This paper evaluates the organizational culture related to the New Zealand All Blacks winning ethos, which has been developed, nurtured and sustained since the inception of the first national team in 1903.
Primary data for this case study was obtained through the use of semi-structured, in-depth interviews with past and present All Black captains and coaches.
A key finding is the strong senior collective leadership. Originally led by senior players informally from ‘the back seat of the bus’ this internal leadership has been formalised by the recent coaching team and has proved to be very effective. Pride in the All Blacks legacy, pride in selection and pride in winning are also constant factors in their success. Symbols, such as the jersey with the silver fern are clearly important as well as rituals like the haka, which has become increasingly important.
The learning culture within the team has emphasised constant improvement through scientific use of exercise physiology, video analysis, nutrition, and developing effective decision making on and off the field. The importance placed on winning has remained consistent. It is anticipated that these findings will be transferable to other sport team contexts and assist in the organizational development of sport team culture.
By Tom Johnson, Andrew J Martin, Massey University, Farah R Palmer, Geoffrey Watson, Phil L. Ramsey, Massey University, New Zealand