Factors Affecting Strategy Implementation at St. Monica Hospital, Kenya

Abstract

Effective strategy realization is essential in achieving strategic success. Most organizations know their businesses and the strategies required for success. However, many corporations struggle to translate the theory into action plans that will enable the strategy to be successfully implemented and sustained. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the systems, contingency and institutional theories of the organization. This was a case study of strategy implementation at St. Monica hospital, a church run unit with unique benefits, ownership, leadership, culture and structure. This study sought to establish the existence and strength of certain factors that affect strategy implementation at St. Monica’s Mission Hospital, in Kisumu County, Kenya. The research question guiding the study was: What are the factors that affect strategy implementation at St. Monica’s Mission Hospital, in Kisumu County, Kenya? Data was collected from 14 respondents drawn from 4 substantive departmental heads or their assistants and 10 functional heads of sections. This was a qualitative study where data was collected through interviews from the respondents. Interview guides were used. Content analysis was used to analyze the data which was categorized into themes after initial and pattern coding and comparisons for similarities and differences drawn. Results indicate that there was widespread lack of comprehension of strategy. Further, the major factors isolated to impact strategy implementation were two: Human relations factors and organizational leadership. Specifically, the study found out that structure, leadership, toplevel commitment, and administrative systems were critical in strategy implementation at St. Monica. Core to human relations was poor communication of the strategy and poor strategy formulation process. Top-leadership commitment was not also clearly discernible. These study findings will benefit the managers of organizations in relation to planning and strategy implementation. Policy makers in the health sector will benefit from the application of ideas generated through research. Academics in mission hospital strategy will find additional knowledge of how to help in theory development of strategy implementation. There is need to carryout awareness campaigns to sensitize all stakeholders on the importance of setting long-term direction of an organization through the implementation of a coherent strategy. All stakeholders need to be fully involved in the strategy process, documentation and audits. Further research can hypothesize on the impact of isolated factors critical in the strategy implementation process at the mission hospitals, possibly, widening the units of study to cover a wider variety of mission hospital and a larger sample size.