The Potential of Intentional Ambiguity: The Role of Leadership Development Programmes in Organisational Change
Abstract
This paper examines the role of leadership development programmes (LDPs) in organisational
change, through a case study of Volvo Group's Exploration programme aimed at emerging
leaders. Through 27 interviews divided between executive members, programme facilitators
and former programme participants, a more detailed picture is painted about the programme
and the organisation’s change effort from a rule-based to a value-based approach to leadership.
This sheds light on the underlying mechanisms within LDPs that play a role in organisational
change. Programmes can facilitate engagement in reflexive thinking through which leaders can
develop new understandings, which shape future action and induce emergent change. The
incorporation of intentional ambiguity into LDPs can act as a mechanism to facilitate such
reflexive thinking and expose leaders to ambiguity in a practice setting making them better
equipped to cope with ambiguity in the work environment. Programmes can play a role in
answering the call for ambidextrous leadership, producing reflexive leaders who are
knowledgeable about themselves and the surrounding leadership structures, therefore capable
of engaging in both exploitation and exploration activities. These leaders are sources of
emergent change which they bring along from programme environments into organisational
settings. They can add to the critical mass of ambidextrous leaders in organisations that
contributes to organisational change.
Degree
Master 2-years
Other description
Msc in Management
Collections
View/ Open
Date
2023-06-29Author
Riscado Pereira, Miguel
Kakumba, Nelson Henry
Keywords
Ambidexterity
Emergent Change
Intentional Ambiguity
Knowledgeability
Leadership
Leadership Development
Organisational Change
Reflexivity
Series/Report no.
2023:107
Language
eng