What is a power imbalance?

What is a power imbalance?

In any difficult situation, there is often a power imbalance. … By this we mean who holds the power in a relationship and communication. If two people are involved in a conversation and they both hold equal power, then there is no imbalance, but this is rare.

How does power affect conflict?

Power is the ability to influence an outcome or get a task completed. … In the context of conflict power is defined as the ability to get one's needs met. For a conflict to exist each of those involved must have some degree of power and the ability to influence the outcome of the conflict.

What are the characteristics of balance of power?

Characteristics  The balance of power is subject to constant changes From equilibrium to disequilibrium.  It is not a gift of God but is achieved by the active intervention of man.  Real balance of power seldom exists, if war take place it means real balance of power not there.

Why is power balancing important in mediation?

The theoretical underpinnings of power balancing in mediation, are informed by the idea that the parties must be able to negotiate and work through their conflict in a way that is basically “fair”, with neither party being at a severe disadvantage in relation to the other.