IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i11p4544-d366664.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Icebergs of Expertise-Based Leadership: The Role of Expert Leaders in Public Administration

Author

Listed:
  • Sadia Hanif

    (Faculty of Management Sciences, Foundation University Rawalpindi Campus (FURC), Islamabad, Punjab 44000, Pakistan)

  • Ali Ahsan

    (Chifley Business School, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide SA 5000 Australia)

  • Graham Wise

    (University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, 4350, Australia
    Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena, Napo 150150, Ecuador)

Abstract

There is a pressing need for public administration leaders to exhibit expertise-based intuitive leadership traits for developing countries to respond to sustainability challenges. While the importance of explicit and tacit knowledge to underpin expertise-based intuitive decision-making is known, public service leaders of developing countries can lack these traits. It is necessary to explore the reasons for leadership skills gaps in order to define remedial actions, such as better executive development training. This study conducts 28 in-depth interviews with public administration leaders, managers, and executive training professionals in Pakistan to address the challenge of how to build expertise-based intuitive leadership traits in public administration leaders. The main findings highlight deficiencies in domain-specific knowledge and soft skills. Deficits in the formal training of leaders and the negative contribution of cultural preconditions both result in explicit and tacit knowledge gaps that undermine expertise-based intuitive decision-making. An “iceberg of expertise-based leadership” model is conceptualized, extending on previous models, to describe the intangible role that explicit and tacit knowledge play in the visible expression of leadership skills. The relevance of this model for the success of public sector-led initiatives for sustainable development is highlighted.

Suggested Citation

  • Sadia Hanif & Ali Ahsan & Graham Wise, 2020. "Icebergs of Expertise-Based Leadership: The Role of Expert Leaders in Public Administration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4544-:d:366664
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/11/4544/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/11/4544/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arundel, Anthony & Bloch, Carter & Ferguson, Barry, 2019. "Advancing innovation in the public sector: Aligning innovation measurement with policy goals," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 789-798.
    2. Inkpen, Andrew, 1998. "Learning, knowledge acquisition, and strategic alliances," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 223-229, April.
    3. Leslie, Keith & Canwell, Adam, 2010. "Leadership at all levels: Leading public sector organisations in an age of austerity," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 297-305, August.
    4. Berman & Sabharwal & Wang & West & Jing & Jan & Liu & Brillantes & Chen & Gomes, 2013. "The Impact of Societal Culture on the Use of Performance Strategies in East Asia: Evidence from a comparative survey," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(8), pages 1065-1089, November.
    5. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    6. Jawad Karamat & Tong Shurong & Naveed Ahmad & Sana Afridi & Shahbaz Khan & Nidha Khan, 2019. "Developing Sustainable Healthcare Systems in Developing Countries: Examining the Role of Barriers, Enablers and Drivers on Knowledge Management Adoption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-31, February.
    7. Jawad Karamat & Tong Shurong & Naveed Ahmad & Abdul Waheed & Shahbaz Khan, 2018. "Barriers to Knowledge Management in the Health Sector of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-22, November.
    8. Hildreth, John Angus D. & Gino, Francesca & Bazerman, Max, 2016. "Blind loyalty? When group loyalty makes us see evil or engage in it," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 16-36.
    9. Kun Yoon & Chulwoo Kim, 2016. "Components of expertise of public officials in emergency management in Korea: An exploratory study," International Review of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 37-56, January.
    10. Hall, Richard & Andriani, Pierpaolo, 2003. "Managing knowledge associated with innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 145-152, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ioanna Karamitri & Fotis Kitsios & Michael A. Talias, 2020. "Development and Validation of a Knowledge Management Questionnaire for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Triguero-Sánchez, Rafael & Peña-Vinces, Jesús & Ferreira, João J. Matos, 2022. "The effect of collectivism-based organisational culture on employee commitment in public organisations," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Soufiane Mezzourh & Walid A Nakara, 2009. "Governance and innovation : A Knowledge-based approach [La gouvernance de l'innovation : une approche par la connaissance]," Post-Print halshs-01955966, HAL.
    5. Najwa Taghy & Linda Cambon & Caroline Boulliat & Olivier Aromatario & Claude Dussart, 2021. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviours in Primary Care for the Elderly—Protocol for a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-10, July.
    6. Van Droogenbroeck, Ellen & Van Hove, Leo, 2020. "Intra-household task allocation in online grocery shopping: Together alone," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    7. Chien-Hsing Wu & Shu-Chen Kao, 2016. "Appraisal of Knowledge Object Use via a Three-Phase Flow Profile," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(02), pages 1-22, June.
    8. Cosmin-Florin LEHENE & Anca BORZA, 2018. "Problems In Strategic Alliances – Should We Terminate The Collaboration? Empirical Evidence From North-West Region Romania," Management and Marketing Journal, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 0(1), pages 7-29, May.
    9. Rajneesh Narula & Grazia D. Santangelo, 2007. "Location and R&D Alliances in the European ICT Industry," DRUID Working Papers 07-05, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    10. Şahika Simsek-Cetinkaya & Simge Evrenol Ocal, 2023. "“Psychological Injuries Are Not Visible†: Experiences and Perceptions of Midwives and Nurses about Domestic Violence during Pregnancy," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 32(8), pages 1115-1123, November.
    11. Najwa Taghy & Viviane Ramel & Ana Rivadeneyra & Florence Carrouel & Linda Cambon & Claude Dussart, 2023. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviors in Primary Care for the Elderly—Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Xudan Lin & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2022. "Enhancing Rural Resilience in a Tea Town of China: Exploring Tea Farmers’ Knowledge Production for Tea Planting, Tea Processing and Tea Tasting," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    13. Silvia Scaramuzzi & Sara Gabellini & Giovanni Belletti & Andrea Marescotti, 2021. "Agrobiodiversity-Oriented Food Systems between Public Policies and Private Action: A Socio-Ecological Model for Sustainable Territorial Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-32, November.
    14. Wei-Shong Lin & Jui-Ling Huang & Margaret L. Sheng, 2014. "How the Organizational Goals Affect Knowledge Management," International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje, Slovenia, vol. 3(1), pages 3-22.
    15. Ko, Krista K.B. & To, Chester K.M. & Zhang, Z.M. & Ngai, Eric W.T. & Chan, Theresa L.K., 2011. "Analytic collaboration in virtual innovation projects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(12), pages 1327-1334.
    16. Asiimire Donath & Medard Twinamatsiko & Johnson Atwiine & Dr. Nuwatuhaire Benard, 2024. "Women Productive Resource Ownership and their Contribution to the Changing Family Patterns in Ankole Sub-Region, Uganda," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(5), pages 844-855, May.
    17. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    18. Lee, Ruby P. & Johnson, Jean L. & Grewal, Rajdeep, 2008. "Understanding the antecedents of collateral learning in new product alliances," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 192-200.
    19. Benoît Desmarchelier & Faridah Djellal & Faïz Gallouj, 2018. "Public Service Innovation Networks (PSINs): Collaborating for Innovation and Value Creation," Working Papers halshs-01934275, HAL.
    20. Demircioglu, Mehmet Akif & Vivona, Roberto, 2021. "Depoliticizing the European immigration debate: How to employ public sector innovation to integrate migrants," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(2).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4544-:d:366664. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.