Introduction

Practitioners in industrial relations dispute resolution tend to react with bemusement when they come across the ‘new wave’ enthusiasm for ADR. Processes of conciliation and arbitration, often in statutory form, can be traced back to the early years of the century or even earlier in many countries’ systems of industrial relations (e.g. Mackie 1987 on Australia). There is a significant degree of institutionalization therefore present in this field, reflected in this handbook in terms of the only institutional contribution amongst the chapters. ACAS is a statutory body with a number of significant strands of responsibility and a shopping bag of dispute resolution methods: individual conciliation (in the context of legal claims), conciliation, mediation and arbitration in collective disputes, an advisory role, and (a recent acquisition) a quality of working life research unit. The ACAS chapter explains the background, constitution, methods and outcomes of this third-party role.