AN ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS AFFECTING STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION IN DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT UNITS IN KENYA: CASE OF NAIROBI CITY COUNTY
Henry Momanyi - Masters in Business Administration Degree, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
Dr. Thomas A. Senaji - Department of Business Administration, School of Business and Economics, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
Elizabeth A. Were - Department of Business Administration, School of Business and Economics, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Devolution in Kenya was introduced with the promulgation of the constitution of Kenya 2010 with the main aim of enhancing service delivery to citizens, foster growth and development to all areas of the country and involve stakeholders in key government decisions affecting them and their areas; indeed, bring services and governance closer to the citizens. However, there has been instances of unsatisfactory service delivery and implementation of various programmes at the devolved government units which can be linked to strategy implementation problems. This study determined factors affecting strategic implementation in devolved government units in Kenya using a case of Nairobi City County in Nairobi. It was guided by four objectives: determining the effect of human resource on strategic implementation in devolved government units in Kenya; determining the effect of financing on strategic implementation in devolved government units in Kenya; determining the effect of Socio-cultural factors on strategic implementation in devolved government units in Kenya; and assessing the effect of stakeholders’ support on strategic implementation in devolved government units in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design on a sample of 162 respondents spread across all key functions in the County. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics where mean, standard deviation, frequency distribution and percentages represented the descriptive results while regression coefficients comprise the inferential statistics. The analyzed data was presented in tables and figures. From the results, human resources (p=0.029<0.05) significantly predicted strategy implementation in devolved governments in Kenya. Financing (p=0.000<0.05) had significant influence on strategy implementation. Social-cultural (p=0.002<0.05) had significant influence on strategy implementation. Stakeholder support (p=0.000<0.05) had significant influence on strategy implementation. The study concludes that human resources have significant effect on strategy implementation in devolved governments in Kenya. Human resource greatly influences the strategic implementation. Financing had significant influence on strategy implementation. Finance influenced strategic plan implementation in devolved government by a great extent. Social-cultural factors had significant influence on strategy implementation. Social-cultural factors greatly influenced strategy implementation. Stakeholder support had significant influence on strategy implementation. Stakeholder support influenced strategy implementation to a very great extent. The study recommends that the top management of all counties in Kenya should ensure they put in place adequate measures and policies that improve human resources for better implementation of strategies. The national government should allocate sufficient budgets to county governments for effective implementation of strategies. The executive leadership of all county governments in Kenya should factor social-cultural aspects in decisions relating to strategies their implementation. All counties should improve on relationship with key stakeholders (national government, donors, suppliers and clients) for effective implementation of strategies.
