Abstract:
It opens by revealing the prime minister's decision to eradicate M. bovis from New Zealand and describes the steps Ardern took to secure unanimous cabinet support and negotiate a cost-sharing agreement with industry to fund a ten-year program. It then chronicles the short-term implementation challenges and medium-term successes of the eradication program over its first several years. By late 2024, New Zealand stood poised to become the first country in the world to successfully eradicate M. bovis.
The B case also offers some additional context on how this early crisis shaped Ardern’s approach to later issues, notably New Zealand’s COVID-19 response and later efforts to pass groundbreaking climate legislation targeting agricultural emissions. Though praised for her empathetic yet strong leadership style, Ardern faced growing political headwinds and announced her resignation in January 2023.
Learning Objective:
After reading the case and participating in a class discussion, students will be able to:
• Analyze Ardern’s leadership tactics for negotiating across stakeholder groups, bridging partisan divides, and managing political perceptions.
• Evaluate strategies for using evidence and soft skills to build consensus and manage complex, emotionally charged negotiations.
• Apply techniques for navigating deep disagreement, heightened emotions, and interpersonal dynamics to achieve positive negotiation outcomes.
