Determinants of Strategy Implementation in Administration Police in Kenya: A Case of Coast Region

Abstract

For organizations to achieve their goals and objectives, it is necessary for them to adjust to their environment through strategy. It is therefore imperative for the Police service to comprehend their resources and the forces that shape organizational competition. As a way of meeting these increasing demands, the police globally have embraced the issues of strategic management. However, a significant number of strategic initiatives fail during their implementation since it has been recognized as the biggest challenge for organizations. Kenya’s Vision 2030 lays emphasis on security as crucial pillars for economic growth implying the police play a crucial role in creating the conditions in which development can take place. The Administration Police Service in trying to better its service delivery has so far drawn up three strategic plan with 2013-2017 being the current plan under implementation. However, there has been little change in the structure, accountability and attitude of the police service to match these plans. This study therefore sought to find out the determinants of an effective strategy implementation in Administration police service in Kenya. Specifically the study sought to determine the influence of leadership style, communication, organizational culture and stakeholder engagement on effective implementation of strategies. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Descriptive statistics was chosen since it utilizes data collection and analysis techniques that yield reports concerning the measures of central tendency, variation, and correlation. The combination of its characteristic summary and correlation statistics, along with its focus on specific types of research questions, methods, and outcomes necessitated the choice of this design. The target population comprised APs in the Coastal Region in Mombasa, Lamu, Tana Rever, Taita Taveta Kilifi and Kwale Counties in leadership. They include the 450 County commandant, deputy county commandants, sub-county commandants, deputy sub-county commandants and corporals. The study used purposive sampling for the where 1 county commandant, 2 deputy county commandants, 5 sub-county commandants and 10 deputy sub-county commandants were selected. Yamane formula was used to calculate the sampling size of the Corporals. The sample size was 212 respondents. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires that had both close ended and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS. The study conducted various tests including normality test, multicollinearity, stationarity, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation tests. Factor analysis was carried out among corresponding questions to allow formation of factors with the highest Eigenvalues. Test of hypothesis was done at 95% confidence interval. The study found out that there was a positive and significant relationship between leadership style and Strategic Implementation, positive and significant relationship between communication and Strategic Implementation. Further, the results revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between Organizational culture and Strategic implementation. Lastly, there was a positive and significant relationship between stakeholder engagement and implementation. The entire null hypotheses were rejected. Based on the findings, the study concluded The study established that there were robust framework that assisted in strategy implementation and developed proficient management systems that help in strategy implementation in the Administration police. There supervision on all strategy implementation practices which aided in strategy implementation in the various areas of work. The study established that there were elaborate information chain of command in APS and communication was timely on all matters of strategies implementation. Further, there was well established relationship with the public and staff were well trained on use of communication channels. The study concluded that there was embraced practices and behaviors that enable strategy execution and work was organized so that each person can see the relationship between his or her job and goals of the organization. Further there was a culture of rewarding best performance which influenced strategy implementation. The study concluded that the counties had achieved most of its set targets and there was harmonious working relations in the APS in as a result of strategy implementation. The study recommended for management in the administration police to maximize on the determinants that influence strategy implementation at APS. This will assist in being stronger in what is exactly influencing their strategy implementation. The Administration Police Service should ensure that their employees are well prepared for change. This can be done through training of the employees to new business techniques, involving the employees in the preparation of business strategic plans. The Kenyan Government should also ensure that the policies and guidelines are put in place that can clearly guide who is to lead in the Administration Service. The managing staff at APS, with better leadership and management of staff and motivating the staff, must lead the staff in better performance of their jobs in line with strategies. This will allow them to relate the daily activities of personnel with business priorities in high levels. By undertaking the study, the strategic factors and strategic implementation outcomes was explored. This went a long way in adding past findings value and enabled users have information and a deeper understanding of the need for enhancing leadership styles, effective communication, organizational culture and stakeholder engagement so as to improve on strategic implementation