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Experiences of Contemporary Educational Leaders in Papua New Guinea

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Experiences of Contemporary Educational Leaders in Papua New Guinea UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Through the Eyes of the Big Man: Experiences of Contemporary Educational Leaders in Papua New Guinea by Catherine Jane Macleod A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION GRADUATE DIVISION OF EDUCATION RESEARCH CALGARY, ALBERTA January, 2012 © Catherine Jane Macleod 2012 Library and Archives Bibliothdque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'6dition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Voire reference ISBN: 978-0-494-83447-3 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-83447-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accord§ une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant d la Biblioth&que et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, prater, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thdses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, d des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, 6lectronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propri£t6 du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette thdse. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la th&se ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent 6tre imprimis ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conform6ment d la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie priv6e, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondares ont 6t6 enlev6s de thesis. cette th6se. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES The undersigned certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis entitled "Through the Eyes of the Big Man: Experiences of Contemporary Educational Leaders in Papua New Guinea" submitted by Catherine Jane Macleod in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION. GRADUATE DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARH GRADUATE DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL RESERACH GRADUATE DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL RESERACH GRADUATE DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH DOCTORAL STUDENTS ONLY External Examiner (or External Reader) Date ii Abstract By nature, Small Island Developing States are negotiating a permeable traditional societal culture and an engulfing globalization. Although the body of research is expanding, there is limited literature on the identity of contemporary indigenous educational leaders as they mediate their praxis, primarily based on Western theory, and their traditional cultural belief systems. This qualitative single-case study, conducted on- site over a three year period, investigated the perceptions and experiences of 14 indigenous educational leaders in a Westernized organization in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Three findings emerged from the study. One, both postcolonial and globalizing influences are salient to the experiences of the leaders and data confirm existing research on cross-cultural educational leadership in that PNG local culture effectively and powerfully filters and mediates individual and collective leaders' thoughts and actions. Two, research uncovered manifestations of the Melanesian Big Man as identified in existing socio-cultural and anthropological research on the identity and subsequent leadership practices of the current day leaders. Data analysis suggest the legacy and prevalence of four distinctive traditional leadership characteristics: (a) respect; (b) influence and power; (c) loyalty and obligation; and (d) opportunism and ambition. Participant experiences and reflections about these four attributes augur a change in understanding leadership in Papua New Guinea and require further investigation to explore the extent to which these plausible shifts in understanding indigenous leadership are reflective in other developing nation contexts. Three, a hybrid leadership identity is emerging in PNG. Research data highlight that local leaders, acknowledging past contributions and models of expatriate colleagues, iii are profoundly conscious of the influence and value of PNG cultural beliefs and practices on their actions as educational leaders. The contemporary PNG leader's role is that of the rounded self-adjusting fulcrum, oscillating and balancing the influences of Western organizational policy and expectations with tangible and intangible cultural values and assumptions about traditional PNG leadership. Participant reflections as indigenous leaders in a Westernized educational organization indicate that they are bridging traditional and contemporary leadership assumptions and practices and co-creating a distinct localised leadership responsive to the unique and diverse social and cultural context existing in Papua New Guinea today. iv Acknowledgements A number of people contributed significantly to this research endeavour. I would like to sincerely thank my supervisors, Dr. Bishop and Dr. LaGrange respectively and the members of my supervisory committee for their guidance and support despite the challenges of distance, quality of internet connection, and time zones. In addition I would like to recognize my friends and colleagues both in Canada and in Papua New Guinea for their encouragement and good ideas. I am indebted to my family for their unquestioning faith in my ability to complete the task and in particular I thank Neal for his insights, his wisdom, his thoughtful questions, and his remarkable patience. Finally, I offer my deep gratitude and thanks to my wantoks in the International Education Association of Papua New Guinea for their openness and generosity in sharing their stories, their hopes, and their dreams as educational leaders in Papua New Guinea which truly is the Land of the Unexpected. v Dedication This research is dedicated to the current and future leaders of the International Education Agency of Papua New Guinea for their commitment to learning and contributions to education and leadership development. Tenkyu tru olgeta! vi Table of Contents Approval Page ii Abstract iii Acknowledgements v Dedication vi Table of Contents vii List of Figures x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Research Objectives 1 Identification of the Problem 2 Significance of the Study 3 Background and History 4 Definition of Terms 6 Theoretical Framework 8 Assumptions and Limitations 11 Research Questions 13 Chapter Summary 14 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 16 The Melanesian Big Man 16 Early Research 16 Later Understandings 18 Recent Perspectives 19 Research Interpretation 23 Educational Leadership and Culture 26 Culture and Identity 26 Culture, Globalization, and International Educational Leadership 28 Culture, Globalization, and Indigenous Educational Leadership 31 Organizational Culture, Educational Leadership, and Change 33 Chapter Summary 40 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 41 Introduction 41 Research Questions and Propositions 41 Research Design 43 Case Study Design 44 Unit of Analysis 45 The Researcher 46 The Research Participant 47 Data Collection 49 Overview 49 Pilot and Initial Contact 50 The Interview Process 51 vii Field Notes and Documentation 52 Data Analysis and Management 53 Early Analysis 53 Collaborative Analysis 54 Challenges 55 Limitations and Rival Theory 55 Chapter Summary 57 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH CONTEXT 58 Introduction 58 Papua New Guinea: A Brief History 58 The International Education Agency of Papua New Guinea 61 Early Organization 61 Localisation in the IEA 62 Papua New Guinea: A Postcolonial Context 64 The Researcher: An Adventure Begins 66 Chapter Summary 67 CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH FINDINGS 68 Introduction 68 Defining the Big Man 70 Respect 74 Traditional Assumptions 75 Contemporary Experiences 77 Community Experiences 80 Current Perceptions 82 Influence and Power 84 Traditional Assumptions 84 Influence and Power Through Action 87 Influence and Power Through Expertise 90 Obligation and Loyalty 95 Traditional Assumptions 96 Contemporary Experiences and Challenges 98 Finding a Balance 102 Obligation, Loyalty, and Reciprocity 107 Opportunism and Ambition 112 Traditional Gifts 112 Experiences with Expatriates 115 Good Timing, Aspirations, and Advantage 117 Finding a Balance 124 Chapter Summary 126 CHAPTER SIX: ANALYSIS 128 Overview 128 Two Caveats 129 viii Proposition One: Papua New Guinea's Societal and Postcolonial Context Does Influence Leadership 130 Postcolonialism and Westernization 130 Expatriate Influences 132 Societal Change Influences 135 Proposition Two: Big Man Attributes are Evident 140 Respect 141 Obligation and Loyalty 144 Influence and Power 147 Opportunism and Ambition 148 Proposition Three: A New Hybrid Leadership Identity is Emerging in Papua New Guinea 150 Identities in Transition 150 Balancing Identities 156 Chapter Summary 161 CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSION 164 Introduction and Overview 164
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