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International Journal of Public Leadership

Publisher:
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Emerald Publishing
ISSN:
2056-4929
Scimago Journal Rank:
1
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Government transition in the time of the COVID-19 crisis: Slovak case

Nemec, Juraj

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-05-2020-0040

Most media evaluate Slovakia as the most successful European country in the fight against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Such excellent results have been achieved in a really specific period – the change of the government overlapped the initial days of the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. The goal of this viewpoint paper is to investigate how individual public leaders (Prime Ministers) shaped the governance response, how these key political leaders have helped to make the transition to a new government so seamless in times of crisis.Design/methodology/approachQualitative approach is used to map the situation and to show how key political leaders shaped the governance response to the crisis. The official government COVID-19 web page and core national media were investigated to collect the necessary information for our research.FindingsThe most positive finding of this article is the fact that the departing Prime Minister Pellegrini did not decide to wait till the end of office in a passive or moderate way, but managed during last days of office of “his” government to realize a set of really comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Slovakia. Politics has been set a bit aside; coalition and opposition parties prioritized the need to fight COVID-19 instead of the need for permanent political fights.Originality/valueThe article introduces the example of the political “takeover” during the crisis, which has been realized in such positive ways, especially thanks to the fact that Pellegrini behaved as a real national leader just a few days before leaving office.
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Leadership in Brazilian public universities: initiatives conducted by three state universities of São Paulo in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Anholon, Rosley; Serafim, Milena Pavan; Lourenzani, Wagner Luiz; Silva, Iris Bento; Rampasso, Izabela Simon

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-09-2020-0092

The purpose of this paper is to present the role of aspects related to public leadership in the actions developed by three state universities in São Paulo (Brazil) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the University of Campinas (Unicamp), University of São Paulo (USP) and São Paulo State University (Unesp).Design/methodology/approachSince this is a viewpoint article, part of the information presented is characterized by the authors' points of view. It should be highlighted, however, that the information provided is based on searches in scientific bases, institutional websites and published press reports.FindingsAccording to the authors, aspects of public leadership are being properly employed by the public servants of the analyzed universities, resulting in the positive actions that have been implemented.Originality/valueThere is no existing literature on public leadership in these Brazilian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The role of power-addiction and maladaptive denial in the US federal COVID-19 response

Weidner II, C. Ken; Nelson, Lisa A.T.

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-09-2020-0091

Given the substantial resources of the United States, the failure of the American federal response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been both tragic and avoidable. The authors frame this response as an artifact of power-addiction among administration officials and examine the US federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of maladaptive denial by government officials, including President Trump.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use qualitative research methods for this study by analyzing key events, public statements by administration officials from multiple credible media reports and US federal government websites. The authors analyzed these data using Weidner and Purohit's (2009) model describing maladaptive denial in organizations and power-addiction among leaders.FindingsThe authors' analysis identifies maladaptive denial – and the concomitant power-addiction – as significantly contributing to the Trump administration's failed response to COVID-19. Maladaptive denial and power-addiction characterized Trump as a candidate and for the three years of his presidency preceding the COVID-19 crisis. Whatever normative “guardrails” or checks and balances existed in the American system to restrict the administration's behavior before the crisis were ill-equipped to significantly prevent or alter the failed federal response to the pandemic.Originality/valueThe article applies the model of maladaptive denial in organizations (Weidner and Purohit, 2009) to the public sector, and explores the lengths to which power-addicted leaders and regimes can violate the public's trust in institutions in a crisis, even in the US, a liberal democracy characterized by freedom of political expression. While organizations and change initiatives may fail for a variety of reasons, this case revealed the extent to which maladaptive denial can permeate a government – or any organization – and its response to a crisis.
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Failure to lead on COVID-19: what went wrong with the United States?

Schismenos, Spyros; Smith, Antoine A.; Stevens, Garry J.; Emmanouloudis, Dimitrios

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-08-2020-0079

The purpose of this paper is to review the federal decisions to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response in the United States and consider the different approaches employed by the California state government.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on COVID-19-related issues, responses and implications in federal countries, and largely draws comparisons between the Trump Administration and California state.FindingsThe slow response of the federal government could have been avoided, had there been a current and tested national plan. The defunding of the Office of Pandemics and Emerging Threats, and the lack of coordination between the Trump Administration and the states have contributed to its ranking as the country with the highest COVID-19 infection and fatality rates worldwide. California state oversaw an effective initial pandemic response, which was ultimately undermined by a lack of national support and the refusal of some citizens to comply with the restrictions.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper draws upon open-source information published on government websites and news media.Originality/valueAs the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is currently ongoing, information about the federal governance and state response is still evolving. The authors examine California as a state exemplar, since it is the largest such jurisdiction by populace and the first state to issue statewide mandatory lockdown measures. This comparison offers insights as to the decisive initiatives that could have occurred at the federal level. The “lessons learned” highlight the critical role of crisis leadership in societal and public health preparedness for future pandemic events.
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The need for innovation in deathcare leadership

Entress, Rebecca M.; Tyler, Jenna; Zavattaro, Staci M.; Sadiq, Abdul-Akeem

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-07-2020-0068

The purpose of this viewpoint essay is to examine deathcare leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommend innovations to employ a more human-centric approach.Design/methodology/approachThis viewpoint essay uses scholarly and popular literature to explore deathcare practices during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to identify limitations of existing mass fatality management policies.FindingsDeathcare leadership in the USA lacks a human-centric approach. Rationalistic mass fatality management during COVID-19 left families struggling with grief and mourning because many burial rituals could not take place. This essay suggests a humanistic approach to death management through leadership innovations as a remedy to this problem. Such leadership innovations can improve responses to deathcare during this ongoing pandemic and future public health emergencies.Originality/valueThis essay offers practical improvements to make deathcare more human-centric.
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Crisis leadership during COVID-19: the role of governors in the United States

Sadiq, Abdul-Akeem; Kapucu, Naim; Hu, Qian

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-08-2020-0071

The purpose of this viewpoint article is to understand crisis leadership during COVID-19 by examining the decision-making with respect to implementing COVID-19 mitigation measures, collaboration with stakeholders, and communication strategies of the governors of the States of California, Texas, Florida, and New York in the United States.Design/methodology/approachThis viewpoint article employs information from the extant literature on crisis leadership and secondary sources to understand the four governor's crisis leadership strategies during COVID-19.FindingsGovernors Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York made quicker decisions regarding implementing COVID-19 mitigation measures (e.g. shutting down the economy, mandating physical distancing, issuing stay-at-home orders, mandating wearing face covering in public and issuing a state of emergency) compared to Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida. In addition, all four governors collaborated with state and local governments, private entities, and nonprofits to address COVID-19. Finally, all four governors held some form of briefing on COVID-19 on a regular basis and used different media to get their information out to the public.Originality/valueThis viewpoint article uses decision-making regarding implementation of mitigation strategies, collaboration with stakeholders, and crisis communication strategy to understand governors' crisis leadership during COVID-19.
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Public health leadership in the times of COVID-19: a comparative case study of three countries

Glenn, Jeffrey; Chaumont, Claire; Villalobos Dintrans, Pablo

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-08-2020-0082

The 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.
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Leading in the shadows: understanding administrative leadership in the context of COVID-19 pandemic management in Bangladesh

Alam, M Aslam

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0050

This article aims to examine the COVID-19 pandemic management system in Bangladesh and the role played by various bureaucratic leaders both at national and local levels. Particularly, attention is paid to the interface between the health sector and administrative leaders. The role played by front-line public servants and their superiors are also examined. Also, an attempt is made to encapsulate lessons learned from the crisis and the ways to prepare for the next one.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on secondary data and observation by the author as well as insights from the author's 36 years of experience in the Bangladesh bureaucracy. Administrative leadership is conceptualized as bureaucrats appointed to administrative positions and discharging administrative duties both at the national and local levels.FindingsA disfunctionality in the COVID-19 management system is observed, which is a direct consequence of the administrative leaders' preference for leading from behind. Some structural constraints in the system are also uncovered.Originality/valueIt draws on observations, experiences and insights from the author's long association with the Bangladesh administrative system. Its intended users are researchers and practitioners of public leadership.
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Public leadership and strategies of Czech municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic – municipal activism vs municipal passivism

Plaček, Michal; Špaček, David; Ochrana, František

2020 International Journal of Public Leadership

doi: 10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0047

This paper discusses the role of public leadership and the strategic response of local governments to the external shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors examine the typical Czech response with regard to how the leadership of municipalities in the Czech Republic responded to this extremely negative external stimulus.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use qualitative research methods for this investigation. They have chosen the case study method (see Yin, 2009; Stake, 1995; Klonoski, 2013). The general case is the Czech Republic. Mini-cases consist of municipalities from the Znojmo region, municipalities of the Central Bohemian region and the municipal districts in the capital city of Prague. Furthermore, the method of participant observation was used.FindingsThe authors’ analysis of the problem of local government responses to the pandemic crisis shows that municipal leaders responded with a variety of (non-)adaptation strategies. It appears that certain framework factors influenced the various local governments' behavior.Originality/valueThe article examines the strategic behavior of Czech municipal leaders regarding the pandemic crisis based on the observation of the reactions of local governments in the Czech Republic to the pandemic crisis and strives to define their basic strategies.
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