Strategy Implemetation at National Irrigation Board

Abstract

Although NIB faces a number of strategy implementation challenges, it is not known which challenges and the response strategies the organization uses to cope with the situation. The objectives of this research were to determine the challenges encountered by NIB in strategy implementation and to establish how the institution has responded to these challenges. The studies was modeled on a case design. The population of interest in this study comprised middle and senior managers at NIB. A sample size of 10 managers was used in the study. This was believed to be representative of the population of the study. Primary data was collected using an interview guide. The interview guides were administered by the researcher to both senior and middle managers. The interview guide was divided into two parts. Part A contained questions on general information of respondents while part B contained questions on strategy implementation challenges as well as questions on how the organization has responded to these strategy implementation challenges. Out of 10 NIB managers, 8 filled and returned the questionnaires. The respondents were in agreement that uncontrollable factors, communication, unsupportive staff, poor infrastructure, bureaucracy and failure of the formulation team to play a key role in the implementation process were the major challenges in strategy implementation. The findings also revealed that the management staff skills for successful strategy implementation and recruiting competent staff were some of the ways that the organization responded to the challenges. Other response strategies were; developing work plans to support strategy implementation and maintaining good accounting systems. It was concluded that the major strategy implementation challenges were; uncontrollable factors, bureaucracy, poor infrastructure, communication, unsupportive staff, and failure of the formulation team to play a key role in the implementation process were the major challenges in strategy implementation. Again it was concluded that NIB has coped with the challenges mainly through developing work plans to support strategy implementation and maintaining good accounting systems. It was recommended that NIB ought to enhance capacity building especially for national staff to enable them handle implementation especially in the restricted areas. The major strategy implementation challenges such as inefficient communication, uncontrollable external factors information systems as well as unsupportive organizational culture should be addressed through the following ways; putting up a technical service department charged with the responsibility of ensuring periodic reviews through periodic SWOT analysis on designs and overall direction of the organization. Secondly, proper communication to staff on the strategy implementation policies should be done on a regular basis and lastly there is need to involve more staff in strategy implementation and lastly embrace new information technology in strategy implementation.