Institutional Factors Influencing Implementation Of County Integrated Development Plans In County Governments In Kenya; A Case Of Makueni County

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of institutional factors on implementation of County Integrated Development Plans in Makueni County Government in Kenya. This had been necessitated by the presence of substantial institutional factors that have made it difficult to effectively implement such plans in the county. The study therefore aimed to establish the extent to which organizational culture embraced by the county Government influence implementation of County Integrated Development Plans; examine how organizational structure adopted by the county Governments influence realization of efficiency in implementing County Integrated Development Plans; analyze the influence of corporate leadership on development plan implementation in the county, and assess the extent to which resource allocation at the county Governments influence implementation of County Integrated Development Plans. The study was based on the sequential thinking, adaptive and holistic theories. It employed descriptive Survey research design to target 216 management staff. Proportional stratified random sampling technique was used to select the departments and 116 study subjects were selected by simple random sampling. Further, the study collected data using semi-structured questionnaires. To test reliability and validity of the study, the pre-test item analysis was conducted at two different points in the study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression and correlation analysis and presented in tables. The results show; corporate leadership (β=.383, t=5.858, p<0.000), organizational culture (β=.163, t=2.561, p<0.004), organizational structure, (β=.314, t=4.373, p<0.000), and resource allocation, (β=.342, t=5.109, p<0.000), had a significant effect on implementation of County Integrated Development Plans. The study therefore recommends: The county government management should make the county offices to be a very personal place for staff where they are willing to stick their necks out and take risks. The management should also ensure that the works are very results oriented all in a bid to improve the organizational culture and improve, consequently, the implementation of strategic and development plans. The county government management should integrate a decentralized structure. The study has found that strongly decentralized structures perform well in several contexts, notably in service delivery and implementation of strategy. The county government management should use transformational leadership in their corporate leadership style. This is so because somewhat the style is self-sustaining and positive results continue to emerge on the effects of transformational leadership. Further it presents a process of influencing major changes in attitudes and assumptions of organizational members and building commitment for the organization’s mission and objectives. The county government management should ensure that they engage in proactive and effective resource allocation mechanisms to improve implementation of the development plans. The allocations should be deliberate with significant resources given to critical implementation areas. The government through the Ministry of Devolution and Planning should improve on its devolution policy to further fortify strategic formulation, implementation and execution together with reporting to improve county performance.