Abstract: Strategy implementation is key to achieving organizational success. In Kenya, the total number of chartered public universities increased from 21 in 2015 to 31 by 2017. All these 31 universities have been competing for students, staff and government resources. After 2010, 11 public universities were established as constituent colleges and 8 of them chartered by the end of 2017. These newly chartered universities are operating in a challenging environment ranging from competition with older and better established universities with better infrastructure and human resource capacity to diminishing number of students making it to the universities through direct placement by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service to self-sponsorship and diminishing government funding among others. These factors are subjecting them to operational stress. To enhance performance and enable these newly chartered universities compete effectively in the prevailing circumstances, there is need for development and implementation of strategy to guarantee institutional success. So far, no study has addressed factors influencing strategy implementation in these universities chartered in 2016/2017. This study investigated the extent to which implementation of strategy by these universities is affected by Government Funding and Human Resource Capacity. Data was collected from 8 public universities which were chartered in 2016/2017. The study targeted top and middle management staff. Stratified sampling technique and census approach were used to sample 95 respondents from a target population of 108 staff. Data was collected using questionnaires. Data was cleaned, coded and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences and presented in form of descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, range and standard deviation), tables and graphs. The study found that inadequate and delayed funding and a weak human resource structure. Human Resource Management policies have a negative effect on implementation of strategy. Lack of well-defined employee policy incorporating incentives, motivation, training and development also led to inefficient strategy implementation. In order to remain operational in the face of these challenges, it is recommended that government considers allocating sufficient funding to cover the first ten years of establishment to support infrastructure and human resource development and to ensure sustainability. These universities should also develop and implement Human Resource policies to accommodate employee training and other forms of motivation these universities should also diversify revenue streams with view to enhancing performances and long term sustainability.
Keywords: government funding, human resource capacity, implementation of strategy.
Title: FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN KENYAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
Author: Mbuthia Caroline Wawira, Doris Mbugua
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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