STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP INVOLVEMENT AND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AMONG PARASTATALS IN KENYA

Abstract

Purpose: The study sought investigate the influence of strategic leadership involvement on strategy implementation among parastatals in Kenya.

Methods:  The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study targeted all the 187 parastatals in Kenya. The study used primary data collected using structured questionnaires. The inquiry used Statistical Package for Social Sciences in analyzing the data. Bot descriptive and inferential statistics were generated. Multiple linear regression was used to show the relationship between the variables.

Results: The study found that strategic communication had a positive and significant influence on strategy implementation in parastatals in Kenya. Similarly, cultivation of effective organizational culture and emphasis on balanced organizational controls positively and significantly influenced the level of strategy implementation among parastatals in Kenya. The study therefore concluded that if the parastatals were to implement the laid down strategies, their leaderships had to be involved actively in the strategic processes.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that effective communications systems need to be put in place by the parastatals’ leaders to ensure adequate and continuous communication of the parastatals’ strategies to all stakeholders. The study also recommends strict enforcement of change management strategies in the parastatals to allow increased adaptability to necessary changes needed in achieving the parastatals’ objectives. The study further recommends that the leaders of parastatal should put equal weight on both financial and strategic controls, conduct regular evaluation and review of control systems so as to make them adaptive for different strategies.

Keywords: Strategic leadership involvement, strategic communication, organisational culture, balanced organizational controls, strategy implementation, parastatals