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The Grit that Makes the Pearl: Collaborative Problem Solving in the Midst of National Crisis
Author(s) -
MintoCoy Indianna D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
systems research and behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 1092-7026
DOI - 10.1002/sres.2108
Subject(s) - austerity , disenchantment , witness , corporate governance , government (linguistics) , crisis management , political science , grit , political economy , economics , politics , finance , law , psychology , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy
Barbados, at the start of the 1990s, was a society in conflict and crisis. It was to witness its largest ever demonstrations, rising fiscal deficits, increased foreign borrowing and general disenchantment with the government and International Monetary Fund ‐supported austerity measures. The Barbados that emerged from this crisis has moved past its Caribbean neighbours, becoming the most developed country in the region and placing highly among international development indicators. What marked this nation apart from others in the region has been its specific form of governance and approach to addressing the crisis. This paper investigates this form of governance and its place in helping the country to overcome the turbulence of the early 1990s. It demonstrates the role of collaborative governance as a tool for conflict management and consensus building in times of crisis. It also shows how and under what conditions, groups can collaborate to elevate national interests above the sectional. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.