strategy implementation, planning typologies and performance of universities in kenya

Abstract

Universities are catalysts for development through production of human capital in Kenya and have adopted strategic planning to enhance their competitiveness and to improve their performance. However, the role of planning typologies in enhancing performance in universities has not been established. There is lack of a strong empirical work that has focused on the moderating role of planning typologies on the relationship between strategy implementation and performance of universities in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to determine the moderating effects of planning typologies on the relationship between strategy implementation and performance of universities in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to: establish the effect of organizational leadership on performance of universities in Kenya; determine the effect of organizational culture on performance of universities; assess the moderating effect of reactive planning typology on the relationship between organizational leadership and performance of universities; assess the moderating effect of reactive planning typology on the relationship between organizational culture and performance of universities; assess the moderating effect of proactive planning typology on the relationship between organizational leadership and performance of universities and assess the moderating effect of proactive planning typology on the relationship between organizational culture and performance of universities. The study was guided by the Balanced Scorecard Model. The study employed explanatory research design. The population of the universities was 39 where a sample 12 universities was selected for this study. Structured questionnaires were administered to 490 employees selected from a population of 2652 middle level staff of universities using stratified and simple random techniques. Data was coded and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found significant relationship between: organizational leadership and research performance (β = 0. .772, p < 0.05), organizational leadership and financial sustainability (β = .829, p < 0.05); organizational leadership and society expectations (β = .833, p < 0.05); organizational culture and society expectations (β = -.324, p <0.05); organizational leadership and employee effectiveness (β = .928, p < 0.05); organizational culture and employee effectiveness (β = -.305, p < 0.05); organizational leadership and overall university performance (β = .840, p < 0.05) and organizational culture and overall university performance (β = -.220, p < 0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between organizational culture and research performance (β = -.104, p > 0.05), organizational culture and financial sustainability (β = -.151, p >0.05). Subsequently, proactive planning typology was found to significantly moderate the relationship between organizational leadership and research (β = -.288, p < 0.05); organizational culture and research (β = .313, p < 0.05); organizational leadership and financial sustainability (β =-.374, p<0.05); and organizational culture and financial sustainability (β .355, p<0.05). On the other hand, reactive planning typology was found significantly moderate the relationship between organizational leadership and society expectations (β = -.172, p < 0.05); organizational culture and society expectations (β = .191, p < 0.05); organizational leadership and employee effectiveness (β = -.196, p < 0.05); and organizational culture and employee effectiveness (β = .204, p < 0.05). The study concluded that reactive planning typology significantly and positively moderated the relationship between organizational leadership (β 1 ), organizational culture (β 2 ) and university performance (β 1 = -.206; β 2 = .209; p < 0.05). However, results showed that proactive planning typology did not significantly moderate the relationship between organizational leadership, organizational culture and the overall performance of the universities. In this study, the use of the Balanced Scorecard Model was extended to non-profit organizations to measure performance. Subsequently, moderating variables were added to extend the literature on the match between strategy implementation and university performance. The study established that reactive planning typology moderated the relationship between leadership and society expectations, leadership and employee effectiveness, culture and society expectations and culture and employee effectiveness. Proactive typology also moderated the relationship between leadership and research and leadership and financial sustainability. The study will benefit policy makers and implementers in formulation of policies relating to strategic planning and strategy implementation. Further research can be done based on the mediating effects of planning typologies on the relationship between strategy implementation and performance of organizations.