Strategy Implementation at Kenya Maritime Authority
Abstract
The project analyses the strategy implementation process in Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA),
challenges faced and how they are being overcome. KMA is a public corporation in Kenya that
is the government agency mandated to regulate, coordinate and oversee maritime affairs both at
sea and inland waters. It analyses strategy implementation in the public sector and looks at the
delicate balance between local legislation vies a vie international standards. Strategy
implementation is looked in the broader picture as a subset of strategic management. Strategic
management entails strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
Strategy implementation may seem quite straight forward: a strategy is formulated and then
implemented. Transforming strategies into actions is a far more complex, difficult and
challenging undertaking and therefore is not as straightforward as one would assume. The
strategic management process includes implementation which may take either the planned
strategy approach, emergent strategy approach or a combination of both. The study looks at
which of these strategies were used by KMti and to what extent they were successful.
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Primary and secondary data relevant to the objectives of the study was collected for analysis. The
data focused on how KMA was carrying out its strategy implementation. Secondary data was
obtained from KMA records such as corporate strategic plans, financial statements, company
magazine, annual reports and company website. An in depth interview was conducted to collect
relevant primary data for the study. The interview guide was administered to, the Director
General, the Head of Maritime Safety, Company Secretary and Head of Legal Department, the
Head of Commercial Shipping and Head of Corporate Support Services. The data was analysed
using content analysis.
The study found out that in' the process of strategy implementation, KMA put in place
mechanisms to ensure the individual and organizational sub-units execute their part of the
strategic plan successfully. The main drivers of strategy implementation are: institutionalization
and operationalization of the strategic plan. Challenges to strategy implementation identified
. were: the participatory approach was adopted which resulted in difficulty in involving everyone
and the structure of performance management was a major challenge.
Citation
A research project submitted in partial Fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Degree of master of business administration (mba), school of business University Of NairobiPublisher
University of Nairobi School of business