Leadership in a changing security environment
Lepola-Lång, Siina (2020)
2020
Master's Degree Programme in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2020-05-11
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202004284241
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202004284241
Tiivistelmä
We live in a world of constant change and today’s organisations are operating in an environment that is complex, unpredictable and constantly changing. This requires certain features from management and leadership. Hierarchical and traditional management models may not be suitable for today’s knowledge-based organisations and new models are needed.
Societies are facing global threats that are difficult to anticipate and have to respond to new challenges and developments. Complex and unpredictable situations determine the security policy environment today. Security environment itself is complex and includes wicked problems that are difficult to solve. This Administrative Sciences research and Master thesis will discuss management and leadership in the current safety and security context. The focus is on leadership in a complex security environment, using the framework of complexity theory and the comprehensive security concept. Research questions are the following: How to manage and lead in a changing and complex security environment and how to improve the current management practices and leadership models?
The research method is qualitative; the empirical data was collected through a series of semi-structured interviews and analysed by using content analysis framework and methodology. The interviewees were key experts in the field of security management and in such high positions that render their thoughts and experiences about management valid.
According to the results of this research, management practices could be developed to even more adaptive direction and giving more responsibility to networks and subordinates. New training models are needed especially related to the longer-term assessment of future directions. The results also speak for cooperation, networks and adaptive leadership.
Good leadership and management are especially needed in challenging situations. Organisations should focus more on resilience than control since full control in challenging circumstances is not possible. Complexity should be accepted as one feature of the operational environment as it occurs everywhere. Adaptive leadership could be a useful model for security management and provide the ability to see also the possibilities for learning and development in challenging situations.
Societies are facing global threats that are difficult to anticipate and have to respond to new challenges and developments. Complex and unpredictable situations determine the security policy environment today. Security environment itself is complex and includes wicked problems that are difficult to solve. This Administrative Sciences research and Master thesis will discuss management and leadership in the current safety and security context. The focus is on leadership in a complex security environment, using the framework of complexity theory and the comprehensive security concept. Research questions are the following: How to manage and lead in a changing and complex security environment and how to improve the current management practices and leadership models?
The research method is qualitative; the empirical data was collected through a series of semi-structured interviews and analysed by using content analysis framework and methodology. The interviewees were key experts in the field of security management and in such high positions that render their thoughts and experiences about management valid.
According to the results of this research, management practices could be developed to even more adaptive direction and giving more responsibility to networks and subordinates. New training models are needed especially related to the longer-term assessment of future directions. The results also speak for cooperation, networks and adaptive leadership.
Good leadership and management are especially needed in challenging situations. Organisations should focus more on resilience than control since full control in challenging circumstances is not possible. Complexity should be accepted as one feature of the operational environment as it occurs everywhere. Adaptive leadership could be a useful model for security management and provide the ability to see also the possibilities for learning and development in challenging situations.