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Leadership In A Complex Adaptive System: An Exploratory Case Study Of One Faculty At A Canadian Post-Secondary Educational Organization, Helen Mawdsley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The research study examined leadership in one post-secondary educational organization through the lens of complexity theory. The post-secondary educational organization in this study is a complex adaptive system that is entangled in uncertainty, non-linearity, and interconnectivity, where the system is under constant change and predictions based on past practice are not always possible. Leaders in this context do not have the luxury to rely primarily on history, best practices, or simplistic linear solutions in response to their challenges. This dissertation focuses on providing a connection between educational leadership and complexity theory, so that the latter can strengthen investigation of the …