Leadership, Perceptions, and Turnover in Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2018 Leadership, Perceptions, and Turnover in Fire and Emergency New Zealand Mark Anthony Long Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, and the Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Management and Technology This is to certify that the doctoral study by Mark A. Long has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Peter Anthony, Committee Chairperson, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Brandon Simmons, Committee Member, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Judith Blando, University Reviewer, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2018 Abstract Leadership, Perceptions, and Turnover in Fire and Emergency New Zealand by Mark A. Long MBA, Australian Institute of Business, 2016 GDM, Australian Institute of Business, 2016 BSpEx, Massey University, 2011 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University October 2018 Abstract Fire and Emergency New Zealand experiences voluntary turnover at local volunteer fire brigades. The purpose of the quantitative component of this sequential explanatory study was to examine the relationship between volunteer chief fire officers’ leadership styles, perceptions of organizational support, and voluntary firefighter turnover; the purpose of the qualitative component was to explore strategies that volunteer chief fire officers used to reduce volunteer firefighter turnover. The population for the quantitative study was 21 volunteer chief fire officers, and the population for the qualitative study was 6 volunteer firefighters. The theoretical frameworks that grounded this study were transformational leadership theory (TL) and organizational support theory (OST). The data collection process for the quantitative component was 2 surveys, and the data analysis process was Pearson’s correlation. The data collection process for the qualitative component was face- to-face, semistructured interviews, and the data analysis process was thematic analysis. The quantitative results showed a significant statistical relationship between OST and turnover (p<.001), and no significant relationship between TL and turnover (p>.001). The qualitative results yielded 5 themes for strategies that reduce firefighter turnover: family acknowledgment and involvement, a positive culture and satisfaction, robust vetting and induction processes, flexibility in training, and communication and recognition. The implications for positive social change included the identification of strategies for fire service leaders to use in promoting the worth, dignity, and development of volunteers, to foster unity and enhance safety within communities. Leadership, Perceptions, and Turnover in Fire and Emergency New Zealand by Mark A. Long MBA, Australian Institute of Business, 2016 GDM, Australian Institute of Business, 2016 BSpEx, Massey University, 2011 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University October 2018 Dedication I dedicate this study to my family; to every volunteer who gives of their time so generously; to young people who want to make a difference in the world, and; to any person who believes in the value of education. I endeavored on this journey to become a doctoral scholar because I wanted to make a credible contribution to volunteerism, and to the value of volunteer leadership. I thought the process and outcome would give me greater authority in the sector, and provide for a thought-provoking document that allowed organizational leaders to better lead, and serve, a voluntary workforce. What I got out of this process, though, was much more profound. I discovered that success comes to those who believe; that resilience is an outcome of dogged determination; that following a set path is acceptable, but setting a new path is inspirational; that prioritizing one’s own goals does not need to come at the detriment of others, and; that with the power of a loving, supportive family and whānau environment, anything, absolutely anything, can be accomplished. Throughout this journey, I met incredible volunteers, and leaders of volunteers, who choose to attend incidents and act in emergency situations because of their belief that what they do, does make a difference. It does. Volunteers are people, and organizations exist because of, and for, people. It is okay, as a volunteer leader, to treat volunteers as equal people. In fact, when that occurs, a mutual respect forms that is the basis of teamwork, collaboration, and trust. I thank volunteers and volunteer leaders in New Zealand and around the world. Your contribution is valued. You are valued. Please remember that. Acknowledgments I do not stand here alone. I thank, with all of my heart, my family. To my wife, Yorana, who walked this journey beside me, in front of me, and behind me – your love and strength makes me a better person every day. To my parents, Chris and Cindy – your unwavering encouragement and positive reinforcement have molded me into the man I am today. To my Nana, Betty, and Papa, John, in Canada – your inspirational selflessness and unconditional love have provided me with a solid value base and examples of how to treat others. To my late Nana Long – your belief in the value of education gave me the encouragement to complete my masters and doctoral studies. To my brothers, Christopher and Michael, and my sister, Chantelle – the bond of siblings is unbreakable, and the adventures we have had, and will have, will stay with me forever, and bring me excitement for the future. To my friends, supporters, and fellow doctoral candidates who have provided a listening ear and given words of wisdom when needed – I thank you. I thank, with humble sincerity, the faculty and support teams at Walden University, who live by the noble mission of positive social change, and who go above and beyond for candidate success. Dr. Peter Anthony, my Chair, mentor, and friend – you believed in me when others did not. You are a major reason this study has been undertaken and completed to a scholarly standard. I thank you for choosing me and for not wavering from our commitment to make a difference. To my second committee member, Dr. Brandon Simmons – the value of your contribution is seen throughout this document. To my URR, Dr. Judith Blando – your attention to detail and no-nonsense approach has allowed me to keep momentum throughout this journey. I thank you all. Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................................................. v List of Figures ................................................................................................................ vi Section 1: Foundation of the Study .................................................................................. 1 Background of the Problem ....................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ..................................................................................................... 2 Purpose Statement ..................................................................................................... 3 Nature of the Study .................................................................................................... 3 Research Questions .................................................................................................... 6 Interview Questions ................................................................................................... 6 Questions Regarding Strategies to Reduce Voluntary Turnover............................ 6 Hypotheses ................................................................................................................ 7 Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................. 7 Operational Definitions .............................................................................................. 9 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations ........................................................... 10 Assumptions ...................................................................................................... 10 Limitations......................................................................................................... 11 Delimitations ..................................................................................................... 13 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 13 Contribution to Business Practice ....................................................................... 13 Implications

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