Emotional self-awareness and strategic decision making in private school enterprises in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Strategic decision making as a key ingredient of a firm’s strategy shapes the expected attainment of organization goals. Firm managers as strategic decision makers are thus required to possess strategic thinking skills and competency so as to articulate a firm’s vision. While many researches on strategic decision making have focused on many antecedents of decision making, there is miniature empirical evidence on emotional self-awareness facet of emotional intelligence as a key predictor of a firm manager’s strategic thinking. The study was grounded on affective events theory and decision theories. The study employed explanatory research design and targeted a population of 168 private high schools from which a sample size of 151 respondents (mainly school managers) was drawn. Stratified sampling technique was used to select school directors/ principals then simple random sampling was used to select respondents that participated in the study. Data was analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation and hierarchical multiple regression methods. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize data into meaningful forms. Factor analysis was done to ensure content, construct and discriminant validity. Multiple regression results summarily indicated that emotional self-awareness significantly influenced strategic decision making (β=.368; p=0.000 at P<.001), In conclusion, emotional self- awareness of a manager plays a prediction role in strategic decision making. Further, this study provides an empirical basis for the need to develop emotional intelligence of firm managers as strategic thinkers of a firm.