https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155105 2026-04-08T18:21:25Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/159353 The Most Serious Cases Reported by Organizational Ombuds: Data from Surveys and Interviews Rowe, Mary; Hedeen, Timothy; Schneider, Jennifer; Escalante, Hector 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/159346 Some Organizational Ombuds Achievements Reported in the 2024 IOA Survey Rowe, Mary; Hedeen, Timothy; Schneider, Jennifer; Escalante, Hector 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/158071 Organizational Ombuds Data: Helping to Understand Ombuds Effectiveness Rowe, Mary 2021-08-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/158070 The Importance of Bystanders in Threat Assessment and Management Borum, Randy; Rowe, Mary Bystanders—those who observe or come to know about potential wrongdoing—are often the best source of pre-attack intelligence, including indicators of intent and “warning” behaviors. They are the reason that some planned attacks are foiled before they occur. Numerous studies of targeted violence (e.g., mass shootings and school shootings), have demonstrated that peers and bystanders often have knowledge of an attacker’s intentions, concerning communication, and troubling behavior before the attack occurs. This chapter describes—with empirical support—why threat assessment professionals should consider bystanders; outlines a model for understanding bystander decision making; reviews common barriers to bystander reporting; and suggests ways to mitigate those barriers, to engage bystanders at an individual level, and to improve reporting. The principal aim of threat assessment is to prevent (primarily) intentional acts of harm. When tragic incidents of planned violence occur, however, it is almost always uncovered “that someone knew something” about the attack before it happened. This happens because, as attack plans unfold, people in several different roles may know, or come to know, something about what is happening before harm occurs. The perpetrators know, and so may others, including targets, family members, friends, co-workers, or even casual observers. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/157464 A Framework For Communicating How Organizational Ombuds Help to Manage Risk Rowe, Mary; Hedeen, Timothy; Schneider, Jennifer Note: Among other things, this article examines the importance of the International Ombudsman Association Standards of Practice in helping all constituents manage risks. 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/157272 A Reappraisal — The Nature and Value of Ombudsmen in Federal Agencies, Part 2: Research Report. Houk, Carole S.; Rowe, Mary P.; Katz, Deborah A.; Katz, Neil H.; Marx, Lauren; Hedeen, Timothy This Report outlines a mixed method research project that provides a comparative analysis of federal ombuds offices. The study utilizes a multi-stage approach, which includes four distinct and complementary elements: 1) a literature review and survey methodology (online surveys, interviews, and collection of program materials) across all federal ombuds offices; 2) a case study methodology to highlight promising practices; 3) a standards of practice policy discussion and a legal analysis relevant to the creation and operation of federal ombuds offices, and 4) recommendations offered both by surveyed participants and by the Research Team. The study is designed to help differentiate existing federal ombuds programs and practice, identify consistencies across ombuds offices, develop a framework for comparative evaluation, and identify promising practices. The results will provide an empirical basis for examining the shape and development of federal ombudsmen since ACUS’ Recommendation 90-2, and will inform the development of a new recommendation contained herein. 2016-11-14T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/157271 A Reappraisal — The Nature and Value of Ombudsmen in Federal Agencies, Part 1: Executive Summary Houk, Carole S.; Rowe, Mary P.; Katz, Deborah A.; Katz, Neil H.; Marx, Lauren; Hedeen, Timothy 2016-11-14T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156720 Identifying and Communicating the Usefulness of Organizational Ombuds, With Ideas about OO Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness Rowe, Mary Organizational ombudsmen contribute to many stakeholders: shareholders, management at all levels, those who call upon the office, people who are alleged to be a problem, responders whom the ombuds calls about a case or an issue, employees and managers in the organization who do not directly use the office, other cohorts in an organization like students and patients—and society. Ombuds perform many different conflict management functions, with many different skills, in many different contexts; they are difficult to evaluate. Ombuds need to identify and communicate their usefulness, including the tangible and intangible benefits relevant to their own stakeholders. One thesis of this article is that there are many powerful ways to do so. The other thesis is that there is no single, scientific way to calculate the cost effectiveness of ombuds. How an independent neutral adds value to an organizational conflict management system seems a particularly interesting topic for ombuds effectiveness research. Note: This article reviews many of the methodological problems in assessing the effectiveness of an ombuds office and emphasizes the importance of the “most serious cases” in demonstrating effectiveness and the importance of benchmarking before an ombuds office opens. 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156707 The Several Purposes of the OO Crystal Ball Rowe, Mary The Crystal Ball began, in 1984, as a device to help Organizational Ombudsmen (OOs) to anticipate problems that are new to their organizations. This came about by collecting wisdom from many OOs about “new things.” Each OO may collect bits of new information from a whole organization—the Crystal Ball then pulls these ideas together. Over the years the Crystal Ball has proven useful in helping OOs in the important OO task of seeking, identifying, assessing and communicating issues new to their organizations. Crystal Ball discussions have in turn helped OOs to think about how to help their organizations to learn about and manage emerging issues, how to foster and collaborate on systems initiatives when appropriate—and how to follow up. The issues enumerated in this article have included many of the serious problems of our times. The Crystal Ball illuminates one important source of organizational ombudsman effectiveness. Note: This article shows that ombuds can help identify and assess issues new to the organization. 2010-10-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156384 Effectiveness of Organizational Ombudsmen Rowe, Mary; Simon, Mary 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155962 Options and Choice for Conflict Resolution in the Workplace Rowe, Mary P. This chapter focuses on the need for providing choices for complainants. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155961 Perspectives on Costs and Cost Effectiveness of Ombudsman Programs in Four Fields Rowe, Mary P.; Ziegenfuss, James T. Jr.; Perneski, A.J.; Hall, Gary; Lux, Marshall Note: These articles includes analyses of five types of ombudsman offices. 1993-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155804 Cost-Effectiveness of Ombudsman Offices Perneski, Tony; Rowe, Mary Note: This issue contains other articles, as well. 1990-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155757 Organizational Response to Assessed Risk: Complaint Channels Rowe, Mary P. 1988-05-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155750 Corporate Ombudsmen: An Exploratory National Survey of Purposes and Activities Ziegenfuss, James T. Jr.; Robbins, Lee; Rowe, Mary 1987-05-01T00:00:00Z