Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Leading with two eyes: leadership failures and possibilities in the management of a pulp mill’s wicked problem

Leading with two eyes: leadership failures and possibilities in the management of a pulp mill’s... The motivation for this paper comes from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation’s (TRC) Calls to Action, and in particular, the call for more meaningful consultation and respectful, consent-based relationships between businesses and Indigenous communities in Canada. To this end, this study empirically examines leadership in the context of a wicked problem faced by a pulp and paper mill and suggest an Indigenous epistemology as helpful to inform the leadership behaviours employed in this company.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, this study established that the problem faced by the company aligns with the characteristics of wicked problems, hence necessitating a collective leadership approach. This study then compiled a database from publicly available documents and inductively coded this data to identify themes that told us something about the leadership behaviours employed by the company as it attempted to resolve the problem at hand.FindingsThis study provides evidence that the company did not employ collective leadership when attempting to tame its wicked problem. It then shows that the context in which the firm operates lends itself well to the Mi’kmaw concept of Two-Eyed Seeing as a guiding principle that could have informed the company’s leadership and contributed to a long-overdue process of reconciliation. This study proposes several specific actions that plausibly could have helped produce such an outcome.Originality/valueThis paper helps fill a void in applications of the wicked problem construct to businesses. Further, this study suggests that the problem faced by this firm remained difficult to tame precisely because it failed to employ a collective leadership approach. The contribution to the leadership literature comes from introducing Two-Eyed Seeing and showing how it may help produce leadership that is inherently more collective in nature. Beyond its instrumental value, this approach may nurture more consent-based relationships between businesses and Indigenous communities in Canada, as called for by the TRC, hence contributing to reconciliation with a long-suffering neighbouring Indigenous community. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal Emerald Publishing

Leading with two eyes: leadership failures and possibilities in the management of a pulp mill’s wicked problem

Download PDF
22 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/leading-with-two-eyes-leadership-failures-and-possibilities-in-the-b57n7FU8yD
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1746-5648
DOI
10.1108/qrom-01-2022-2278
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The motivation for this paper comes from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation’s (TRC) Calls to Action, and in particular, the call for more meaningful consultation and respectful, consent-based relationships between businesses and Indigenous communities in Canada. To this end, this study empirically examines leadership in the context of a wicked problem faced by a pulp and paper mill and suggest an Indigenous epistemology as helpful to inform the leadership behaviours employed in this company.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, this study established that the problem faced by the company aligns with the characteristics of wicked problems, hence necessitating a collective leadership approach. This study then compiled a database from publicly available documents and inductively coded this data to identify themes that told us something about the leadership behaviours employed by the company as it attempted to resolve the problem at hand.FindingsThis study provides evidence that the company did not employ collective leadership when attempting to tame its wicked problem. It then shows that the context in which the firm operates lends itself well to the Mi’kmaw concept of Two-Eyed Seeing as a guiding principle that could have informed the company’s leadership and contributed to a long-overdue process of reconciliation. This study proposes several specific actions that plausibly could have helped produce such an outcome.Originality/valueThis paper helps fill a void in applications of the wicked problem construct to businesses. Further, this study suggests that the problem faced by this firm remained difficult to tame precisely because it failed to employ a collective leadership approach. The contribution to the leadership literature comes from introducing Two-Eyed Seeing and showing how it may help produce leadership that is inherently more collective in nature. Beyond its instrumental value, this approach may nurture more consent-based relationships between businesses and Indigenous communities in Canada, as called for by the TRC, hence contributing to reconciliation with a long-suffering neighbouring Indigenous community.

Journal

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Keywords: Leadership; Wicked problems; Reconciliation; Two-Eyed Seeing

References

  • Paper excellence
  • No pipe? At least not likely before 2020 deadline says Northern pulp
    Ahern, B.
  • Statements Made by Northern Pulp Inconsistent: Environmental Lawyer
    Ahern, B.
  • The place of inter-rater reliability in qualitative research: an empirical study
    Armstrong, D.; Gosling, A.; Weinman, J.; Marteau, T.
  • Indigenous engagement in Australian mine water management: the alignment of corporate strategies with national water reform objectives
    Barber, M.; Jackson, S.
  • Two-Eyed Seeing: an overview of the guiding principle plus some Integrative Science
    Bartlett, C.M.
  • Two-Eyed Seeing and other lessons learned with a co-learning journey of bringing together indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing
    Bartlett, C.M.; Marshall, M.; Marshall, A.
  • Northern Pulp says it ‘cares’ – but for whom and for what?
    Baxter, J.
  • Northern Pulp’s environmental documents: missing mercury, a pulp mill that never was, and oodles of contradictions
    Baxter, J.
  • No federal assessment will be required for Northern Pulp’s proposed effluent treatment project
    Baxter, J.
  • Environment Minister Gordon Wilson orders two-year environmental assessment of Northern Pulp Mill’s proposed effluent treatment system
    Baxter, J.
  • Introduction: leadership for wicked problems
    Beinecke, R.H.
  • Northern Pulp’s work schedule further off course than you may have thought
    Beswick, A.
  • Northern Pulp banking on provincial OK
    Beswick, A.
  • Northern Pulp owed the province $85 million
    Bousquet, T.
  • Northern Pulp protest shuts down Joan Baxter’s “The Mill” book signing
    Butler, E.
  • Strategy as a wicked problem
    Camillus, J.C.
  • First nation, fishermen distrust Northern Pulp treatment plan, friends of the Northumberland Strait
    Campbell, F.
  • Northern pulp makes plans to close mill
    Campbell, F.
  • Resolving complex community problems: applying collective leadership and Kotter’s change model to wicked problems within social system networks
    Caulfield, J.L.
  • The changing leadership landscape
    Clayton, H.
  • Indigenous works and two-eyed seeing: mapping the case for indigenous-led research
    Colbourne, R.; Moroz, P.; Hall, C.; Lendsay, K.; Anderson, R.
  • Indigenous human resource practices in Australian mining companies: towards an ethical model
    Crawley, A.; Sinclair, A.
  • Ecological grief as a mental health response to climate change-related loss
    Cunsolo, A.; Ellis, N.R.
  • Coping, taming, or solving: alternative approaches to the governance of wicked problems
    Daviter, F.
  • Latest stack test within limits – critics skeptical that monitoring process reflects day-to-day performance
    Dunn, C.
  • Navigating the territories of Indigenous leadership: exploring the experiences and practices of Australian Indigenous arts leaders
    Evans, M.M.; Sinclair, A.
  • Submission to law amendments committee
    Fraser, T.
  • What you should know about Northern Pulp’s proposed new treatment facility
  • Northern Pulp effluent leak issues: questions and background
  • Northern pulp files lawsuit against N.S. government for damages, lost profits
    Gorman, M.
  • Boat Harbour act (bill No. 89)
  • Problems, problems, problems: the social construction of ‘leadership
    Grint, K.
  • Northern pulp’s culture of entitlement
    Gunning, D.
  • Engaging alternative cognitive pathways for taming wicked problems
    Houghton, L.
  • Enhancing Indigenous health promotion research through Two-Eyed Seeing: a hermeneutic relational process
    Hovey, R.B.; Delormier, T.; McComber, A.M.; Lévesque, L.; Martin, D.
  • Fighting COVID-19 with agility, transparency, and participation: wicked policy problems and new governance challenges
    Jae, M.M.
  • CSR and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada
    Long, B.S.
  • Editorial: protecting and sustaining Indigenous people’s traditional environmental knowledge and cultural practice
    Lynch, A.; Hammer, C.
  • ‘Nothing lives in boat harbour’ – Pictou landing first Nation Chief Andrea Paul seeks allies on Pictou county council
    MacInnis, A.
  • Developing authentic leadership: be a good host approaching leadership in a new way using the familiar techniques of hosting
    McKergow, M.
  • Employment versus environment: the complexities of managing the interests of Northern Pulp’s multiple stakeholders
    McKinnon, M.; Long, B.
  • Climate change and indigenous peoples’ health in Canada
    Berry, P.; Schnitter, R.
  • Replacement of the effluent treatment facility: community open houses
  • Focus report: replacement effluent treatment facility
    Northern Pulp Nova Scotia
  • Northumberland Fishermen’s association presentation
  • Nova Scotia court of appeal, 2019 NSCA 75
  • Proposed Northern pulp pipe route into ocean hits snag
    Palmeter, P.
  • Dirty dealing part 1: northern Pulp Mill and the province are set to roll the dice with Boat Harbour’s replacement, but a cleaner alternative exists
    Pannozzo, L.
  • An application of Two-Eyed Seeing: indigenous research methods with participatory action research
    Peltier, C.
  • ‘Our ancestors are in our land, water, and air': a two-eyed seeing approach to researching environmental health concerns with Pictou landing first nation – final report
    Castleden, H.; Lewis, D.; Jamieson, R.; Gibson, M.; Rainham, D.; Russell, R.; Martin, D.; Hart, C.
  • Paper excellence
  • What are you afraid of: collective leadership and its learning implications
    Raelin, J.A.
  • Dilemmas in a general theory of planning
    Rittel, H.W.J.; Webber, M.M.
  • Negotiating ‘meaningful participation’ for Indigenous peoples in the context of mining
    Ruwhiu, D.; Carter, L.
  • Ottawa announces $100 M for boat harbour cleanup
    Thomson, A.
  • Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future: summary of the final report of the truth and reconciliation commission of Canada
  • Non-Indigenous partner perspectives on Indigenous peoples' involvement in renewable energy: exploring reconciliation as relationships of accountability or status quo innocence?
    Walker, C.; Doucette, M.B.; Rotz, S.; Lewis, D.; Neufeld, H.T.; Castleden, H.
  • $697 air pollution fine levied – then withdrawn – against Northern pulp last year
    Withers, P.
  • More senators join call for federal Northern pulp review
    Withers, P.
  • Paper excellence
  • Northern Pulp responds: how Boat Harbour became a quagmire
    Baarda, B.
  • Court grants injunction against fishermen blockading survey boats working for Northern Pulp Mill
    Henderson, J.
  • Request for federal environment assessment of Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation’s effluent pipe project [Letter]
    Jenkins, R.H.; Allen, C.; Heighton, H.; Paul, A.
  • Closed-loop effluent treatment not possible: expert explains why system wouldn’t work at Northern pulp
    Macdonald, S.
  • Northern pulp must find new route for treated effluent pipe
    MacInnis, A.
  • Mill wants more time to develop a new wastewater treatment facility
    Muise, C.