The Six Dilemmas of Collaboration

"At last we have a theory that helps us understand organizsations as the bustling collection of conflicts, partnerships, emotions, logic and intuitions that they really are. The ability to understand, predict and co-ordinate within this tangled web of relationships will be THE defining characteristic of tomorrow's great leaders." —Mary Crannell, President, Idea Sciences, Alexandria, VA.

"In an increasingly confrontational world, drama theory helps organisations to understand, communicate and survive." —Ken Bowen, Professor of Operational Research, Royal Holloway, University of London

"Making good decisions is extremely difficult when the actions of more than one party determine the final outcome. Drama theory is one of the few decision tools available to managers who must make decisions under such circumstances." —Niall Fraser, Co-Founder Open Options Corporation; formerly Professor at the University of Waterloo, Toronto

"In emotionally charged situations, preferences of people may change. Drama theory is an innovative theory that can explain how, and why, by showing when expressions of emotion can be a perfectly rational choice in game theory." —Steven Brams, Professor of Politics, New York University

When people care passionately, but their visions differ, then resolving a situation makes exceptional demands. Drama theory, upon which this pioneering guide to collaboration is based, provides a rigorous yet subtle framework for handling conflict and co-operation in any management context.

Written by one of the originators of the field, and rooted in experience gained over a decade of application, this guide to managing collaboration will be an essential source for managers, consultants and educators seeking to improve the quality of inter-organisational relationships and the effectiveness of collaborative working.