A new drama–theoretic method for conflict resolution in management

The management profession requires managers to deal with ongoing conflict at all levels. However, there seems to be a lack of effective and appealing tools and frameworks to assist managers in the process of conflict resolution in their immediate, daily environment. This paper proposes a new Method of Conflict Resolution for managers, consisting of a toolbox – Conflict Manager – and a delivery method. The toolbox is mainly based on Drama Theory, a recent development of Game Theory that offers a balance of rigour, wide applicability and flexibility to model complex human dynamics in a simple yet effective way. The toolbox is rounded with frameworks for decision-making and strategy evaluation to assist users in the creation of appropriate and effective strategies for conflict resolution. Experimental training showed that the Method was well accepted by managers and pointed at future developments to increase its effectiveness.