COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT - ORGANIZATIONAL BENEFITS AND INDIVIDUAL COSTS

This article examines so,ne of the key barriers to collaborative resou rce management: the differential costs and benefits of these approache s for organizations and individuals. Drawing on the U.S. Forest Servic e's use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes to resolve f orest plan appeals in the late 1980s, the analysis shows that although ADR can benefit the larger organization, the individuals who actually participate in ADR incur personal costs. The analysis focuses on the time demands and personal costs of collaborative processes. The articl e concludes by suggesting changes in organizational policies that can help mitigate the differential costs and benefits of ADR and reduce so me of the barriers to more widespread use of collaborative management approaches by public officials.