Harnessing innovation through work and organizational structure: A study of the forest fire fighting sector in New Brunswick, Canada

Abstract

This thesis conceptualises the conditions that facilitate innovative and extra-role responsive work behaviour in the context of organizational structure and job design. It explores the idea that innovative work behaviour is largely a result of the facilitation of responsiveness and adaptation to internal and external influences acting on the organization and institutional actors. This study examines the intersection and overlap of proceduralism and innovation and investigates the dichotomy of structure and adaptability. This research considers innovation as the intentional creation, introduction and application of new ideas for the purpose of problem solving and increasing the efficiency of means to ends decision making. The study comprises an in-depth investigation into New Brunswick forest fire management to better understand opportunities to harness innovation. Ten semi-structured interviews of experts and stakeholders were conducted throughout New Brunswick’s forest fire management network to determine the extent that organizational arrangements support innovative work behaviour amongst the responders. These interviews targeted publicly employed managers and Forest Rangers, volunteer fire fighters and private forestry industry partners. This research argues that facilitating adaptation through flexibility, open communication and joint initiatives, can increase the likelihood of responders deciding to exhibit discretionary effort and extra role innovative behaviours. Through practices like inter-organizational training initiatives and joint after action reviews, innovation can be promoted at an individual level for the benefit of the entire organization and the forest fire fighting network. Conceptually, this research contributes to an under-researched region of Canadian forest fire management, and provides a conceptual base for future comparative projects amongst Canadian provinces to better understand network working within and between provinces.