Strategic Planning Prcatices in the Kenyan Judiciary

Abstract

Strategic planning is viewed as a way to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization by improving its operations both now and in the future. Strategic planning forms a framework for management to formulate a vision, mission and objectives that will guide the organization achieve its intended goals. The strategic management process is used by the management to set objectives, goals and schedule activities for achieving the set goals. This also includes establishing ways of monitoring, evaluating and measuring progress. This study is aimed at examining strategic planning practices at the Kenyan Judiciary. The researcher design used was a case study. The researcher used primary sources of data for this study. The primary data was collected through an interview guide. This allowed the respondents sufficient time to respond to questions asked bearing in mind that the interviews were administered during working hours. The interviewees of the study were Registrars for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and magistrate courts. Also internet were directors for Information Communication Technology, Human Resource, Performance Management and Finance. The collected data was examined for completeness and clarity and was analyzed using content analysis. The findings show that there is a strategic plan at the Kenyan judiciary. The study established that the Kenyan Judiciary applies the following strategic planning practices; developing of the key strategies that contribute to the overall vision, development of specific measurable realistic and time bound strategic goals, communication of organizational vision, mission and key policies, development of short and long term operational goals; subdividing goals and allocatating sub-goals with careful attention to details, participating, schedules and milestones, monitoring and evaluation. The study established that there are several factors influencing strategic planning these are the release of vision 2030, the new constitution, resources such as human resources, government policies and donor funding. Also, the study looked at the challenges encountered in the implementation of strategies and how they have been dealt with. the challenges include: resources are not well distributed, lack of well formulated strategies, lack of monitoring, evaluation and review directorate or unit, organizational structure., lack of proper understanding and cohesion and lack of leadership and direction. Some of the mechanisms adopted to deal with these challenges include: allocation and proper distribution of resources, change of top leadership that saw the creation of directorate and appointment of registrars representing different courts, engaging staff in the strategy implementation, adoption of modern and sound human resource management frameworks; policies, rules, regulation, system and practices that attract and retain qualified, competent, talented and motivated staff of high integrity will be prioritized and improved of communication channels. The study recommends that the management should employ competent and qualified individuals at the management level. In addition they need to form a unit of monitoring and evaluation and restructuring of the organization in order to ensure efficiency and effective strategy implementation.