According to a recent article from the TimesOnline, the answer is no.
In looking at ways to solve the "mid-east" issue, some have advocated that the Northern Ireland peace process should be used as a model to develop a peace process in the Middle East. The Times points out that a new study issued by Peterhouse College's John Bew and Martyn Frampton takes the position that a one-size-fits-all conflict resolution policy may not work in all situations. In fact, there may be times where a willingness to negotiate may not be profitable at all--at least in the world of terrorism, the authors conclude that "the willingness of a state to negotiate might encourage the terrorists to believe that their opposition are ready to concede--even when this is not the case."
In our day-to-day lives, both business and professional, do we take a one-size-fits-all approach to resolving conflict? As professional peacemakers, do we take the time to evaluate the parties' interests and develop a game-plan and methodology for resolving that particular conflict, or do we try to make everyone fit into the size and shape of shoe that we like to wear?
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