Critical Analysis of Implementation of Strategic Plans on Organizational Performance: A Case of Kenya Police Service

Abstract

The researcher analyzed the implementation of strategic plans on organization performance. It's evident that strategy formation and implementation is an on-going, never-ending, integrated process requiring continuous reassessment and reformation. Strategic implementation is dynamic. Failure in strategic management usually happens during the implementation of strategic plan. (Roper et al, 2008) noted that despite the importance of strategy execution process, far more research has been carried out into strategy formulation, while very few have been done into strategy implementation. Thus the objectivity of the study was to have any in-depth analysis on implementation of strategic plans on organization performance and the way forward, to establish the effect of accountability on strategic plans, as well as to establish the effect of strategic plans implementation towards organizational performance. According to Moss et al, strategic planning & implementation is the process undertaken to develop a range of steps and activities that contributed to achieving the organizational goals and objectives. Strategic planning implementation is the management tool used to turn organizational dreams into reality. It attempts to systematize the process that enables an organization to attain its set goals and objectives. There are five general steps in the strategic planning & implementation process. They are: Goal objective setting, situation analysis, alternative consideration, implementation and evaluation. (Moss et al, 2000) .The importance of institutions that provides security as an entity designed to serve the entire public as far as quality security services is concerned along with the imperative for public accountability, makes studying the problems associated with security institutions so essential. Although formulating a consistent strategy is a difficult task, implementing plans throughout the organization is even more difficult.  The study aimed at evaluating implementation of strategic plans in security institutions (Kenya Police) and as to why it has not yet been realized. The study adopted descriptive research design.  This design was considered appropriate as it involved an in-depth analysis or reasons as to why implementation of strategic plans in security institutions (Kenya Police) has not been realized, in spite of using a lot of resources in formulating them. The respondents were drawn from the employees of the Kenya Police. The method of sampling was simple random and the use of interviews & questionnaires to collect primary data desk was adopted to achieve desired representation from the selected organization. The advantage of this instrument was that the respondents had the freedom to fill in without any fear and influence from the researcher. The study was analyzed by the use Statistical Package for Social Science Software (SPSS) version 20. The study found that organization structure, managerial skills & communication and staff training affect strategic plan implementation in the service. Having departments’ mission statement in line with strategic plan influences the implementation of the strategic plan.

Keywords: Implementation of Strategic Plans, Organization Performance, Kenya Police Service.