The Ombuds Blog: Journal Article Traces Ombuds History

December 16, 2011

Journal Article Traces Ombuds History

An article by McKenna Lang in the Journal of Conflictology looks at the history of the Ombudsman institution. In "A Western King and an Ancient Notion: Reflections on the Origins of Ombudsing," Lang writes about how the Swedish King Charles XII started this enduring role in 1713.

Although she acknowledges the expansion of the concept to North American universities and corporate entities, she does not delve into the Organizational Ombuds model. (Journal of Conflictology.)

1 comment:

Anonymous12/16/2011 7:22 AM
I don't care how good it is, I must get a subscription of the Journal of Conflictology for my office bookshelf!
-AngryOmbuds
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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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