Leaders’ Influence Tactics for Safety: An Exploratory Study in the Maritime Context

A growing body of research has pointed out effective leadership as an important influencing factor for safety performance in various high-risk industrial contexts. However, limited systematic knowledge is available about how leaders can effectively persuade rule compliance, and stimulate actions and participation. Recognizing effective means of influence is of value for safety leadership development and evaluation. This study seeks to empirically investigate leaders’ influence tactics for safety in a maritime context. Qualitative exploration is performed with data being collected through focus group discussions and individual interviews with 41 experienced shipboard leaders from various shipping sectors. Five core influence tactics—coaching, role modeling, pressure, consultation and exchange tactics—appeared to be the shipboard leaders’ effective tactics to influence subordinates’ safety compliance and participation behaviors in ship operations. Safety leadership influences flow from exemplification, expert and personal sources of power, and being pursued through soft and rational influence tactics rather than coercion or constructive inducements. The results indicate that the more relationship-oriented the leaders are, the more effective their safety leadership would be in influencing safety behaviors. The implication of the results for maritime safety leadership research, maritime education and training are discussed

Building Organizational Resilience Through Organizational Learning: A Systematic Review

With organizational environments becoming increasingly complex and volatile, the concept of “organizational resilience” has become the “new normal”. Organizational resilience is a complex and multidimensional concept which builds on the myriad of capabilities that an organization develops during its lifecycle. As learning is an inherent and essential part of these developments, it has become a central theme in literature on organizational resilience. Although organizational resilience and organizational learning are inherently interrelated, little is known of the dynamics of effective learning that may enhance organizational resilience. This study explores how to achieve organizational learning that can serve to promote organizational resilience. Our aim is to contribute to a more comprehensive knowledge of the relation between organizational resilience and organizational learning. We present the results of a systematic literature review to assess how organizational learning may make organizations more resilient. As both organizational resilience and organizational learning are topics of practical importance, our study offers a specifically targeted investigation of this relation. We examine the relevant literature on organizational learning and resilience, identifying core themes and the connection between the two concepts. Further, we provide a detailed description of data collection and analysis. Data were analyzed thematically using the qualitative research software NVivo. Our review covered 41 empirical, 12 conceptual and 6 literature review articles, all indicating learning as mainly linked to adaptation capabilities. However, we find that learning is connected to all three stages of resilience that organizations need to develop resilience: anticipation, coping, and adaptation. Effective learning depends upon appropriate management of experiential learning, on a systemic approach to learning, on the organizational ability to unlearn, and on the existence of the context that facilitates organizational learning.publishedVersio

Design-driven innovation in design practice

The aim of this paper is to investigate Verganti’s framework for design-driven innovation (DDI) in the context of design practice and to discuss, elaborate and deepen the understanding of DDI, especially on aspects related to design. To meet this aim, an in-depth longitudinal case study of a DDI project for developing a radical new vision for an offshore ship bridge concept is performed. DDI is generally recognised as an in-depth research process, but we also approach it as a highly creative, generative process of design in which design artefacts serve as knowledge production and exploration. Therefore,  Verganti’s divide between research and creativity and his critique of user centredness are challenged. The paper adds complementary understandings to Verganti’s framework, particularly regarding the role of design, and the Generative Design-Driven Innovation framework is developed.

Leadership styles and safety performance in high-risk industries: a systematic review

The importance of leadership on safety has been well acknowledged and studied for many years in various high-risk industries. This paper aims at (1) synthesising the existing safety leadership research by performing a systematic literature review to gain an overview of the relationship between various leadership styles and safety performance in high-risk industries with a main focus on health and workplace safety and (2) analysing and comparing the major results from the reviewed studies. The results show that nine leadership styles – transformational leadership, transactional leadership, leader–member exchange, authentic leadership, empowering leadership, ethical leadership, paternalistic leadership, charismatic leadership and passive leadership – have been frequently used in the development and validation of safety leadership theories as well as in understanding the leadership influence towards safety climate, safety compliance and safety participation in various contexts. However, blurred boundaries among the constructs of leadership styles alongside inconsistency in the conceptualisation and measurement of safety performance hinder the advancement of understanding safety leadership’s influence on safety performance. It is therefore of importance that further research develops consistent measurement instruments and conceptualisation and that systems thinking is applied to the study of leadership styles’ influence on safety performance.publishedVersio

Dynamic capabilities and network benefits

The number of publicly funded initiatives to establish or strengthen networks and clusters, in order to enhance innovation, has been increasing. Returns on such investments vary, and the aim of this study is to explore to what extent the variation in benefits for firms participating in networks or clusters can be explained by their dynamic capabilities (DC). Based on survey data from five Norwegian networks, the results suggest that firms with higher DC are more successful in harvesting the potential benefits of being member of a network

Strengthening regional innovation through network-based innovation brokering

The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate how regional innovation system theory may be translated into manageable micro-level methods with the potential for strengthening the productive dynamics of a regional innovation system. The paper meets this objective by presenting network-based innovation brokering (NBIB), a practical method designed using insights from regional innovation system theory and trust theory. Five cases from two Norwegian regional innovation networks show that in addition to knowledge development and diffusion, NBIB strengthened collaborative attitude and trust between members of the regional innovation system. Moreover, it served as an arena for entrepreneurial experimentation, resulting in projects combining two modes of innovation; the Science, Technology and Innovation mode and the Doing, Using and Interaction mode. The method, thus, may be viewed as a useful addition to the inventory of methods used to stimulate innovation in regional innovation systems (RISs). On a more general level, the paper represents a call to the community of innovation researchers and practitioners to give a higher priority to the question of how to better realize the pragmatic potential of RIS-theory

Dynamic capabilities and network benefits

The number of publicly funded initiatives to establish or strengthen networks and clusters, in order to enhance innovation, has been increasing. Returns on such investments vary, and the aim of this study is to explore to what extent the variation in benefits for firms participating in networks or clusters can be explained by their dynamic capabilities (DC). Based on survey data from five Norwegian networks, the results suggest that firms with higher DC are more successful in harvesting the potential benefits of being member of a network

Developing growth mindsets in doctoral supervisors

AbstractThe present study asks: Why develop a growth mindset in doctoral supervisors, and how can the process be institutionally organised? A conceptual study was conducted for the ‘why’ question, and a qualitative case study was conducted to answer the ‘how’. We find that doctoral supervisors who possess a growth mindset are more likely to seek learning opportunities, are more creative and intrinsically motivated, and react more positively to challenges in supervisor situations. In addition, supervisors with growth mindsets may encourage growth mindsets in the doctoral students they supervise, fostering creativity and internal motivation. To develop growth mindsets, institutions can organise regular formal arenas where their doctoral supervisors can interact, share experiences, reflect collaboratively and learn. Doctoral supervisor forums are one form of such an arena, and they may also contribute to the development of an enriching research and supervision culture in which the supervision takes place