ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN BANGLADESH: EFFECTIVENESS, ACCESSIBILITY, AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

Abstract

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has gained a greater significance in enhancing access to justice, lessening procedural burdens, and offering adaptable dispute solving mechanisms in Bangladesh. This paper will look at the effects of accessibility on the perceived effectiveness of ADR and the confidence of the people, as well as investigate whether perceived effectiveness moderates the relationship between access and confidence. The survey design was a cross-sectional survey and 510 valid responses have been analysed by partial least squares structural equation modelling. The perceived effectiveness and accessibility, as well as the public confidence were assessed as reflective constructs with 21 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. The measurement model exhibited a good indicator of reliability, internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validities. The findings of structural models revealed that the accessibility positively but significantly influenced perceived efficacy and the confidence of the population. Public confidence was also greatly influenced positively by perceived effectiveness. Indirect mediation was shown to be true as the effect of accessibility on the public confidence based on perceived effectiveness was significant. The model (explained 24.0% and 40.1% of the variance in the perceived effectiveness and public confidence, respectively) and predictive assessment demonstrated the positive out-of-sample relevance. The results indicate that social trust in ADR is not solely on the availability but on the perceived effectiveness, fairness, practicality and credibility of accessible mechanisms in modern practice.