Date

5-20-2026

Department

Graduate School of Business

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (PhD)

Chair

Rollis Erickson

Keywords

adaptability, military leadership, crisis environments, adaptive leadership

Disciplines

Leadership Studies

Abstract

United States military leaders frequently operate in environments where predefined strategies and standard operating procedures may be insufficient for responding to crises. The study addressed a leadership problem: a decline in adaptability among military leaders over the last 10 years. The specific problem addressed in the study focused on how military leaders adapt non-predefined strategies in crisis situations when predefined strategies are insufficient. A qualitative single-case study design was used. Using purposeful sampling and an IRB-approved semi-structured interview protocol, 19 military leaders with crisis leadership experience at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels participated in the study. The study sought to identify the factors influencing successful adaptive leadership, explore how leaders develop and implement non-predefined strategies, and uncover the challenges they face when navigating crises. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis process supported by NVivo. Reliability and validity were ensured through a combined process of member checking, bracketing, and reflexive journaling, and triangulation using relevant publicly available service doctrine when applicable. The study identified five main themes: adaptive awareness, institutional constraints, strategic enablers, operational adaptation, and the development of adaptive capacity. Using the findings of this study, business leaders and organizations alike can potentially improve their crisis response and decision-making under uncertainty.

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