Making the ‘right’ decision can be one of the hardest parts of the mediation process. Once understanding of has been enhanced and options thoroughly explored – how best to choose a way forward? One of the great Enlightenment thinkers may be able to offer some help. Adam Smith is best known for ‘The Wealth of…
I’m not really a fan of musicals so I was rather surprised to find myself responding to a friend’s recommendation and booking tickets for of ‘Hamilton’. Having taken the plunge I went further and started on Ron Chernow’s epic biography of Alexander Hamilton. Both the performance and the book are excellent. The show is great…
A recent Scottish Universities Insight Institute project looking at regional innovation strategies featured a presentation by Peter Wostner from the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development in Slovenia. He framed the development of innovation ecosystems as a collective action problem. This type of problem has been defined as “a situation in which all individuals would be…
On April 25th, 2024, I had the privilege to speak at the V SIFRA Seminar on Innovations and Tools for Revenue Recovery and Alternative Revenues (SIFRA). The event, acronym for Fiscal Innovations Seminar, is a renowned gathering that brings together bright minds to discuss ideas, research, and innovative solutions, always with a focus on municipal…
This is Part 2 of a two-part blogpost. Part 1 was published in January 2024. This blog explores what narrative means for us in the field of conflict resolution as we navigate an increasingly complex global context. Where are we now? The conflict resolution field has also been active in the task of challenging and…
Tribalism is often referenced as a significant factor in much of the conflict we see around us at the moment. Perhaps this isn’t so surprising when we look back at the story of human evolution as described by biological anthropologist David Samsom in a recent book “Our Tribal Future: How to channel our human instinct…
The Magic in Mediation This is a longer blog post than is normal but I will not be alone in describing Ken Cloke as one of the most influential figures in my life, both professionally and personally. Ken’s wisdom and humanity, expressed so well in his many books and seminars, have been hugely important to…
In their recent book ‘Power and Progress’ Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson analyse technological progress over the course of human history. They conclude that technological advances tend to initially benefit a fairly narrow elite before countervailing societal pressures and political developments result in a fairer distribution of the benefits of this progress. Their survey of…
Ms Machimdhorn Khampiranont (“MA”) is the Acting Managing Director of Thailand Arbitration Center (“THAC”), which has been set up to support and provide neutral and independent alternative dispute resolution services of international standards. Prior to holding the present position as THAC’s Acting Managing Director, MA was initially appointed as THAC’s Registrar and subsequently became the…
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” In his ‘untold history’ – “The Earth Transformed” Peter Frankopan charts the way in which the natural environment has shaped human history and more recently how humankind has in turn begun to influence the natural environment. In his conclusion he builds on…
