Responsible leadership and COVID-19: small Island making big waves in cruise tourism

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore responsible leadership and crisis management. Many sectors and economies have faced the stark effect of coronavirus; however, the damage done was felt more in some areas than others. Cruise tourism is one such sector dramatically affected, as it ground to a screeching halt in March 2020. This has led to crisis management, as passengers, cruise-line crew, large cruise companies and governments were now faced with a new reality as countries around the world closed their borders. This article aims at discussing in detail how responsible leadership, in the small island of Barbados, championed a response to support the cruise tourism sector and assist in managing the crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted a literature review on the current knowledge relating leadership and crisis management. Thus building a better understanding in the field and identifying gaps for making new arguments for best practices of leadership development in crisis management established in the cruise tourism sector. The author gave viewpoints based on the leadership style of the Prime Minister of Barbados.FindingsResponsible leadership is a style that has been best observed as one that emphasizes a commitment to the common good and provides a constructive societal impact. With this approach, the leaders navigated the uncertainty surrounding the crisis and provided fresh hope to future plans. Thus, the coronavirus was perceived in a positive way, producing opportunities for progress and change.Research limitations/implicationsBy developing an understanding of traditional leadership theories, it provides a framework for the adaptation of responsible leadership approach in crisis management. Moreover, the practice of responsible leadership in this COVID-19 era is shown to be crucial to crisis management and enhancing performance. Limitations on viewpoint are based on the author's philosophies.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a better understanding of the principles surrounding leadership and fashions a framework for discussing responsible leadership from a crisis management standpoint. The viewpoint provides an optimistic difference in managing a crisis.Social implicationsThe paper provides a better understanding of responsible leadership as an integrated approach to governance, ethics and social responsibility. The paper provides a basis to assess the intersection of the literature on leadership and crisis management.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the literature on responsible leadership within the context of crisis management.

Leadership and information dissemination: challenges and opportunities in COVID-19

“…For instance, communication needs to be clear and consistent, but also adaptive. In addition, leadership in a crisis requires other core competencies such as good perception, decision making skills, astuteness, ability to learn quickly, and the ability to adapt their behaviors; all of which are critical to the leader's ability to come up with the appropriate course of action (Sayegh et al, 2004;Boin and Hart, 2003;Hartley, 2018;Pounder, 2021). Further, the research has highlighted that from a political perspective, leaders give great consideration to reducing or managing conflict, controlling power dynamics and enhancing the state of legitimacy as key dimensions to leadership in crisis.…”

“…This shocking information created a turn of events that meant persons were out to sea with despair of how they will return home. In Barbados, the Prime Minister rose to the occasion making an astounding humanitarian choice to assist this vulnerable group of crewmembers and passengers to repatriate to their homeland through this country's sea and airports and give the cruise liners a safe harbor within its territorial waters (Pounder, 2021). Other shocking information arose when a Caribbean territory (Trinidad and Tobago) due to COVID-19 closed their borders to all persons, leaving nationals stranded overseas for extended periods without any support or financial aid.…”

Guest editorial: Leadership in times of crisis: the intersection of political and administrative leadership

“…In all these, one area that seems to have received less attention in the extant literature is the notion of responsible leadership. Crisis, as noted by Pounder (2021), usually creates a sensitive environment that in some cases can be hostile as leaders invariably have to make multifaceted and far-reaching decisions with limited or changing information. In the midst of this environment and the complexities of decisions, as well as actions that need to be made, what sort of behavior should a leader, be they political or administrative, exhibit?…”

The Role of B Companies in Tourism towards Recovery from the Crisis COVID-19 Inculcating Social Values and Responsible Entrepreneurship in Latin America

“…For Pounder [54], it is defined as the discovery, creation, evaluation and exploration of opportunities to create superior goods and services to achieve sustainable development goals; Mäki and Toivola [55] conceive it as the academic examination of how opportunities to provide goods and services with economic, social and ecological value are recognized, developed and explored.…”