Making sense of leadership in Greenlandic organizations

• Main Authors: Hansen, Uffe Kjærgaard, Hovgaard, Gestur, Olsen, Poul Bitsch, Rasmussen, Mette Apollo
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; greenlandic
• Online Access: https://forskning.ruc.dk/da/publications/61b68308-8de2-4af2-981e-4e09d8b796f5; https://hdl.handle.net/1800/61b68308-8de2-4af2-981e-4e09d8b796f5; https://rucforsk.ruc.dk/ws/files/63231900/Leadership_in_Greenlandic_organizations.pdf

Making sense of leadership in Greenlandic organizations This study aims to discuss and develop key assumptions about how leadership unfolds in Greenland organizations. The study is based on a theoretical understanding of leadership as a collective and dynamic action, taking place among various actors in organizations. By applying a micro-perspective, we intend to establish descriptions that focus on everyday activities of leaders in Greenlandic organizations. Based on interviews of leaders we intend to develop an understanding of how leadership unfolds in practice and is affected by the conditions in the arctic. The study explores the research question “How do participants in greenlandic organizations practice leadership & management?” The initial analysis of the qualitative interviews focuses the analytical strategy towards key issues regarding leadership in Greenlandic organizations. The pilot research has revealed the following clues for further research: • Closeness – The closely knit community affects the understanding of individual and collective identity • Network – Network-relations enables and restricts actions • Professional differences – establishes conflicts and restricts the possibility for cooperation at leadership level • A need for leaders to be more than figureheads • Defining and dealing with problems The empirical findings will result in research about how Greenlandic leaders develop deal with opportunities and difficulties in their activities. Furthermore a theoretical analysis focusing on leadership in the arctic will enrich the discussion on Greenlandic leadership. We believe there are several challenges and possible strategies which are tied to the issue of smallness and being a sub-national island jurisdiction, that is how the practice of leadership is affected by and can get the most out of smallness.