The leadership criterion: challenges in pursuing excellence in the Jordanian public sector

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges that face leaders when implementing business excellence programmes in the Jordanian public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted a content analysis approach to analyse the excellence assessment reports that have been produced by the King Abdullah II Centre for Excellence. The sample comprises ten public organisations which have participated in the King Abdullah Award for Excellence more than once and acknowledge in their reports that they have failed to achieve satisfactory results. Findings – The key challenges to effect the implementation of leadership criteria in the public sector in Jordan were found to be poor strategic planning, lack of employee empowerment, weaknesses in benchmarking performance, and a lack of financial resources, poor integration and coordination, and poor measurement system. Practical implications – This study proposes a conceptual model for the assessment of challenges that face managers when seeking to implement excellence in leadership in the Jordanian public sector. Originality/value – Leadership challenges in the public sector are generally widely studied, but it is important to gain a better understanding of how these challenges can be overcome. In comparison to many existing studies, this research has provided specific and detailed insights these organisational excellence challenges in the public sector and provides a conceptual model for use by other researchers into the future.

The Factors Influencing The Enterprise Risk Management Practices and Firm Performance in Jordan and Malaysia

“…Leadership "is described as a procedure in which a person encourages other individuals to act according to values and beliefs" (Burns, 1978). Leadership is linked to a process whereby employees in the position of authority in a company influence the behavior of other employees to achieve a set of company objectives (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016), which protect the firm against risks. Firm leaders constitute the rules in which the firm operates effectively (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016).…”

“…Leadership is linked to a process whereby employees in the position of authority in a company influence the behavior of other employees to achieve a set of company objectives (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016), which protect the firm against risks. Firm leaders constitute the rules in which the firm operates effectively (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016). High efficient leadership has been considered as a crucial factor for ERM practices (Fraser & Simkins, 2016), which permits firms to realize their goals.…”

“…Studies have also indicated risk management practices in the Malaysian public sector (Bakar et al, 2016;Salinah, 2016;Rasid et al, 2017). Similarly, in the context of Jordan, the criterion of leadership has been indicated in finding a solution to challenges in pursuing excellence in the Jordanian public sector (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016). Risk management has also been examined with regards to knowledge management competence for successful enterprises (Migdadi et al, 2016).…”

The Influence of Strategic Leadership on Building Employees’ Entrepreneurial Orientation: A Field Study at the Jordanian Public Sector

“…Aladwan and Forrester (2016) concluded that lack of effective strategic planning, joined with scarce financial resources and shortage of empowered employees hindered Jordanian public organizations attempts towards excellence. Aziz et al, (2012) assessed the challenges of the public sector in 15 countries distributed in 6 continents; they concluded that bureaucracy is the common fundamental ever ending problem.…”

“…Jordan has its initiatives too; the Jordanian government set strategies for comprehensive reform including structure, processes, management, and leadership (Aladwan & Forrester, 2016).…”