The Canadian Ski Patrol: Probing the Potential for Change
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THE CANADIAN SKI PATROL: PROBING THE POTENTIAL FOR CHANGE By ELEANOR MUNNOCH CULVER BA, University of Western Ontario, 1989 A Thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS In LEADERSHIP We accept this Thesis as conforming to the required standard ……………………………………….. Colin Saravanamuttoo, BEng, Organizational Sponsor ……………………………………….. Catherine Etmanski, PhD, Thesis Supervisor ………………………………………. Eugene Kowch, PhD, External Reviewer ………………………………………. Brigitte Harris, PhD, Committee Chair ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY May 2014 © Eleanor Munnoch Culver, 2014 Probing the Potential 2 ABSTRACT The Canadian Ski Patrol (CSP) Calgary Zone is one segment of a national volunteer-driven organisation of first-aid providers. In recent years, the number of active patrollers in the CSP Calgary Zone has declined while client expectations of service levels have not. Within the bounds of the Royal Roads University (2011) Research Ethics Policy, and through the use of an online survey and an open space technology session, this action research inquiry determined some of the ways in which the CSP Calgary Zone might enhance its organisational adaptability to ensure its future viability. Study results indicated a high latent potential for organisational adaptability within the CSP Calgary Zone. Overarching recommendations included (a) initiate service model discussions with clients and constituents; (b) examine organisational structures related to policies and processes; and (c) create a volunteer development path, including a performance feedback mechanism. Probing the Potential 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All that I am⎯my curiosity, my love of learning, my work ethic, my optimism, my everything⎯I owe to those who came before me. If this process has taught me anything, it is that we are all connected and concurrent learners, interdependent upon one another for our physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude to my children, Gavin and Henry, and my husband, Dan, for their unwavering support, commitment, and love, which all too often was forced to manifest as an enthusiasm for Kraft Dinner. Fond memories of nights spent with all four of us bent over books around the dining room table will remain with me all the days of my life. Boys, no more may you admonish me that I “should have started earlier”, for I, am, done. Thank you to Dad and my sisters, as well as my friends, who have seen little of me over the past two years. I am grateful for your patience, steadfastness, and tolerance of my oft- repeated school-related monologues. I value your attempts to show interest in the minutiae of my research. I look forward to new adventures with you and new topics of discussion. I owe significant kudos to my fellow patrollers. This document is the culmination of both data and time. My thanks to those who participated directly in the inquiry process as well as to my fellow Lake Louise patrollers who took on extra volunteer shifts so that I had the chance to write. Thank you to the entire CSP organisation, specifically Colin Saravanamuttoo, for your encouragement and participation in this endeavour. Both metaphorically and literally, I look forward to many more bluebird days in the CSP as together we carve fresh turns for the organisation. For my clients, thank you for your understanding as I scheduled myself down to the minute and returned emails or voicemails at all hours of the day and night. In particular, thanks Probing the Potential 4 to Rheaume Engineering and staff for their tolerance of walls adorned with reams of paper and windows obscured with writing. You brightened my days when the going was slow. Finally, thank you to my Royal Roads family, for that is what we have become over the past two years. Catherine Etmanski, your patience, smile, and willingness to tolerate my sometimes out-of-the-box thinking was an absolute blessing. The serendipity that brought us all together in 2012 was the catalyst for an evolutionary process on a personal level. Life. Changing. Indeed. Probing the Potential 5 DEDICATION Mum, your words of encouragement rang in my ears at the beginning of this journey, and sang in my heart by its end. To you, I dedicate this work. I miss you every single day. Probing the Potential 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................................2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................3 DEDICATION .................................................................................................................................5 LIST OF FIGURES .........................................................................................................................8 LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER ONE: FOCUS AND FRAMING ................................................................................10 Significance of the Inquiry .......................................................................................................13 Organisational Context ............................................................................................................14 Systems Analysis of the Inquiry ..............................................................................................17 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................19 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................21 Organisational Adaptability .....................................................................................................22 Learning organisation ........................................................................................................23 Change readiness ...............................................................................................................26 Resistance to change ..........................................................................................................28 Not-for-Profit Organisations ....................................................................................................31 Sustainability......................................................................................................................32 Collaboration with for-profit organisations .......................................................................36 Shared vision ......................................................................................................................39 Leadership ..........................................................................................................................40 Diversity ...................................................................................................................................42 Generation ..........................................................................................................................43 Sex......................................................................................................................................45 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................47 CHAPTER THREE: INQUIRY APPROACH AND PARTICIPANTS .......................................48 Inquiry Approach .....................................................................................................................48 Participants ...............................................................................................................................50 Inquiry Team ............................................................................................................................52 Inquiry Methods .......................................................................................................................53 Data collection tools ..........................................................................................................54 Study conduct .....................................................................................................................56 Data analysis ......................................................................................................................58 Ethical Issues ...........................................................................................................................61 Confidentiality ...................................................................................................................62 Ethical considerations ........................................................................................................62 Conflict of interest .............................................................................................................62 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................63 Probing the Potential 7 CHAPTER FOUR: ACTION INQUIRY PROJECT RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS ............64 Study Findings .........................................................................................................................64 Finding 1: Participants report a full spectrum of meaning ................................................65 Finding 2: Within