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6 The Mediation Process accede to the demand or denial of demand by the other. A dis- pute is precipitated by a crisis in the relationship." People in- volved in a dispute have a variety of choices concerning means of resolving their differences. Negotiation is a bargaining relationship between parties who have a perceived or actual conflict of interest. The partici- pants voluntarily join in a temporary relationship designed to educate each other about their needs and interests, to exchange specific resources, or to resolve one or more intangible issues such as the form their relationship will take in the future or the procedure by which problems are to be solved. Negotiation is a more intentional and structured dispute resolution process than informal discussions and problem solving. Negotiation is clearly an option for Whittamore and Singson, although the degree of emotional and substantive polarization will make the process difficult to accomplish. Mediation is an extension and elaboration of the negotia- tion process. Mediation involves the intervention of an accept- able, impartial, and neutral third party who has no authoritative decision-making power to assist contending parties in volun- tarily reaching their own mutually acceptable settlement of issues in dispute. As with negotiation, mediation leaves the deci- sion-making power in the hands of the people in conflict. Medi- ation is a voluntary process in that the participants must be willing to accept the assistance of the intervenor if the dispute is to be resolved. Mediation is usually initiated when the parties no longer believe that they can handle the conflict on their own and when the only means of resolution appears to involve im- partial third-party assistance. Whittamore and Singson might consider mediation if they cannot negotiate a settlement on their own. Beyond negotiation and mediation, there is a continuum of techniques that decrease the personal control that the peo- ple involved have over the dispute outcome, increase the in- volvement of external decision makers, and rely increasingly on win/lose and either/or decision-making techniques. These ap- proaches can be divided into public and private, and legal and extralegal approaches.