Dr. Jenny Baechler

Dr. Jenny Baechler is a Senior Instructor with the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from Dalhousie University and a MA in Peace and Conflict Studies from the European University Centre for Peace Studies (Austria).

The primary focus of her research relates to the theory and practice of cross-boundary collaboration – how individuals and organizations overcome barriers that limit their capacity for productive collaboration. Her work bridges the fields of public administration, political science and international development studies to better understand cross-boundary collaboration in the context of those government departments that find themselves working in fragile and conflict-affected states. Jenny’s PhD dissertation examined the various organizational and human factors that advance and limit the operationalization of ‘whole-of-government’ (WoG), with a specific focus on the Canadian and UK governments’ efforts to enhance their capacity to undertake international stabilization activities between 2002-2012.  Her current research interests look to better understand how we might recognize and reward organizational and individual capacity for innovative practices such as ‘whole-of-government’.  In this vein, much of Jenny’s teaching and facilitation work focuses on innovation within the public sector and its important role in tackling complex social problems. As an instructor within the Faculty of Management, she has been responsible for developing and delivering professional development programs for both MPA and MBA students. She has a keen interest in experiential learning and how it can be mobilized to provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to apply their skills and expertise in professional settings.