legal regulations protect the employees undertaking official, public services, but as it
could be seen, in many cases, they do not provide efficient solutions. Furthermore, even if a legal process is
initiated, it is more a of a torture for the inflicted party than a real process of care that would help to
recuperate the damaged caused.
In addition to this, such event is not only the personal, individual problem of the person inflicted. Such
incidents have an effect on the institutions, the municipal office, the range of customers and in the case of a
local authority on the community as a whole. Thus, such incidents effect the given institution as a whole, all
actors are concerned, and therefore, all affected parties need to take part in the processing and managing
of the experiences of the incident and in the alleviation of the victim’s needs. In certain cases, these events
may also affect the wider community, e.g. in the case of a small municipality the involvement of the public
may also be justifiable, the processing of the action violating norms may provide an opportunity for
reparations, the recuperation and strengthening of the damaged norm.
Framework, resources, approaches
• Legal (criminal, labor law, work security, status legislation)
• Labor relations (the cooperation of employers and employees)
• The efficiency of the service (administration and customer service)
Security is an obligation and an interest at the same time!
Legal regulations usually mention the question of security as an obligation the provision of which is the
task and responsibility of the given actors. The security and safety of the work and actors (employers,
employees) are also among the most important efficiency factors. One may only perform well, provide and
conclude professional customer service, make an income, preserve his or her health, institutional prestige
under safe and secure circumstances, thus security is in the interest of all actors.
Thus, if we consider security a common interest, its implementation is also the common task and
aspiration of the partners. In the workplace, such efforts and co−operations take place in the system of
labor relations, more precisely in the form of jointly initiated and held dialogues, negotiations. Dialogues
and negotiations focus on questions concerning income, social allocations, or any measures affecting a
greater part of the employees.
The system of labor relations
Labor relations (the Hungarian expression may also be translated as industrial relations) in a general sense
cover the relationship between the capital and employment.
Both sides are personified by people and
organizations, thus the expression, “labor relations” is an umbrella term for peaceful or sometimes
conflict−afflicted dialogues, deals, interactions, the outcome of which are negotiations, rules, norms and
institutes.
These relations are present at a micro- , and macro−, sectorial and national level, or even at the level of
global companies. We are to talk about tripartite institutions, once the relations are extended to state
representatives at a national level.
Labor relations became institutionalized; they compromise verbal and written agreements, collective
agreements as well as labor law legislations.
Labor relations
• their concepts (collective bargaining, labor conflicts, participation, institutionalization
• their participants (trade unions, employers / their organization/ the government)
• their institutes (collective bargaining, participation)
• conflicts and their solutions, modes of cooperation
• power, asymmetrical relations
• working conditions
• international models, experiences and stories
These are the main pillars on which one may build in the case of the conditions of work security.
We may build on these pillars in the course of the solution of all problems concerning work security, a
representative is elected for the surveillance of work security.
In Norway, the election process of this representative is different from those of the trade union
representatives, all employees participate in his / her election not only trade union members. He / She has
extensive authorization in his / her sphere of interest, he / she may even stop the work as a whole. The local
work security representative generally works in a normal working position, he/ she only takes up
representative tasks when this is needed. His / her abilities as well as his / her willingness to cooperate are
taken into account in the course his / her election, thus his / her prestige is usually high among the
employees and the employers.
Legal references and substance related legal material
EU ILO guidelines and recommendations;
• Law on the status of civil servants (obligation of the employer);
• Law on work security (Law XCIII. of 1993.);
• Labor Code, rights concerning individuals, Criminal Code;
• the norms, values, behaviors of the local community, reputation and respect.
One may find a grounding for the introduction of the “prevention of third party violence and threat”
program in the legal sources and proposals above, or one may also lean on those community efforts that
promote a close cooperation between the institutes, the municipal office and their clients, or as they are
called according to international recommendations society, or community.
Further related topics
• Dangerous and risky situations (direct customer service alone, at night, with a tool of high value or
money, inexperienced employees are more endangered than more experienced ones);
• Risks and damages related to violence (violence, threat, these occur mostly on a one-time basis, whereas
harassment is usually continuous);
• The contribution of social partners (to security, organization, management, technology);
• Systematic work, activities for securing safe and healthy work environment and working conditions
(institutionalized solutions, protocols, existing already prior to the incident !)
What does protection mean?
• An efficient service (clients make notice of and appreciate quick, punctual, professional and authentic
customer-service, in which case even if they experience some type of tension, they do not relate it to the
administrator);
• The employees and the employer (leaders) have a good closed working relationship that protect the
organization and their members, and they continuously operate along institutionalized processes;
• Cooperative relationship;
• Clear institutional policy;
• Finally the laws.
Common tasks
• Building of mutual trust and respect;
• The registration, documentation, analysis of all incidents (besides the protection of the inflicted
person!));
• Paying attention to the persons concerned;
• Identification of all system-oriented risks and problems;
• Introduction and adoption of all processes, protocols with the help of which damages can be
prevented, processes may be corrected, incurred damages can be recuperated and compensated (common
analysis, interpretation, enumeration of possible solutions);
• Monitoring;
•Impact-assessment, evaluation;
• Measurement (prevention, treatment, registering and follow-up of events, training needs);
• training (for all participants concerned).
Necessary tasks for the operation of the system
• What needs to be registered?
• Information-campaign (physical, psychological, sexual violence, intimidation, threat, harassment);
• Mapping of risks of health;
• Roles and responsibilities;
• Employer: continuous protection;
• Employee: recognition, registration, reporting;
• Work security representative.
• Continuous examination: health, environment, safety;
• Internal regulatory obligations (not for individual cases, but SYSTEM-based!);
• Mapping of risks, risk-assessment, action plan, practical advice;
• Registration (aversions!);
•Measures, continuous updating of trainings (stress, communication, avoidance and treatment of
emergencies),
• Support of colleagues.
It will make cooperative problem-solving impossible if in the course of registration in general and the
registration of individual cases, the employees dread that the given incident reflect badly on them, in this
case it will be against the employees’ interest to document and examine the given incidents. This is a huge
source of danger, only through conscious preparation can such problems be avoided and the adequate
level of trust created. Once the parties may build on the positive experiences of the first cases and the
positive feedback of the inflicted parties, the registration and treatment of further incidents become easier.
It is also possible that the direct leaders (top manager, employer) feel that on the basis of personal failure
(organization, omission of control, problems of selection or instructions) they will be made responsible for
the incidents, thus the ignoring, concealment of the events become a common interest of the managers.
Thus, the various fears, aversions, uncertainties may result in the fact that the affected persons feel that it is
not in their interest to “name” the incident or to talk about it, analyze it or ask for help even in the narrow
working environment.
Thus, it is very important in the course of the introduction of such systems that the parties concerned
believe that the established procedures will operate in their best interest. In order to reach this goal, clear,
strengthening institutional communication is needed and it is also important that the parties concerned
participate in planning, preparations and training actively and as equal partners.
The level of dependency is so high, that it is indispensable for the successful launching of the program,
that all parties participate as equal partners in its building, launching and “operating”.
Once the program is successfully introduced, it most probably will have further “auxiliary” benefits on
the cooperation of the actors, on the improved discussion and the solution of further professional
questions and the increase of efficiency.
Methods and techniques
In the course of the first day of the training, a great emphasis is put on discussions in small groups, the
compositions of the groups are frequently varied in order for all participants to be actively involved and the
experiences of the participants to be shared and exchanged in a wide spectrum.
As a closing of the first day, there is a attunement for the second day of the training, due to its different
nature, methodology and skill development details, the working methods of the second day differ from
those of the first day.
Second day: Development of abilities and techniques
The efficiency of the Committee (Working group)
Task functions
• efficient cooperative planning;
• efficient meetings;
• problem-solving in groups
• decision-making based on a consensus.
Maintenance functions
• comprehension of ourselves and the other;
• interpersonal skills;
Law on work security (its possibilities)
• group dynamics and supporting leadership.
• the employer considers the provision of safe working conditions part of his job …
• …in cooperation with the employees;
• the rules maybe based on the law;
• the legislation supports negotiations and the determination of methods;
• change-management may also be based on legislative aims and declarations.
The development of personal skills is also needed in order to avoid and prevent situations with
conflicts:
• body language;
• suitable physical surroundings (escape route, glass wall, counter etc.);
• the use of language;
• control of emotions and tensions;
• personal decisions.
Institutional risk-assessment and the creation of non-personal, system-based solutions are inevitable .
Without these, individual skills and decisions will not be enough to handle the upcoming situations.
Cooperative games
We talk about win-win games and results when the outcome is more positive from the perspective of the
parties than that of zero-sum games (which means that the profit of one of the participants equals the loss
of another). Win-win games are situations where the parties seek the greatest profit possible, they are
different from the characteristics of positional bargaining that can be described as a strategy of riskreduction.
Positional and interest-based negotiations
Violence and threat committed by a third party is evidently a conflict between the offender and the
employee, administrator. It might be less evident that such an incident, the causes and the preceding
events may appear as sources of conflict not only between the employee and his /her boss but also with the
colleagues. Thus, it is worthwhile to review the basic information concerning the possible conflicts; such
basic information may help in the preparation for upcoming events and their successful solutions.
Various factors may play a role in the emergence of situations with conflicts; there might be significant
differences among the weights of the various factors in each case.
Thereby, the differing values and systems of values represented by the parties (customer-centeredness
vs. number of closed cases) may also play determining roles. The differences of values can be traced back
to the differences of personalities (the personalities of the representatives), different social background,
political affiliation, family background and customs, religious beliefs, education or any other reasons. It is
also quite frequent that the conflicts originating from conflicts of interests are further aggravated by the
differences in the partners’ value-systems, and the emphasis is gradually shifted to a conflict of values. In
other cases, the position of the partners and their behavior in the situation with conflicts are effected by
their personal relationships. These relationships are determined by earlier experiences, precedent cases,
they can naturally be positive that can facilitate the settling of their disputes, but more often they have a
negative connotation and act as barriers against finding a more advantageous solution.
The relationship between the partners can be significantly influenced by the different positions filled by
the partners in the organizational structure. From this perspective, apart from the formal structure, we
also have to consider the informal organizational conditions, positions, power factors, or the dependencies,
hierarchies arising from the technology and work-organization. In the structural elements we take into
account that on the one hand, the employer and the employees are always in a different organizational
position and on the other hand both the employer and the employee may belong to the same interestrepresenting, political and economic organizations, the structure of which may affect the relationship of
the partners.
The spectrum of the information involved in the conflict is considered as an additional important factor
for the partners. Thus, in most cases the partners rarely have access to the necessary amount of and
adequate type of information to resolve the given conflict, they are to establish their position with an
insufficient level of information or are disturbed in their search for the most adequate solution by a great
amount of unprocessed, unnecessary supplementary information.
The recognition and differentiation of the sources of conflicts are among the most important elements
of our philosophy of conflict-management.
What does this philosophy mean?
This philosophy presents two different models for settling disputes, resolving problems, the two models also
represent two different ways of bargaining.
One of them may be called positional and the other interest-based. The fathers of this philosophy, E Roger
Fisher and William Ury, presented their views in their book, Getting to Yes (Penguin Books, 1991) which is
considered as a basic handbook of this philosophy. Several modified and expanded versions of this book
were published and other authors depicted similar models to strengthen the professional background of
this philosophy (The importance of the following book has to be especially emphasized: Jerome T. Barrett,
P.A.S.T. Is the Future – a Model for Interest – Based Collective Bargaining that Works!, 5th ed. (1998).).
According to the authors mentioned, the basic sources of the conflicts are the differences of values, the
relations between the partners, information, organizational and structural correlations (organizational
constraints, chain of command etc.) and differing interests. Considering these sources of conflicts, those
experiments that search for an agreement through concentration on the different values, are rarely
successful. (All phenomena are considered values that influence our behavior, decisions in a durable way,
e.g. honesty, efficiency, fairness etc.). We are also likely to fail, if we base our search for solutions on
relationships, especially if these relationships are burdened by a negative history, or they do not represent a
positive potential for the creation of solutions for any other reasons. However, if the partners try to
concentrate on their existing and real interests, there is a greater chance to reach a solution that is
acceptable for both partners. This is explained by the fact that people (groups) are rarely ready to give up
their values or make compromises about them, while the satisfaction of interests takes place according to
completely different rules.
Referring back to our original definition, thus to the rivalry for a limited amount of resources, it is easy to
identify an interest of one party, the satisfaction of which does “cost” as much for the other partner as it
brings benefits for the first one. In this way, the extent of resources may be expanded, thus additional
resources can be produced, and these goods can be included in the repartition process. This type of
bargaining process is called interest-based bargain. The brief description bellow compares the
characteristics of positional bargaining to interest-based negotiations.
Position-based negotiations
One of its most important characteristics is that in the course of the division of resources the partners
would like to maximize their profit and thus their interests exclude each other. A very important other
factor is that the current and future relations of the partners do not play significant roles as opposed to
immediate profit. The partners consider each other opponents, the profit of one partner equals the loss of
the other (This situation is called a zero-sum game in game theory).
In the course of a dispute, offensive steps dominate and the intention towards risk-decreasing is
determinant. (During these reviews, we presume that the negotiating partners are well-prepared and apply
the given negotiating types in a professional manner.)
How do position-based negotiations work?
• The goal (the best possible solution) to be achieved during the negotiation is determined.
• During the bargaining process the best possible solution is taken into account.
• The partners determine the lowest limit that they are still ready to accept in the interest of the
agreement.
• The possible goals of the other partner are considered, as well as the least optimal solution still
accepted by him or her.
• They enumerate all the possible positions between the best and the least optimal positions.
• They switch from one position to another in a carefully constructed manner.
• They arrange questions to be discussed in a logical order.
• They open the negotiation with those questions that are easily resolved.
• They let the other partner explain why he / she opened with a particular position.
• They list all the variations that are acceptable for both partners.
• If there are such variations, it is advisable to choose the most advantageous one.
• If there is no such variation, the partners review whether they can create one through an acceptable
modification.
• They put the agreement into a written form.
Interest-based negotiation
Its primary goal is that the interests and needs of the participating partners should be satisfied to the fullest
extent. The essence of the interest-based negotiation is that the parties solve their problem together in
partnership. In this case, the success of the negotiation equals the success of every negotiating partner. The
inevitable condition of the interest-based negotiations is that the participants process all the necessary abilities
and skills for conducting the negotiations. Time, cooperative skills, search for common solutions, exchange of
important information are all necessary for interest-based, cooperative negotiations. The interest-based
negotiation does not equal the giving up of proper interests, in the course of interest-based negotiations the
negotiating partner validates his / her interests in a way that the interests of his / her negotiating partners are
also satisfied. The most important elements of this type of negotiating technique are cooperation, trust, the
increase of reachable profit.
The basic principles of interest-based negotiations
• The negotiating partners attempt to separate the problem to be solved, from myths, personal problems,
contracting feelings from content-based proposals, emotional reactions from concrete suggestions. The
parties work together; help each other in concentrating on real content. To this aim, they try to neglect
their contracting feelings arising from the differences of their value-system or from earlier negative
experiences. To this end, they are often forced to take difficult steps: e.g. settling the emotional and
subjective content of their relationship, or more simply forgiveness, the advance on trust etc.
• As opposed to the rules of positional bargaining, the parties avoid over-bidding each other, enforcing
their opinion, accepting that such behavior does not have good consequences, only aggravate the
situation and distances the parties from finding the good solutions. Within the cooperative frameworks
view-points determined by the willingness to achieve the fulfillment of interests and not a position or a
game lead against the other partner. From this perspective, the alternatives for solution lack all functions
that are directed against the power position of the other partner.
• They attempt to find the best solution while analyzing the common problem. The partners do not
believe that only one perfect prescription exists and that is their own solution. They do not consider
spending time on finding a lot of good solutions a waste, as the process of searching takes them closer to a
better agreement possibility. The assessment of the solutions with such regard can the mostly be achieved
with outside help.
• The most important condition of a successful negotiation is that the negotiating partners agree on
those objective and fair criteria on the basis of which a final agreement can be reached. It is for this reason
that they look for alternatives of solution, in which the differing interests can mutually be achieved.
Based on all this, the most important characteristics of the interest-based negotiation are the
following:
• The resources can be extended. The resources can be varied and they have differing characteristics. Certain
reources cannot be extended in a strict sense, such as money, time or certain objects. However, even these
resources can be considered expandable, in case they can be transferred from other areas, can be replaced, or
shared without damaging the interests of the partners. E.g. wages cannot be raised as no other financial
sources are available, but the sharing of the use of certain entities in the company’s possession, or their transfer
to the employee may be equivalent to an increase in salary. It is a well-known example for everyone that topmanagers often receive additional income in the form of the use of cars, mobile phones or other resources. In
other cases, the extension of resources means the satisfaction of other interests of the employee. The sharing
of certain resources does not equal their division. E.g. Certain information may be of such nature, the receipt of
these pieces of information means supplementary help for those who get access to it, whereas those who
shared it still have the same amount of information as before the division. Tools not used to their full capacity,
such as a copy-machine, a weekend resort, a building or other real-estate or personal estate, are also of such
nature.
• The parties believe that there exists a solution that is an answer to their common problem. Those who
were already part of such problem-solving procedures where the interests of all parties were satisfied,
relatively easily accepts the presumption that in most cases the search for solutions is not an illusion. In the
case of those, who have not yet experienced such a process, the other negotiating partner may help to
create the atmosphere, negotiating style in which such a level of trust may be reached. A third party may
also help in the creation of trust.
• Participants are cooperating partners, not adversaries. The disputing partners - similarly to the methods
described above- may take up cooperative roles, in which they consider the other party a partner in finding
a common solution without giving up proper interests. The acquiring of these roles is not easy; however
modern organizations extensively support and need such structures. Teamwork in modern organizations is
for example built on such cooperative behavior.
• The negotiating persons and the problems are separated from each other. It often causes difficulties
that the parties inseparably relate a certain problem to the person, division, organization that raises it or
has an interest in solving it. In such cases, we often try to defeat the representative of the given standpoint,
question his / her importance, expertise, authenticity and competence. In order to avoid this phenomenon,
we have to separate the person and the problem. In doing so, we dissociate from the given person raising
the problem and place the given difficulty in the group of problems to be solved in a joint manner.
• The aim is to find a solution that makes both parties a winner. In the case of the end-result of positionbased bargaining, the winning partner manages to validate his / her interest to a greater extent. It is a
human trait that we prefer to win rather than lose. In the case of successful interest-based negotiations we
have to accept that while validating our own interests we remain winners even if the other party also
managed to validate his / her interests. In the course of the interest-based dispute-solving, this aim has to
be set by the partners themselves.
• Agreements created through mutual satisfaction are easier to be maintained and do not ruin but improve
the relationship of the partners. If any of the partners for some reason believe that he / she was cheated,
that an disadvantageous solution was accepted by him / her against his / her will, the implementation of the
agreement will be against the interest of this partner. Furthermore, he / she will start a new negotiation
with a loss of trust that will be difficult to restore. This backing off in behavior is called „risk the future” and
in the course of the wording and interpretation of the agreement and the negotiations, one has to make
efforts to avoid such situations.
The interpretation of interests
It is important to talk about the interpretation of those interests, the partners intend to validate. From the
perspective of the interest-based negotiation we may differentiate three different types of interests (needs):
• Content based interests that are related to the object of the problem, conflict (money, time, product,
authority, privilege etc.). This type of interest is the most important element of all disputes, or the element
that is considered the most significant one by the parties, as in most cases disputes arise around the division
of certain goods. In most cases, however, it becomes clear following the negotiations that the motivation of
the parties to participate in the discussion is not centered around the satisfaction of material interests to the
greatest extent. Let us consider those cases, where the increase of wages in the case of a given group of
company or industrial branch employers is not important from the perspective of making a living but because
of the discrepancies of values compared to other groups of employees within the same company or the same
industrial branch.
• Different procedural interests these affect the behavior, communication of the participants and their
rules. It is an important interest for example whether the process through which we intend to validate our
interests conforms our norms and values or not. We will not be completely satisfied if we think that a
certain interest-promoting or problem-solving process should be conform to democratic principles whereas
in reality the democratic processes are harmed. Our interests may therefore be also directed on the process
of the solution of disputes, the applied processes and working methods.
• Psychological interests: focus on the emotions and relations of participants, their mutual respect,
avoidance of disappointments. The participants of a dispute are real, actual persons who they take part in
the discussions as disputing partners or representatives of disputing groups or organizations. It is the
natural right of these persons that their personality should not be harmed in the course of the resolution of
the disputes. Nobody likes to be looked down upon, nobody likes when his / her expertise, suitability is
questioned or when he / she is put in uncomfortable situations. The partners mishandled in this way will be
dissatisfied with the content results, even if these results confirm their precedent expectations.
What is the process of an interest-based negotiation?
• Determination of all content-, process-based, psychological interests and needs that fulfillment of which
are expected in the course of the negotiations
• We have to think through what type of content, process-based, psychological needs our negotiating
partners have.
• In the beginning of the negotiations the partners are duly informed about the needs and interests.
• They depart from those interests and principles on which they agree or do not have significant
differences of opinions.
• They attempt to separate the problem from its related myths, wrong and incomplete information, and
misunderstandings arising from bad personal relationships.
• They analyze, divide the given problems to small elements.
• They determine those criteria of the solution that should be fulfilled in a way that is acceptable for all
parties
• They work out a great number of solutions while taking into account these conditions.
• They separate the elaboration and the evaluation processes of the solutions.

They are really interested in the interests of the other party and they show their interest.

They do not abuse the weakness of their partners in the course of the negotiations.
Based on the main steps of the interest-based negotiations are the following
• Building of trust and cooperation.
• Determination of negotiating processes and game rules.
• Determination of the process of the negotiation (agenda).
• Structuring of the problem, determination of controversial questions.
• Clarification of interests of all partners related to controversial questions.
• Searching for and elaboration of alternatives of solution for controversial questions.
• Assessment of proposals.
• The selection of the best solution.
• Standardization and structuring of partial agreements.
• Elaboration of documents concerning the implementation of the agreement, determination of
guarantees.
• Putting the agreement in a written form.
This scenario may also be considered as a basis for the negotiations and meetings necessary for the
planning of the program!
A good agreement means that the agreement is:
• fair: the partners feel that the process is correct and fair. Experiences show that those processes that the
partners consider fair usually lead to results that are accepted by the parties and they are willing to live up to
its obligations voluntarily;
• efficient: from the point of view of the use of time and resource as well as from the perspective of the
use of all value-producing opportunity;
•future-oriented: it does not concentrate on the analysis of past events, it searches a solution accepted
by the actors from the perspective of the future;
• durable: it is accepted by everyone, it is realistic from the perspective of time and resources;
• preserving cooperating relations; and its agreement is flexibly open towards the renegotiation of the
situation in case of changes in circumstances.
From a methodological perspective, the second day is built on role-plays and their processing, which are
suitable for experiencing the characteristics of the negotiating methods and the first steps of skilldevelopment.
The aim of the third day is following the theoretical preparation (day 1), the development of skills (day 2) is
the actual planning based on the precedents.
Partnership in the system-based implementation of the "Prevention of Third-party violence"
program - the starting points of the partnership:
• the strategy, philosophy, practice of the common initiative philosophy of employers and employees;
• the strengthening of the organization and the system;
• taking into account the cultural differences of the partners (work-culture, working style, verbal
heritage arising from different professional background, modes of thinking etc. );
• recreating harmony following organizational changes (changes in one part effect other parts as well, it is
important that a certain change should not be harmful or stressful);
• dialogue on in what ways the perceptions of the partners concerning their organization differ. ;
• creating a joint vision on the ideal, future state of the organization;
• joint definition of those conditions of work that make high-level performance possible
Needs
• Continuous consultations
• Partnership between the leaders, trade union representatives, work security representatives and experts
• Clear concepts, definitions and criteria
• Definite organizational structure in the affected area, clear policy
• Intensive involvement of employees and the local community
• Satisfied clients
• The operation of a support system
• Basic statements, rules, ethical norms, expectations
Basic questions (everybody needs to know the answers to these questions concerning the activities of
the program)
• Who?
• What will be done?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How
Basic questions related to introduction and planning.
• Are all the persons concerned present at the planned meeting? (If not, we should invite them, bring
them).
• Is the plan flexible enough to be modified if necessary because of the changes in circumstances? (If
not, let us modify it in a way that it becomes more flexible)
• Are planned actions as simple as possible? (If not, let us simplify them.)
• What is the exact plan for the communication and promotion of the status of the program?
• What is the plan for the elaboration of the program results and the preparation of its reports?
The process of implementation
The identification of the problem
The analysis of the problem
The development of solution possibilities
The selection of the solution
The introduction and implementation of the solution
The assessment of the results
Implementation and the next steps
• What will we do tomorrow (what are the steps directly before us)?
• Partners (who will cooperate, do we have the necessary partnership with these people? )
• How are we going to maintain the results, processes, relationships and trust?
• Which are our points of control?
• Corrections?
Appendix
II. Executive summary (sample)
Brief overview of the organization / project
Environmental study
Internal environment
Analysis of the internal environment: Organizational resources, people, culture, organizations, partnerships
External environment
Analysis of the external environment: Social processes, effects, technologies, regulating environment, economic
environment
Comparing analysis
Detailing project aims, identification of external and internal factors that have favorable effects on the
realization of aims.
Assessment of achievements
Measuring of processes, their comparison to other processes and performances in the municipal office, variables
can usually be measured in terms of time, quality and cost. The measurement of progress is better, quicker and
less expensive…
Best practices
Comparison and analysis of best practices
Analysis of risks and traps
Analysis of risks, traps and dangers in order to avoid and prevent them.
Strategic planning
The clear communication of the strategic plan towards all affected persons, including interest-groups
and supporters is inevitable. It contains the following:
Vision
What is the aim of the project? It creates aspirations, intentions towards the attainment of the aimed future.
Mission
Decisions, authorizations necessary in order to attain the defined goals
Detailing of mission (Please, answer all the questions!)
What type of “service” function is the aim of the project?
Who are the beneficiaries of the project?
What are the reasons for the implementation of the project?
Why does the organization need this project?
Let us harmonize the answers!
Values
Values help in all important decisions. Which are the most important values?
Initiatives
These actions lead to the realization of aims.
Strategic aims
Let us enumerate the expected aims that are to be reached as the results of the vision and the mission.
S Specific
M Measurable
E Reachable
R Relevant
I Related to time
E Assessment
U Re-assessment
Measuring
The quantitative measuring of results
Quickly reachable results
Results that are to be reached in a relatively short time with low costs.
Organizational structure
The organization structure expresses the division of responsibilities in the different structures and functions,
even by groups or on an individual basis. Let us prepare an organizational chart!
Resources
Personal
Financial, budgetary
Possibilities / tools
Summary (including a foresight)
Based on the above let us begin the implementation of the project! Let us create our own system