Final answer:
An External Investigation is a process where a neutral third-party examines a complaint's facts and reports their findings when an organization's internal mechanisms fail to resolve the issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an informal approach to addressing a complaint within an organization has failed, and there is no internal mechanism to resolve it, a neutral third-party may be engaged. This process is known as an External Investigation. A neutral party from outside the organization examines the facts of the complaint thoroughly and objectively, and then provides a detailed report on their findings. This external party is neither a mediator, who facilitates a resolution between disputants, nor an arbitrator, who makes a binding decision. Instead, the external investigator acts as an impartial fact-finder, free from the organization's influences.
Accessible and impartial dispute resolution is important for timely justice, and external investigations provide a means by which neutral decision-makers can assess and report on a situation. Such processes align with principles of justice by ensuring competent, ethical, and independent reviews of the involved parties' positions and evidence, as opposed to the adversarial or rulemaking processes which involve differing forms of negotiation and disclosure between stakeholders.