Mediation has many advantages over the traditional ways of dispute resolution such as litigation and negotiation1 . Yet in many countries it is struggling to become a "mainstream" movement like it has been in the USA. How can the acceptance of mediation be raised? This question, central to the field of mediation research since its inception, will be examined for New Zealand. It is the raison d'etre of the thesis. The thesis examines in particular the acceptance of mediation in commercial and civil disputes. The focus is set on commercial and civil disputes because family mediation has already been extensively researched.