Strategic planning practices and challenges at the general auditing commission of Liberia

Abstract

A well-designed organizational strategy can bring various benefits to a firm in the present as well as in the future. A formalized strategic management process which requires managers to evaluate their competitive positioning through constructed vision for the level at which they expect to be and innovative transformational strategy to actualize said future vision does make a difference in the recorded measurement of performance within a firm. Thus, organizations that adopt a strategic management approach can except that the new system will ultimately lead to improved performance and competitiveness. The research design was a Case Study. The areas of significance in this study were the departments of audit and administration. Interviews were conducted in a structure and unstructured modes with open ended questions. The researcher used primary and secondary data from a variety of published materials about the Strategic Plan (SP) of the Commission. The unit of analysis for this study included central administration, audit and administrative departments as well as other sub sections. Giving that this research is a case study, data was analyzed using content analysis since the data sought were qualitative in nature. The study concluded that the SP had an effect on the performance of the General Auditing Commission (GAC). Development of Motivated Qualified Manpower, Straight Compliance with the 1997 LIMA and the 2007 Mexico Declarations as well as the GAC Audit and Human Resource Manuals as well as other Government of Liberia (GoL) Financial and Budgetary Regulations, Superior Communication where GAC reports and activities are opened to the public are areas which the SP led to overall improvement. The study further concluded that the GAC was faced with numerous challenges of SP. The key challenge facing the GAC has everything to do with the Government of Liberia (GoL). The GoL has at yet, not been able to give to the GAC a clear cut financial independence required to impartially operate as a Supreme Audit Institution (SAI). The GAC now reports to the National Legislature of Liberia, but it does not have financial autonomy, as its financial activities are still subject to the Executive branch of government through the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Thus, the GAC is constrained in its strategies and policies to effectively function to adequately fight corruption in Liberia. The study recommended that in order for the GAC to overcome these challenges, it must take steps toward commitment to its goals as spelt out in the SP and that the Government of Liberia must fully support all the programs of the GAC by enacting laws that will ensure its financial autonomy.