| dc.description.abstract | The objective of this study was to establish the strategic planning practices of universities
in Kenya. To achieve this objective, primary data was collected by use of a questionnaire
targeted at the Vice Chancellors or their Deputies with responsibilities for strategic
planning. A census study was done. From the population of 23 universities, 14 responded
to the questionnaire. The data collected was first checked for consistency, coded and then
analysed to arrive at various conclusions.
The study concluded that universities in Kenya use strategic planning to establish and
clarify their mission, establish performance objectives, identify areas of future
collaboration and appraise university strengths and weaknesses that are relevant to the
long-term direction of the university. In addition, they use strategic planning as a
management tool for allocating university resources to competing strategic priorities,
anticipating and designing appropriate academic programmes that meet public demand.
Hence the strategic planning practices of the universities Kenya both public and private
are similar to those proposed in strategy management theory and also to those reported in
literature from studies conducted in other parts of the world or similar studies done on
other industries locally.
From the findings of the study, it is recommended that further research be carried out in
the area of strategic planning practices and their impact on performance of the
universities. The research could also be extended to cover other players in the higher
education industry for instance middle level colleges, some of which have partnered with
foreign universities to offer university education in Kenya. Others have been accredited
to offer diplomas and certificates by public universities across the country. | en |
