Cooperation and trade relations
Cooperation and commercial relationships - for example between shareholders, at management level, within partnerships, or in the case of agency, distribution, purchase and sale or franchising - exist on the basis of durable, contractual agreements within and between companies. Personal relationships, prior experience, trust, reputation and expectations also play a role. It makes no difference whether the company is a multinational or an SME.
What do you do in a business conflict?
You have obligations to each other. After all, major economic and personal interests are involved, and from the relationship, contracts with third parties have been entered into. You cannot only act from your own personal and/or business interests, but will also have to take into account the legitimate interests of the partner(s). This applies when executing agreements and when there is a business conflict.
What role do you want to play yourself in a business conflict? Tug of war or peacemaker?
Business solution in your own hands
In mediation you can seek a business solution in complete confidentiality, which is much broader than a top-down decision on legal points. What do you really need in order to move forward? What needs to be agreed upon for the future? How can the relationship be maintained and what does it do to your reputation? All things you can discuss in business mediation and lay down in binding, quickly enforceable agreements. After that, there is room to go "back to business" again. That saves a lot of negative energy and money.
In short, if it is in your interest to prevent a business conflict from escalating, to ensure the continuation of the cooperation or business relationship, to make a joint project a success and to keep control of the solution, then you would be wise to use business mediation as a form of conflict resolution.