Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation in the Tourism Industry: A Study of Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya

Abstract

Many organizational failures occur due to inadequate implementation of strategy; that 66% of corporate strategy is never implemented creating strategy-to-performance gap than the gap in the formulation-to-implementation‎ process. The ability to implement a strategy lies on firm’s ability to overcome obstacles through formula-to-process implementation. The purpose of this study was to o evaluate the factors influencing strategy implementation in the tourism sector in Kenya particularly Maasai Mara national park. The objectives of the study were to examine the influence of change management on strategy implementation, to determine the influence of organizational culture on strategy implementation, to establish the influence of leadership on strategy implementation and to assess the influence of performance contracting on strategy implementation in the tourism industry in Kenya. This study adopted a case study design. The study target population was 132 respondents selected by census sampling technique. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics involved working out the percentages and frequencies and preparation of frequency tables. The findings of this study showed that constructs observed during change management activities to establish their influence on strategy implementation in the tourism sector found that organization pre-positioning as construct of change management influenced strategy implementation to a moderate extent, planning of implementation focus and support and consolidation were more influential on strategy implementation; values held by top management; strength of organizational culture relating to the degree of consistency of beliefs, values assumptions and practices in the sector was the most influential to strategy implementation;  provision of leadership direction to implement strategies, persuading  to seek goal setting for strategy implementation as elements of leadership were more influential on strategy implementation; clear planning and implementation correlation as a determinant for performance contracting was more influential to strategy implementation; finally the results leadership and change management factors  were key factors influencing strategy implementation in the tourism sector particularly in national parks in Kenya. The study recommends that management and Kenya tourism board should use leadership and change management approaches to improve on strategy implementation in the sector.

Keywords: Strategy Implementation, National Parks, Tourism Industry, Maasai Mara, Kenya