Strategy Implementation Practices at the Kenya Post Office Savings Bank

Abstract

Strategy implementation is the execution of tactics both internally and externally so that the organization moves in the desired strategic direction. Kenya Post Office Savings Bank like many other organizations in the public sector adopted strategic management in its operations in the year 2005. The research sought to establish the strategy implementation practices of the organization and the factors that influence strategy implementation in the organization. To achieve these objectives interviews were conducted through use of interview guides, with interviewees being from key departments involved in strategy implementation. The responses were captured and analyzed through content analysis. The study established that strategy implementation at Kenya Post Office Savings Bank includes distribution of ample resources to strategy essential activities, creating and employing strategy supportive policies and programs for continuous improvement, continuous monitoring and evaluation of strategy and linking reward structure to achievement of results. The organization also adopts the push approach of operationalizing strategy of implementing pre-defined strategy with step by step activities getting closer to the organizational objectives. Institutionalization is achieved through proper training, creation of awareness and development of procedures that guide implementation ensuring that new strategy becomes business as usual. Factors that encourage strategy implementation include good leadership, staff involvement in strategy formulation, continuous monitoring and evaluation of strategy implementation. The hindering factors of strategy implementation include lack of adequate resources, poor communication of strategy, and lack of commitment to strategy by management, employee attitude, resistance to change, slow decision making, legal and political constraints and distorted reward structure. It is recommended that the organization consider all staff involvement in strategy formulation, clearly communicate strategy to all cadres of staff, strengthen commitment of management to strategy, review the reward structure and strive towards a change in the organizational culture. Future research should be done as a survey of different organizations to enable comparison and target the other stakeholders like the customers. This study’s findings have put forth recommendations to the management of the organization, policy makers, and employees. It has also provided supporting evidence to key theories of strategy implementation thus contributing to the body of knowledge.