Shafaei, Azadeh, Farr-Wharton, Ben, Omari, Maryam, Pooley, Julie Ann, Bentley, Tim, Sharafizad, Fleur, and Onnis, Leigh-Ann (2023) Leading through Tumultuous Events in Public Sector Organizations. Public Performance & Management Review, 46 (6). pp. 1287-1317.

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Abstract

Public sector organizations (PSOs) are subject to turbulence and constant change. A PSO’s ability to lead a coherent response to this rapidly changing environment is crucial to ensuring the continuity of public service delivery. The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the need for dynamic leadership strategies to address turbulent events and promote resilience in PSOs. This study utilized focus groups and interview data from one large Australian PSO to examine leadership practices that were implemented to respond to a series of turbulent events. Specifically, the study adapted six robust governance strategies (i.e., scalability, prototyping, modularization, bounded autonomy, bricolage, and strategic polyvalence) to explore their pragmatic application in the context of the case PSO in responding to two turbulent events (i.e., relocation and COVID-19 pandemic). Findings show that while deploying all the strategies is beneficial, the power of polyvalent knowledge together with dynamic leadership and governance structures within PSOs is one way that PSOs can continue to respond to ever increasing environmental uncertainty and resource constraints. Practical implications are discussed.

Item ID:	80267
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1557-9271
Keywords:	Dynamic leadership; public sector leadership; turbulent events; remote working; robust governance strategies
Copyright Information:	© 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2023 23:26
FoR Codes:	35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour > 350714 Public sector organisation and management @ 100%
SEO Codes:	15 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 1503 Management and productivity > 150302 Management @ 100%
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