Challenges of Strategy Implementation at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Effective strategy implementation is crucial to the success of any organization based on the premise that strategy implementation is the link between the formulation of strategy and the achievement of prior performance. However, well formulated strategies fail at the level of implementation. Kenyatta National Il 'pita! launched its current corporate strategic plan in 2005. The target wa to 'Omplct' implementation by the year 2010. The Hospital is currently at the ta gc of implementing the trategic plan . Thi stud ought to determine the challenges of strategy implementation and how to deal with such challenges, by exan1ining the corporate strategic plan of KNH .To achieve the stated objectives a case study research method was used where primary data was collected .Interview guide was administered to eleven departmental heads out of fourteen proposed respondents representing 78.5% response rate. An organization that undergoes the process of implementing a strategy faces challenges both from within and outside. The hospital is not an exception and that is why the study was undertaken to find out the challenges of strategy implementation. The respondents were selected from the Senior Management team, the Chief Executive, the Deputy Director and the Managers heading critical departments. This is because that is the level that strategic planning is embedded first before cascading to the entire organization. Most of the responses revealed that resource constraint in form of finance , human resources and physical facilities as the most challenging factor to strategy formulation. Government control and social economic factors challenges. were also found to be major The study established that top management at KNH were involved in the strategy formulation process but their powers are limited in making strategic decisions. The study also sought to establish the measures taken to cope with the challenges. Finally the research study recommended further study in other areas of strategic management process .