Online dispute resolution for business : B2B, e-commerce, consumer, employment, insurance, and other commercial conflicts

In this original and highly useful resource, Colin Rule— a pioneer in the field of online dispute resolution (ODR)— shows how ODR can be used to resolve conflicts which inevitably arise both online and offline in business and commerce. Based on exclusive research and up-to-date best practices, Online Dispute Resolution for Business presents expert advice on how ODR can save time and money, offering timely suggestions and proven approaches for resolving business related conflicts online. "A terrific book. Innovative, insightful, intelligent, and practical! ODR is the wave of the future and this book will let you and your business ride that wave with confidence." —Ethan Katsh, co-director, Center for Information Technology and Dispute Resolution, University of Massachusetts, Amherst "An invaluable contribution to the field of online dispute resolution from one of the technical pioneers. Comprehensive and insightful." —M. Scott Donahey, international arbitrator (WIPO, CPR, AAA), and author of the first UDRP decision "This book performs the real service of helping to better understand the challenges of e-commerce and the solutions needed to resolve conflicts with confidence. Colin Rule is one of the pioneers in online dispute resolution and his contribution to this new field is remarkable." —Karim Benyekhlef, co-founder and president, eResolution; professor of public law, Universite de Montreal Faculty of Law "Colin Rule is the ideal person to write on the subject of online resolution of disputes. His book succinctly describes the future of ODR." —Thomas Stipanowich, president & CEO, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution Online Dispute Resolution for Business B2B, E-Commerce, Consumer, Employment, Insurance, and Other Commercial Conflicts......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 9 Introduction......Page 13 The Growth of Alternative Dispute Resolution......Page 14 Online Dispute Resolution Meets the Needs of Modern Business......Page 15 The New Challenge: Online-Only Disputes......Page 16 The Growing Consensus Behind ODR......Page 18 The Plan of the Book......Page 19 Part I: What Is ODR?......Page 21 1 Overview......Page 23 A Brief History of ADR......Page 25 The Development of the ADR Field......Page 26 ADR and Business......Page 29 The Development of ODR......Page 31 A Brief History of ODR......Page 33 Using Technology for Dispute Analysis......Page 35 Technology as an Administrator and Organizer......Page 36 Technology and Communications......Page 37 The Arrival of the Internet......Page 38 Early ODR Experiments......Page 39 ODR and the Commercial Internet......Page 40 The Current State of ODR......Page 41 The End of the Internet?......Page 46 2 How ODR Works......Page 47 How Does ADR Work?......Page 48 From ADR to ODR......Page 55 Differences Between ODR and ADR......Page 56 Types of Online Communication......Page 58 Envisioning the “Fourth Party”......Page 67 3 Advantages of ODR......Page 73 Advantages for Disputants......Page 74 Advantages for Neutrals......Page 83 Advantages for Businesses......Page 88 ODR Disadvantages......Page 92 Part II: ODR and Business......Page 99 4 ODR: Essential to E-Commerce......Page 101 The Promise of E-Commerce......Page 102 The Unforeseen Challenges of E-Commerce......Page 103 Transboundary Transactions......Page 105 5 Providing Online Redress: ODR and B2C E-Commerce......Page 109 The Shortcoming of B2C E-Commerce: A Lack of Trust......Page 110 Types of B2C Transactions......Page 113 Provider Profile: SquareTrade......Page 114 Getting Consumers to Trust Online Transactions......Page 116 Key Considerations for B2C ODR Programs......Page 121 Credit Cards and Chargebacks......Page 122 Power Differentials Between Customers and Businesses......Page 123 What Is Happening Now......Page 125 Case Study: B2C Auction......Page 129 B2B Marketplaces: The Rise and Fall......Page 133 B2B Online Exchanges Need ODR......Page 138 Case Study: B2B Transaction......Page 143 7 Maximizing Efficiency: How ODR Can Help the Insurance Industry......Page 147 The Insurance Industry......Page 148 Insurance and ADR......Page 150 How ODR Works for Settling Claims......Page 152 Provider Profile: Cybersettle......Page 154 Criticisms of Blind Bidding......Page 157 ODR and E-Commerce Insurance......Page 158 Case Study: A Rear-End Collision (Blind Bid and Settlement of a Subrogated Claim)......Page 163 Case Study: A Declaratory Judgment Dispute (Insurer versus Reinsurer and Online Arbitration)......Page 165 8 ODR and Employment: Resolving Workplace Disputes Online......Page 169 Human Resources and Dispute Resolution......Page 171 The Virtual Workplace......Page 172 Getting Involved Early......Page 176 ODR as an Employee Benefit......Page 178 Binding Employee Arbitration Clauses......Page 179 Case Study: Supervisor-Supervisee Difficulty......Page 181 9 Electronic Democracy: ODR and Government......Page 185 The Scope of Government......Page 186 Government and Technology......Page 187 ADR and the Government......Page 188 How ODR Can Assist Government......Page 190 Provider Profile: FMCS......Page 191 Case Study: RuleNet......Page 193 Multiparty Disputes......Page 195 How ODR Benefits Multiparty Processes......Page 197 Case Study: Addison Zoning......Page 200 10 Confidentiality and Privacy: Health Care and Finance......Page 205 The Nature of Privacy Violations......Page 206 New Privacy Legislation: HIPAA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999)......Page 208 Europe Leads on Privacy Protection......Page 209 What Does a Privacy Resolution Look Like?......Page 210 ODR Is the Best Way to Handle Privacy Disputes......Page 211 Provider Profiles: BBB and TRUSTe......Page 212 Case Study: Privacy Violation......Page 213 11 Building a Global Justice System: ODR and Transboundary Disputes......Page 215 A Transboundary Justice System: ICANN’s UDRP......Page 216 Culture, Geography, and the UDRP......Page 221 New Pressures on the Domain Name System......Page 222 Other Transnational ODR Systems......Page 223 Provider Profile: eResolution......Page 225 Class Actions......Page 227 Intellectual Property......Page 229 Advertising......Page 230 Construction......Page 231 Real Estate......Page 232 Family......Page 234 Education......Page 235 Case Study: Peer Mediation......Page 237 Part III: Designing Effective ODR for Business: Envisioning the Fourth Party......Page 239 Disputants......Page 241 Neutrals......Page 251 14 Designing the Platform: Technology......Page 257 Strengths and Weaknesses of Online Communication Options......Page 258 ODR Technology Best Practices......Page 262 Summary......Page 276 15 Defining the Process: Setting Standards of Practice......Page 277 Elements of ODR Processes......Page 278 Standards for ODR......Page 281 Summary......Page 294 What Types of Disputes Best Utilize ODR?......Page 295 What Types of Disputes Should Avoid ODR?......Page 296 Can Online Communication Be Rich Enough to Resolve Disputes?......Page 297 When Should a Dispute Go to ODR?......Page 301 How Should Companies Advertise the Availability of ODR Services?......Page 303 How Can Online Resolutions Be Enforced?......Page 304 How Much Should ODR Services Cost?......Page 306 17 Conclusion......Page 309 The Internet’s Impact: Hype versus Substance......Page 310 The Future of Online Dispute Resolution......Page 311 Appendix......Page 315 Notes......Page 317 Suggested Reading......Page 323 Index......Page 331 About the Author......Page 338 In the past twenty years there have been rapid advances in information technology as well as tremendous growth in the field of dispute resolution. These two developments have led to the development of a powerful new tool for business called online dispute resolution (ODR). ODR is more than just an effective solution to many of the vexing business challenges raised by the growth of the Internet. Online dispute resolution may soon become an essential component of all business interactions, both online and offline. Online Dispute Resolution for Business is the first resource for professionals who want to leverage the power of ODR in their business relationships. Written by Colin Rule -- a pioneer in the ODR field -- Online Dispute Resolution for Business offers expert analysis of how ODR works, as well as a clear explanation of its advantages in a variety of business situations. Based on exclusive research and hands-on experience, the book provides up-to-date best practices as well as feedback on ODR tools and platforms from the perspective of both users and dispute resolution practitioners. This guidebook analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of ODR in a wide range of business applications, including e-commerce (both business-to-business and business-to-consumer), insurance claims, employment and workplace disputes, privacy conflicts, and many other settings. The author also shows how ODR can be applied to address transboundary matters, online-only conflicts, and complex multi-party public disputes. Shows how Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) can be used to resolve conflicts which inevitably arise, both online and offline, in business and commerce. Based on exclusive research and best practices, this title presents advice on how ODR can save time and money, offering suggestions and approaches for resolving business related conflicts online.