The latitude for loyal contradiction and public leadership: a conceptual and comparative approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frits M. van der Meer ◽  
Gerrit S.A. Dijkstra
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Public Organizations ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Service Function ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Public Leaders ◽  
Relevant Factors

PurposeThis paper looks into the mechanisms that determine (stimulate and limit) the scope for loyal contradiction in organizations through ex ante voice. The paper provides insights into how this essential civil service function and obligation can be maintained and the role that public leadership can play in addressing these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis paper consists of a conceptual analysis of major determinants for constraints on and stimuli of loyal contradiction and provides an interpretational framework of the relevant factors involved.FindingsThis paper examines the mechanisms that determine (stimulate and limit) the scope for loyal contradiction in organizations through ex ante voice and provides insights into how to maintain this essential civil service function and obligation through the contribution of public leadership.Practical implicationsThe findings of this paper offer insight into how to avoid constraints on loyal contradiction within public organizations and point to the way public leaders can, by facilitating and stimulating it, enhance organizational performance and legitimacy.Originality/valueThis paper points to an issue that is increasingly relevant in politics and public administration. By providing a conceptual framework, this paper provides a deeper understanding of how the necessary conditions for loyal contradiction can be created within public organizations.

Trust-culture leadership in local public administrators’ work

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Fairholm ◽  
Michael K. Dzordzormenyoh ◽  
Godlove A. Binda
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Public Administrators ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Public Managers ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Public Leaders

Purpose Trust and culture are common themes in leadership literature and research. The purpose of this paper is it to describe an emergent model of trust-culture leadership from the comments of local government managers in the USA. The environment of local government requires a level of trust between government and citizens. Comments from local government managers suggest trust is also a component of leading public organizations. The elements of the model culled from practical insights serve to both verify and elucidate much of what is found in leadership theory in a local government context. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on qualitative interviews of practicing local government managers coupled with an analysis of essays on leadership also written by local government managers. Findings The research indicates eight elements of a model divided into three categories (descriptions of leadership in practice, tools and behaviors, and approaches to followers) that help to both describe and perhaps prescribe the work of trust-culture leadership in a local government context. Originality/value While some of what is summarized below is found in leadership literature already, the fact that these elements of leadership are intuitive to local government managers and internalized in their practice is significant. Linking both trust and culture in leadership literature is limited, and linking them both to the practical insights of public managers is even more unique. The findings verify that public leaders at the local level actually engage in leadership of a particular sort, that of trust-culture leadership. It highlights the priority of trust in local government administration. The elements of the model serve to offer public managers specific things to focus on to promote trust-culture leadership and suggest to public leadership scholars specific avenues for further investigation.

scholarly journals The translational diamond: robust translation of magic concept in public organizations

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Ollgaard Bentzen
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Public Organizations ◽  
Leadership Theory ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Organizational Practice ◽  
Implementation Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Public Leaders

Purpose Public organizations are constantly offered new ideas and concepts that involve a substantial investment of resources when it comes to translating them into organizational practice. An especially powerful group of such concepts in the discourse of organizations comprises so-called “magic concepts” that both pose opportunities and challenges for public leaders trying to translate them. Although critical discussion about the value of popular concepts has been intense in existing research, there is still little knowledge about the factors that determine why some magic concepts have a pervasive influence, while others quickly go out of fashion and leave little trace in organizational practice. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach By combining insights from public leadership theory, implementation theory, institutional theory and organizational psychology, this paper outlines four dimensions that are central to the robustness of the organizational translation of magic concepts. The paper develops a conceptual model labeled “The Translational Diamond,” which suggests that the robust translation of organizational concepts depends on the level of both strategic and local anchoring, as well as the interplay between reflection and experimentation in the translation process. The Translational Diamond is applied in two embedded case studies, which offer insight into the variance between two organizational departments attempting to translate the same magic concept. Findings A central argument in the “translational diamond” is that bigger, balanced diamonds reflect more robust translations than smaller, warped diamonds. The results support this assumption. Although the translation of trust involves challenges in both departments, there are much more severe difficulties in the social department, which is characterized by a notably smaller and much more warped diamond than the health and care department. Research limitations/implications While this paper argues that strategic and local anchoring and the interplay between reflection and experimentation play a crucial role in the translation of magic concepts, there may be other factors at stake in the process. For example, Røvik argues that the skill of the individual translators engaged in the process is important for creating a robust translation (Røvik, 2007). In addition, magic concepts are potentially involved in a power battle with other magic concepts that are constantly competing for organizational attention (Hood, 2005). Such power dynamics may substantially influence actors’ engagement in translation, but are not within the scope of this paper. Practical implications For public leaders, the translational diamond may serve as a conceptual framework that can spur their understanding of, and reflection about, how to support the translation of magic concepts in their organization. For example, archetypically warped diamonds can illustrate the problems that might occur if translation is not sufficiently anchored in all four dimensions. Translating organizational concepts involves respect for the inherent dilemmas of securing a balance between strategic and local perspectives, as well as the strengths of securing feedback loops between reflection and experimentation. These dimensions will not necessarily be equally balanced at all times in the process of translating magic concepts. The conceptual model of the translational diamond may help leaders to understand the current status of a translation and guide them in their endeavor to support a better balance. Originality/value While symbolic change may serve other organizational purposes than effectiveness, this paper addresses the under-studied question of how organizational concepts are translated robustly into practice. The originality of the “translational diamond” is its focus on “how” rather than “whether” the translation of magic concepts should be attempted. In addition, the diamond’s integration of theoretical constructs from leadership theory, implementation theory, institutional theory and organizational theory offers a more nuanced understanding of central dimensions impacting organizational translation at a practical level.

Leadership, “communityship,” and “the good folk”

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Mintzberg ◽  
Cam Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Public Leaders ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify critical challenges to public leaders in troubled times, based on the experience and thoughts of an accomplished and world-renowned academic in the field of strategy and leadership. The authors have also included it on the original paper, which is attached. Design/methodology/approach A semi-structured interview was conducted based on a series of questions that are considered pertinent to the challenges facing public leaders. Findings The key findings suggest that individualism and egos are too dominant, that there is an absence of effective ethical leadership which, together, overshadows the need for community action. Originality/value This summary of the short interview provides a unique insight into the challenges facing public leadership.

scholarly journals Public health leadership in the times of COVID-19: a comparative case study of three countries

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Glenn ◽  
Claire Chaumont ◽  
Pablo Villalobos Dintrans
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Active Role ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
The Core ◽  
Public Leaders ◽  
The Way

PurposeThe purpose is to understand the role of public leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and advocate for a more active role of public health professionals in helping manage the crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the framework developed by Boin et al. (2005) on crisis leadership. The authors focus on three of the core tasks – sense-making, decision-making and meaning-making – that are relevant to explain the role of public leaders during the ongoing crisis. The authors draw from the experience of three countries – Chile, France and the United States – to illustrate how these tasks were exercised with concrete examples.FindingsSeveral examples of the way in which public leaders reacted to the crisis are found in the selected countries. Countries show different responses to the way they assessed and reacted to the COVID-19 as a crisis, the decisions taken to prevent infections and mitigate consequences, and the way they communicate information to the population.Practical implicationsA better understanding public leadership as a key for better crisis management, particularly for designing policy responses to public health crises. Public health leaders need to assume a more active role in the crisis management process, which also implies the emergence of a new class of public health leaders and a more prominent role for public health in the public eye.Originality/valueThe use of examples from three different countries, as well as the focus on the core leadership tasks during an ongoing crisis help not only assessing the crisis management but also extracting lessons for the coming months, as well as future public health emergencies. The three authors have a first-hand experience on the evolution of the crisis in their countries and the environment, since they are currently living and working in public health in Chile, France and the United States.

Public leadership in the United Arab Emirates: towards a research agenda

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Mathias
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Arabian Gulf ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Arab Muslim ◽  
Institutional Differences ◽  
Public Leaders

Purpose To date, public leadership has been conceptualised for Western systems while leadership discourse has spread across governments globally. The purpose of this paper is to begin the task of conceptualising public leadership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federal monarchy in the Arabian Gulf, and proposes a forward research agenda. Design/methodology/approach The paper employs a qualitative, interview-based design to elicit top government officials’ personal interpretations of the purpose and challenges of public leadership, the practices they engage in, and the arenas across which leadership is performed. Findings The study finds that whilst notions of public leadership as conceptualised to date are present, cultural and institutional differences result in distinct localised characteristics that belie the managerial presentation of public leadership. Stimulated by these initial findings, three points of departure for future research are suggested: public leaders’ scope for discretion, values and trust. Research limitations/implications The research relies on a relatively small, though élite, sample; findings are therefore preliminary, informing ideas for a forward research agenda. Originality/value The paper presents a first conceptualisation of public leadership in the UAE, an Arab-Muslim federal monarchy.

Modeling of role of public leader, open government information and public service performance in Indonesia

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1160-1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adji Achmad Rinaldo Fernandes ◽  
Jhon Fresly
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
High Level ◽  
Public Leaders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between public leadership and open government information to public service’s performance in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach The object of the study is Jakarta Capital City Government, which is divided into five areas of administrative city and one administrative district, samples of 178 respondents are obtained. The analysis tools use the moderator regression analysis. The assumption of linearity is not met, and the alternative tools use nonparametric regression. This research uses the nonparametric moderator regression analysis: Truncated Spline. Findings The role of public leader has a significant and positive effect on public service performance, on different levels of role of public leader, moderated by the implementation of open government information. In the high level of open government information, it has a higher slope than the low level of open government information, in the range of moderate to high-level leader of public leaders. On the other hand, in the low level of open government information, it has a higher slope than the high level of open government information, in the range of moderate to high-level leader of public leaders. This shows that the higher implementation of open government information, the stronger the influence of role of public leader on public service performance. Originality/value No previous study has studied comprehensively the Moderation Effect of Open Government Information Policy in relationship between public leadership to public service performance, especially in Indonesia.

Leading with humility in tumultuous times: evidence from the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-277
Author(s):  
Sara McClellan
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Institutional Constraints ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Dynamics ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Assessment Measures ◽  
Ethnographic Analysis ◽  
Public Leaders ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeWicked problems, cross-sectoral and transregional collaborations, emerging technologies and calls for innovation generate exciting but unpredictable transformations in governance. Emerging research suggests humility, rather than certitude, represents a promising ethos for public leaders working to solve problems in tumultuous times. This study examines the nature, value and practice of humility in public administration (PA) leadership.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews cross-disciplinary research on the nature and value of humility and emerging findings and debates on humility assessment measures. It analyzes discourse among graduate students in US PA classes and uses ethnographic analysis from workshops with local government leaders to identify institutional dynamics that may influence leaders' willingness to act with humility.FindingsFindings suggest that although PA students and leaders may value humility, they encounter institutional constraints related to public sector legitimacy and narratives about expertise and risk. The author proposes a framework to guide future research and practice in humility and public leadership.Research limitations/implicationsPotential constraints emerged from a modest study of courses and workshops; further research is required to test the prevalence of themes across public leadership environments.Practical implicationsPublic leaders, teachers and coaches may apply these practices and assessment measures to cultivate humility in PA classes and organizations.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to explore leadership humility with attention to how PA context may influence practice.

Entrepreneurial public leadership: 5As framework for wellness promotion

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1443-1456
Author(s):  
Grant Beebe ◽  
Milorad Novicevic ◽  
Ifeoluwa Tobi Popoola ◽  
Joseph (Jody) Holland
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wellness Promotion ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Community Wellness ◽  
Public Leaders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a 5As framework for entrepreneurial nudge public leadership for health and wellness promotion based on two exemplary cases in Mississippi. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a “case within a case” study design to develop the 5As public influence framework for entrepreneurial public leadership. Findings Based on the investigated cases of healthcare and wellness promotion in Hernando and Charleston, Mississippi, the authors developed the 5As framework for wellness promotion dimensions of awareness, assistance, alignment, association, and assessment. This framework is applicable to the lived experiences of community members, leaders, healthcare providers, and government. Research limitations/implications The study results provide a compelling insight into early-stage formation of entrepreneurial public leadership. However, the study results lack generalizability due to the case study approach used. Practical implications This study can assist entrepreneurial public leaders and policy-makers align their strategic wellness goals, initiatives, and policies that motivate community members to seek and receive supporting services. Originality/value Developing an original framework for wellness promotion useful to both healthcare practitioners and public leaders, this study contributes to the extant literature on public health leadership and proposes mechanisms for addressing community wellness needs. The framework is designed to address public health concerns by integrating public leadership strategies aimed at linking with existing community wellness and healthcare services.

Public leadership and the wicked problem continuum

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-373
Author(s):  
Mark N. Wexler ◽  
Judy Oberlander
Keyword(s):  
Wicked Problems ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Leadership ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Problem Types ◽  
The Status ◽  
Public Leaders ◽  
Very High ◽  
The Ideal

PurposeThis paper examines the relevance of the wicked problem continuum, particularly the emergence of super wicked challenges for public leadership researchers. Contemporary theorizing on public leadership adequately deals with tame challenges, struggles with wicked problems and remains in the dark with regards to the implications of super wicked problemsDesign/methodology/approachThe wicked problem continuum provides a typology or set of dilemmas running from tame to wicked through to super wicked problems. These different problem types are treated as if they were on a three-zone continuum in which the difficulty of solving or substantially reducing the problem varies from relatively low to very high.FindingsWe delineate the three-problem contexts in the wicked problem continuum and discuss the ideal type of organization thriving in each zone. We then posit two opposing wicked problem interpretations-taming and wilding- for those interested in public leadership. Taming calls for prudent, results-oriented leaders employing tried and tested practices. Wilding demands leaders who test the status quo by seeking alternatives.Social implicationsOn the global leadership agenda, wilding problems—those calling attention to the super wicked zone—are escalating. Despite this, public leaders' training lacks a framework for making sense of these urgent and publicly contentious super wicked problems.Originality/valuePublic policy researchers are beginning to direct attention to super wicked problems such as climate change, and pandemics. This work introduces the wicked problem continuum and demonstrates its pertinence for researchers of public leadership.

Organizational structure and innovation: analysis from the strategic co-alignment

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 388-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Armando Marín-Idárraga ◽  
Juan Carlos Cuartas
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Empirical Validation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Structural Variables ◽  
Innovation Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of the co-alignment of structural variables on innovation, wherein Bogotá-based SMEs, belonging to the industrial, commercial and services sectors, were used as samples. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted using a causal inference methodology and through the application of a structural equation model. Findings The results indicate that organizational structure has an influence on innovation, although this is true only for some variables and only when the analysis is performed separately. When performed under strategic co-alignment conditions, however, its influence becomes greater. Originality/value Organizational structure and innovation are determining factors of organizational performance. Although the strategic co-alignment theory has provided points of reference to understanding the phenomenon of organizational performance, there are still many gaps left to be filled. Additionally, it also requires empirical validation especially in relation to Colombian SMEs – and this is where this work makes a contribution.

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