Strategic Leadership and Implementation of Strategy in Commercial Banks in Kenya: A Case Study of Strategic Direction

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of strategic leadership on the effective implementation of strategy in the commercial banks in Kenya. More specifically, the study investigates the effect of strategic direction on the implementation of strategy in commercial banks.Methodology: Adopted a quantitative research design whose target population was the top management team in the commercial banks in Kenya. The instrument of data collection was tested for reliability using the Cronbach alpha test and for validity using the KMO and Bartlett’s test. Statistical analysis was then carried out on the data collected.Findings: The findings from the study revealed that the five constructs of strategic direction namely: the vision/mission/strategic intent clearly defined and understood, using incentive compensation, facilitating employees’ meaning-making of changes, management not too committed to status quo as to avoid any perceived risks, and the CEO’s personality inclined towards change significantly influence on the implementation of strategy in the commercial banks.

Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainable Planning for Community Development in Malaysia

“…That is to say, it plays a far-reaching role in the matter of fortune or failure of the populace. Contemporary researchers, such as Muzee (2016) and Olaka (2017) have confirmed that the effectiveness and performance of compelling strategic leadership in rural areas are associated with such leadership, and is heavily influenced by the ideals of the community leader. Moreover, in the ambiance of rural study, strategic leaders are an important component in community development and are very influential in deciding the direction of developmental programs and consequently determine the success level of development programs, especially in the social-economic perspective.…”

“…These community leaders are usually appointed by the government to act as community transformation agents of the government, whereby they act on behalf of top leaders in trying to actively participate in community development initiatives. Hence, community leaders can always be recognized as an intermediate agency that links people's needs to the different top government authorities (Olaka, 2017). Community leaders play a vital role in a matter of lobbying, implementation and supervision of different developmental programs in the community that are aimed at enhancing rural community development (Fuertes et al 2020).…”

“…Certainly, these traits ought to be nurtured. Olaka (2017) claimed that human capital is much associated with knowledge and skills of the organisation's employee group. In conjunction with the community perspective, human capital can be explained as a representation of different skills or capability of community leaders and the local population that influence the level of community transformation.…”

Corporate Leadership in Agricultural Advancements: Exploratory Evaluation of Performance of Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

“…Across the continent, scholars in Nigeria (Maduenyi et al, 2015) and Ghana (Akparep, 2019) found that corporate leadership improved organizational performance by facilitating coordinated research, technology transfer, staff cohesion, personal development, and stakeholder satisfaction. National studies by Olaka et al (2017), Oketch et al (2021), and Nyandika et al (2023) showed a positive correlation between strategic leadership and organizational performance. However, Awino et al (2017) noted agricultural, livestock, and fisheries parastatals' performance issues caused by poor leadership, policy implementation, political interference, and integrity concerns, especially in bad weather.…”

Moderated Mediation Dynamics: Influence of Strategic Linkages and Policy Implementation on Corporate Leadership and Kenya Agricultural Research Organization's Performance

“…In Kenya, Olaka et al (2017) established a positive relationship between strategic leadership and policy implementation in commercial banks. Kitonga (2017) emphasized the need for strong corporate leadership in state-funded agricultural research institutions.…”