dc.description.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. | en_US |