The Dispersed Leadership of the National Shipbuilding Strategy: A Governance Review

The National Shipbuilding Strategy, initiated in 2010 and referred to as “the Strategy,” consists of three portfolios of projects aimed at renewing the fleets of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard while promoting the country's marine industry and generating economic benefits for Canada. With an estimated value of nearly $100 billion and spanning over four decades, the Strategy represents one of the largest portfolios of projects in the history of the federal government for the acquisition of goods and services. While existing literature on the Strategy remains limited and typically focuses on specific projects or management issues, such as policy and procurement, this chapter diverges by examining leadership within the various governance structures. The governance landscape is understandably complex, given the scale of the investments and the stakeholders involved. Each actor has its own governance structure, in addition to intersecting committees. Furthermore, each organization involved must advance its own objectives alongside those of the Strategy. We argue that this complexity gives rise to dispersed leadership, influencing the dynamics of decision-making and leading to ambiguity, and even tensions, particularly when overarching and specific objectives compete for precedence.