Equity at the edge of chaos: Applying complex adaptive systems theory to higher education

Ueland, Jeffrey S.; Hinds, Teri Lyn; Floyd, Nancy

doi:10.1002/ir.20356

“…Studies linking CAS to the pandemic have predominantly originated within the health and medical disciplines (Greenhalgh, 2020; Pérez-Escamilla et al , 2020; Valeras, 2020; Sturmberg and Martin, 2020; Wernli et al , 2020; Roder-DeWan, 2020; Van Nguyen et al , 2020; Bradley et al , 2020) with a smaller number of studies addressing other fields (Ivanov and Dolgui, 2020; Worstell, 2020) or specific types of organizations more generally such as multinational enterprises (Celo and Lehrer, 2022). We found only two (to our knowledge) that applied CAS within the higher education sector (Van Nuland et al , 2020; and partially - Ueland et al , 2022).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…We found only two (to our knowledge) that applied CAS within the higher education sector (Van Nuland et al, 2020;and partially -Ueland et al, 2022). Ueland et al (2022) examine the application of CAS theory to higher education in respect to transition management approaches that can potentially lead to sustainable and long-term change. They do this by using the Minnesota State's Equity 2030 strategy and identify literature which has applied CAS to higher education contexts (Machado-Taylor, 2011;Martin, 2019;Siemens et al, 2018) and in public education in the USA (McGee and Edson, 2014).…”

Section: Complex Adaptive Systems and System Responses To The Covid-1...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A constructive crisis: complex system adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cameron

¹

,

Ambagtsheer

²

,

Martinez-Pacheco

³

et al. 2022

IJOA

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the response by a multi-campus private higher education provider to a major crisis. This study examined what elements of complex adaptive systems (CAS) were activated and/or developed within the organization during the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, through a retrospective analysis of organizational responses. Design/methodology/approach A retrospective qualitative approach has been used. The theory of CAS has been used as the theoretical lens to explore the organizational context, responses and behaviours during the first year of the COVID-19 crisis. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 senior leaders across the major functions of the organization spread over multiple campuses. Findings Findings point to coverage of the main CAS characteristics in the organizational responses to the pandemic, however, in varying degrees. There was strong evidence for the application of guiding principles, for self-organizing, for micro-diversity coupled with independent actors and new generative relationships, all brought about by the chaos the pandemic generated. This study concludes that the global pandemic presented this organization with the impetus for rapid and agile responses to what ultimately has become a constructive crisis, paving the way for key elements of CAS theory to be enacted. This study recommend embedding the conscious creation of an adaptive space within ongoing strategic organizational transformation initiatives. Originality/value There is scant literature on CAS as applied to crises from organizations in the higher education sector and notably from outside of the health/medical fields. As a result, this study offers a novel and original approach to applying CAS theory during a major crisis. In addition to the findings above, this study also found an emergent characteristic, that of agility, which could be further tested as a potential theoretical addition to CAS theory.

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“…This is timely to the various educational institutions where they need a proper educational leadership system and setting especially for a transformative change from good, better, and best. It provides understanding, effort, strategic priority, and proper implementation of the theory in the educational leadership and adaptation in the transition of the approaches to management in the educational setting and system, (Ueland, Hinds, & Floyd, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Theory Approach in Leadership: A Guide to Educational Management System and Mechanisms

Mallillin

¹

2022

EJES

3

0

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The study aims to examine the process of adaptive theory in leadership as a guide to educational management mechanisms in terms of qualities and characteristics of leadership, challenges of leadership, strengthening accountability in leadership, problem solving process in leadership, and decision-making process in leadership. Quantitative research design is employed in the study. It adopts the pedagogical immersive method in education and in leadership mechanisms that constitutes challenges in the educational leadership theory and mechanism. Convenient sampling technique is also employed in the study. It is a non-probability technique sampling where the number of selected respondents is utilized in the study. The study comprised thirty-two (32) respondents only. Results show that qualities and characteristics of leadership foresees the change and understanding of the process in the educational system for a reluctant behaviors as a leader and teammates, and understands gradually the persistence and process of the pressure and willingness to handle the situation, challenges of leadership focuses on effective teachers and effective leaders in a broader principles and competency in learning and teaching in an instruction vision and practice and to innovate change for leaders to enact new resources in the educational system in creative challenges for new development realities and solutions to work, strengthening accountability in leadership recognizes accountability on hard work, doing the right thing, avoiding pinpointing responsibility, and ensure precautionary measures in a better relationship in the school organization and educational system and innovates change and behavior in the educational system that brings the organization in a significant and competence in the management for the quality of education, problem solving process in leadership focuses and defines a problem, and diagnoses the symptoms of the situation to include the techniques in solving in the process of the expected outcome and analysis and to provide a better solving skills in problem solving in ever changing environment in the school organization or educational setting, and decision making process in leadership conceptualizes the decision making and the style in effective leadership as creative approach and brainstorming in the problem or issues, and provides decision making and proper analysis style in the best outcome of the process in leadership for direct observation in the educational system. Findings show that there is a significant correlation on the process of adaptive theory in leadership as a guide to educational management mechanisms as observed by the respondents. Article visualizations:<img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0974/a.php" alt="Hit counter" />

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“…It is timely to the various educational institutions that need a proper educational leadership system and setting, especially for a transformative change from good, better, and best. It provides understanding, effort, strategic priority, and proper implementation of the theory in educational leadership and adaptation in the transition of the approaches to management in the educational setting and system (Ueland, Hinds, & Floyd, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Theory Approach In Leadership

Mallillin

¹

2022

IJAE.j.asia.edu

1

0

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The study aims to examine the process of adaptive theory in leadership as a guide to educational management mechanisms in terms of qualities and characteristics of leadership, challenges of leadership, strengthening accountability in leadership, the problem-solving process in leadership, and the decision-making process in leadership. The study employs a quantitative research design. It adopts the immersive pedagogical method in education and leadership mechanisms that constitutes challenges in the educational leadership theory and mechanism. The study employs a convenient sampling technique. The study comprised thirty-two (32) respondents only. Results show that qualities and characteristics of leadership foresee the change and understanding of the process in the educational system, understand the persistence and process of the pressure gradually. Willingness to handle the situation and leadership challenges focus on effective teachers and effective leaders, the principles and competency in learning, innovate change for leaders to enact new resources in the educational system in creative challenges for new development realities and solutions to work. Strengthening accountability in leadership, ensuring precautionary measures in a better relationship in school organization and educational system and innovating change and behavior in the educational system, and diagnosing the symptoms of the situation to include the techniques in solving the expected and decision-making process in leadership style in the educational system. Finally, it explores the adaptive theory application in leadership as a guide in the educational management system and mechanisms to provide suggestions and follow-up for further study and development.

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Equity at the edge of chaos: Applying complex adaptive systems theory to higher education

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

A constructive crisis: complex system adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic

A constructive crisis: complex system adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic

Adaptive Theory Approach in Leadership: A Guide to Educational Management System and Mechanisms

Adaptive Theory Approach In Leadership

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