Exploring local leadership in Lao-based INGOs Thongdeuane Nanthanavone Master of Development Practice (adv) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2014 School of Social Work and Human Services i Abstract The aim of this study is to understand how local leadership development is operationalised in the INGO sector in the social context of Laos. Until recently, leadership has been studied academically from a psychological paradigm. This paradigm sees leadership from the Western individual attribute perspective. A growing body of research addresses the sociocultural context of leadership. The sociocultural view is derived from a container model-a Nation-state perspective- which pays limited attention to the external social forces that come with globalisation. In practice, organisational research shows that leadership development initiatives often take the form of “fill-the-gap” approach emphasising mechanical fixes for intra-personal competency deficits through the provision of training. This study transcends the individual attribute approach. The focus of this study is to explore local leadership development in INGOs from a glocalisation perspective: seeing the social context of leadership from a combination of domestic and international guiding norms. Informed by a bricolage approach, this study adopts the epistemological perspective of social constructionism, which sees social reality as relative and contextually constructed (Crotty 1998). The bricolage suggests researchers use the tools at hands to generate data about social reality which involves using multiple methods and logic to understand that social world. Therefore, this study combines multiple data-collection methods to ensure greater depth and validity. The four mutually reinforcing methods selected included: in- depth interview, informal conversational interview, participant observation and document analysis. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Vientiane, Lao PDR for seven months in 2011. INGO staff and some international organisation staff were recruited for interviews. They were divided into three groups: local staff member, local senior staff member and expatriate staff. At a macro level, the study found that local leaders work in the middle of two social worlds. On the one hand, they worked with INGOs who represent the mainstream Western worldviews, working in those the systems and common organisational culture. On the other hand, they work with government partners who represent the domestic power dynamics, cultural and social norms and ways of doing things which often brought them into conflict with their international equivalences. Using the concept of glocalisation, the research explains how domestic and international social norms and guiding principles form ii the social context for local leadership in the Lao INGO sector. The study found that while the (potential) local leaders comply with these norms and principles, they also attempt to change them. At a micro level, the research found how (potential) local leaders developed a set of leadership characteristics and competencies so that they would be seen as legitimate leaders in INGO leadership roles. Using Max Weber’s concept of legitimacy, the study found that relational skill competencies such as social networking, building trust and utilising social network were seen as more important by research participants when working with government partners, but less important when working with the INGO staff including expats. In contrast, possession of technical skills and an ability to get the job done were seen as more important by the majority of the three groups of participants when working with the international staff and concerned stakeholders. Furthermore, an analysis of local leadership development initiatives implemented by Lao INGOs revealed that the practices were not based upon the sociocultural background of the staff and the political context of INGOs. Leadership development training initiatives have been carried out which was short-term, focused on producing quantity or the number of trainees rather than quality of the training and over-focused on technical skills rather than building relational skills. This research expands the personal attribute focus in the organisational leadership literature by using an approach based on Weberian sociology, Institutional theory of leadership and Institutional entrepreneurship to link leadership to the legitimating principles and norms of the social context in which leadership occurs. This research extends an understanding of the legitimating principles and norms of leadership from a traditional perspective, which is limited within the national boundary to adopt a glocalisation approach. A glocalisation approach sees social context of local leadership as an emerging social space where international and local social principles and norms intersect. This study was tightly focused on exploring leadership as described and observed by the senior personnel, local members of staff and expatriate staff of INGOs. The research does not consider the perspectives of other stakeholders-such as government officials, donors and INGO headquarters in developed countries, all of whom may have different views and understandings of leadership development in Laos. iii The current study explored local leadership development from a hybrid perspective therefore its focus was placed on the interface between the mainstream leadership and the indigenous leadership. Future research could focus on how to understand local leadership development from an indigenous leadership perspective. In addition, further research could also explore in more detail the nature and style of local indigenous leadership. iv Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. v Publications during candidature No publications. Publications included in this thesis No publications included. Contributions by others to the thesis No contributions by others. Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree None. vi Acknowledgements I have been fortunate to receive financial support from a University of Queensland international research scholarship to complete my PhD study. Numerous people have enabled this to happen. I am indebted to the assistance. I would like to express my gratitude to the on-going patience and support of the members of my advisory team: Dr Cameron Parsell, Dr John R Owen, Dr. Rose Melville and Dr Peter Westoby. Regardless of their formal role in the team, each of them contributed a great deal to this research from their own area of expertise. My sincere thanks to my advisor, mentor and great friend, Dr John R Owen are too deep to express in words, especially in my meagre English. John encouraged me to think and develop capacity to think. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the interview participants in this study. This research would not have been possible without the kind cooperation of the INGO staff members and senior personnel who agreed to be interviewed. Having worked with an INGO, I understand that they sacrifice their valuable time, which they would otherwise have been able to direct toward their own work. My thanks also go to the Department of Social Work and Development, National University of Laos in Vientiane for hosting me for seven months during my data collection field work. The Department and its generous people provided me with working space and academic support. In particular, I am grateful to Prof. Khamphiu Namlamoun, Prof. Dexanoulath Douangdeth and Dr Sivilay Keobounthoum without whose support, I would have had difficulty conducting the fieldwork. There is no way I can thank my fellow PhD candidates, Subas Risal and Ali Teymoory, enough for the on-going discussion, sharing and mutual support. We have gone through a lot of up and down moments together. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to Karen Bland for her assistance with English language in this research project. Her patience to read through my writing word by word and line by line is highly appreciated,