Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

The true value of any dispute resolution technique can only be ascertained through analysis of its application. Does it meet the specialized needs of the parties? Does it provide a cheaper, faster and more efficient way of resolving claims than litigation? Does it ultimately preserve good will, conserve human as well as economic resources, and maintain close business relationships? All of these elements underwent intense scrutiny when Siemens Corp. made a commitment to use ADR procedures to resolve disputes arising out of its worldwide business operations.

Siemens Corporation is the holding company for Siemens AG’s diverse business interests in the United States. It is committed to resolving disputes that arise in connection with those businesses through both traditional and non-traditional alternatives to litigation. These alternatives to litigation include, on the one hand, consensual and non-binding procedures such as facilitation, mediation, advisory opinions and mini-trials and, on the other hand, such binding adjudicatory techniques as arbitration and private judging. Common among all these techniques is the parties’ mutual effort, through cooperation on procedural and structural issues, to design an efficient and relatively expeditious process to bring the parties to an agreement without the exhaustive and expensive discovery procedures that usually attend litigation.