Ruby Princess case study: a systems thinking analysis of COVID-19, cruise ships and Australia’s response

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic tested leadership in chaos and complexity and resulted in many lessons learnt in the process. One such opportunity was the cruise ship Ruby Princess “mishap” in Australia which resulted in the failure to quarantine the virus onboard the cruise ship thus allowing transmission into the Australian community. The purpose of this paper is to use the Ruby Princess as a case study and apply a systems thinking analysis to it.

Design/methodology/approach

Whilst many inquiries and commissions have documented the failings of the agencies or “systems” involved in the Ruby Princess, the Ruby Princess case study provides a suitable example for the application of systems thinking analysis. The paper proceeds by identifying the various agencies either directly or indirectly involved in the Ruby Princess disaster and groups them based on the system they represented (state; federal; international or cruise-based system). These systems were mapped providing a visual representation of the complexity of the landscape in which police and public safety agencies had to operate in to respond to the Ruby Princess.

Findings

Over 30 agencies were found to be either directly or indirectly involved in the Ruby Princess. Following the application of systems thinking analysis, it was clear that the various systems were operating in silos, thus failing to fully exploit the interconnections between and within all the systems which ultimately resulted in the Ruby Princess.

Practical implications

The results of this analysis have informed a series of recommendations for leadership development within similar contexts, including embracing a systems thinking approach.

Originality/value

Using the Ruby Princess as a case study, this article presents a novel approach through the application of systems thinking and how it can enhance a leader’s ability to navigate the current “new normal” operating environment. It highlights the importance of public safety leadership moving away from an insular systems focus towards more of a public sector partnership which is an imperative for police and other public safety agencies to navigate through times of complexity and chaos.

Citation

Cartwright, D.(J). and McNulty, J. (2024), "Ruby Princess case study: a systems thinking analysis of COVID-19, cruise ships and Australia’s response", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-06-2024-0099