Juneau, Alaska’s Successful Response to COVID-19: A Case Study of Adaptive Leadership in a Complex System

James E. Powell; Robert W. Orttung; Sean Asikłuk Topkok; Hana Akselrod; Joseph Little; Peggy Wilcox

doi:10.1177/0160323X221136504

Juneau, Alaska’s Successful Response to COVID-19: A Case Study of Adaptive Leadership in a Complex System

James E. Powell, Robert W. Orttung, Sean Asikłuk Topkok, Hana Akselrod, Joseph Little, Peggy Wilcox

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Juneau, Alaska, kept COVID-19 deaths lower than in other similar jurisdictions. We argue that adaptive leadership—the early decisions and actions of Juneau’s leaders, effective communications, and emergent new collaborative structures—in the context of municipal ownership of key assets enabled Juneau’s success. The result of 61 interviews and follow-up research, this case study contributes a better understanding of which institutional design, communication, and collaborative factors mattered in responding to the pandemic. Adaptive leadership provides a better explanation for Juneau’s success than alternatives that focus on its isolation, home-rule status, and socio-economic structure.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	41-61
Number of pages	21
Journal	State and Local Government Review
Volume	55
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0160323X221136504
State	Published - Mar 2023
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Alaskan Native health care
COVID-19
adaptive leadership
complex systems
local governance
public health emergency response

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Public Administration
Political Science and International Relations

Access to Document

10.1177/0160323X221136504

Cite this

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abstract = "Juneau, Alaska, kept COVID-19 deaths lower than in other similar jurisdictions. We argue that adaptive leadership—the early decisions and actions of Juneau{\textquoteright}s leaders, effective communications, and emergent new collaborative structures—in the context of municipal ownership of key assets enabled Juneau{\textquoteright}s success. The result of 61 interviews and follow-up research, this case study contributes a better understanding of which institutional design, communication, and collaborative factors mattered in responding to the pandemic. Adaptive leadership provides a better explanation for Juneau{\textquoteright}s success than alternatives that focus on its isolation, home-rule status, and socio-economic structure.",

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AU - Little, Joseph

AU - Wilcox, Peggy

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Juneau, Alaska’s Successful Response to COVID-19: A Case Study of Adaptive Leadership in a Complex System

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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