Strategic Agility and Performance at Kenya Revenue Authority

Abstract

In today’s changing and unpredictable business environment, Organizations face increasing pressure to adapt quickly to the dynamics. How organizations anticipate, respond to, and capitalize on the emerging opportunities and challenges is critical to its performance. This research study was on strategy implementation at Kenya Revenue Authority. The objective of this study was to establish the influence of strategic agility on performance at Kenya Revenue Authority. The study was guided by environment dependence theory and stakeholder theory. The study employed a case study research design and interviews were used to collect data. The data was then analyzed using content analysis. The qualitative data was transcribed, coded and analyzed thematically. Digital transformation, strategic alliances and partnerships, Customer-centric strategies, an open minded culture and change management were identified as agility strategies employed by Kenya Revenue Authority to propel its performance. Digital transformation allows the organization to adopt current technologies for tax filing, online payments and also utilizes data for predictive modelling, risk analysis and trend analysis. Strategic alliances and partnerships enables the organization collaborate with other organizations in sharing resources, knowledge and expertise. Customer-Centric strategies is how the organization focusses on the needs of customers and creating a user-friendly experience to improve compliance and satisfaction. Open minded culture fosters a learning culture in training and skill development which ensures employees are retrained and retooled to have the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt to new taxation policies, technologies and methodologies. Change management builds capacity to absorb shocks, adapt to changes and continue operations in the face of disruptions. The study stresses that the relevance of any organization relies on how agile the organization is in responding to the shifts in the environment it operates in. The study recommends recruitment of agile leaders who promote consultation with all cadres through existing channels so that everyone is carried along in the implementation of during change management. In addition it also recommends consistent and continuous timely investment in technology and innovation at KRA to stay ahead in the quickly changing digital space. The study also recommends that KRA should put more focus on capacity building for its employees by enrolling as many staff as possible to training programs, heavily invest in research and development to promote a transformational culture and inventiveness within the organization. Finally, KRA needs to have a transparent reward framework in terms of remuneration and promotions in a ways that motivate staff to work and achieve better results in the organization which eventually translates to good organizational performance.