Mobile Online Dispute Resolution Tools: Potential Applications for Government Offices

Abstract

Online communication practices have become intrinsic to government work environments, and online dispute resolution (ODR) is a new and quickly evolving sector of dispute resolution. While ODR applications are diversifying, available ODR tools do not utilize the full capabilities of the existing technology and past research has maintained a narrow focus on ecommerce. This report has been created for ProActive ReSolutions, a private, internationally operating company with offices in Canada, Australia and the United States. It explores the potential impacts mobile online dispute resolution (MODR) tools could have on the interventions ProActive ReSolutions provides to their government clients. It takes into consideration how receptive participants are to MODR tools and how those tools might impact relational aspects of dispute resolution. This project finds that government clients welcome the introduction of MODR tools to provide support for existing dispute interventions and recommends that ProActive ReSolutions explore interest in virtual mediation systems among their entire client base.