Mediation, in a broad sense, comprises an act of bringing two states, sides or parties closer or together. This article discusses the communication sense of the term. Separate articles, cultural and biological, treat of other senses of mediation.

Mediation consists of a process of alternative dispute resolution in which a (generally) neutral third party, the mediator, using appropriate techniques, assists two or more parties to help them negotiate an agreement, with concrete effects, on a matter of common interest. More generally speaking, the term mediation covers any activity in which an impartial third party (often a professional) facilitates an agreement on any matter in the common interest of the parties involved.

Mediation applies to different fields, with some common peculiar elements and some differences for each of its specialties. The main fields of mediation include commerce, legal disputes and diplomacy, but forms of mediation appear in other fields as well. Mediation in marriage technically belongs in the category, although it has followed its own peculiar history since the times of ancient Greeks: compare marriage counselling.

Contract theory comprises many different theories and various interpretations of the various body of rules and subrules that define Contract Law.

Classical contract theory is the set of ideas and assumptions that underpinned the development of contract law in England and the United States during the 19th century. During this period, the prevailing liberal individualist philosophy of laissez faire elevated contract to a position of central importance in the law.

Measurement and controls, the two facets of instrumentation, have brought technology to an unprecedented degree of precision. Instrumentation enables the measurement of various variables such as flow and pressure. Control works to keep these variables at a desired level of safe, economic and other constrained values. Instrument engineers usually have degrees in chemical engineering, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering and sometimes in the newer field of control systems engineering.

The term Insurance Broker became a regulated term under the Insurance Brokers (Registration) Act 1977[1] which was designed to thwart the bogus practices of firms holding themselves as brokers but in fact acting as representative of one or more favoured insurance companies.

Insurance brokerage is largely associated with general insurance (car, house etc.) rather than life insurance, although some brokers continued to provide investment and life insurance brokerage until the onset of more onerous Financial Services Authority regulation in 2001.

Insurance broking is carried out today by many types of organizations including traditional brokerages, Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) and telephone or web-based firms.