Implementation of strategic plan by the North West Department of Education

Abstract

South Africa's government departments generally haven't done well, particularly in the North West. The North West Department of Education's (NWDoE) capacity to implement its strategic plans has deteriorated over time. Unacceptable audit results and the department being placed under administration are undeniable indicators of a capacity issue or insufficient strategic planning implementation. . The NWDoE is similarly rendered ineffective by its inability to achieve the desired results, outcomes, and impact. Despite the fact that a lot of studies have been done on strategic planning, very few of them have concentrated on the implementation aspect of strategic management. To that extent, there is a gap in the literature because no study has been done on the NWDoE. This made this study necessary and pivotal. The main objective of this study was to look into how the North West Department of Education is carrying out the implementation of its strategic plan, To that extent look into factors that affect (enhance or impede) the department of education's (NWDoE) implementation of strategic plan. A number of research sub-questions were created to help achieve the goal. These included: how does the NWDoE implement its strategic plan; what factors enhance how the strategic plan is implemented in the NWDoE; what obstacles exist to the NWDoE implementation of the strategic plan; and whether an implementation plan can be created specifically for the NWDoE. Okumus Strategy Implementation Frameworks served as the foundation for this study. A qualitative case study design was selected for this study. A constructivist/interpretivist paradigm was used. The methodology of choice for gathering and analyzing both sets of data was qualitative content analysis. Computer assisted data analyses system Atlas/ti7 was used. A qualitative survey and documentary content analysis were used to collect and analyse the data. Over 51 reports from the department's various sections were reviewed. . In addition, a purposive sample of 66 departmental officials representing all levels of the organization were surveyed. Data produced by the two systems were imported into Atlas/ti for qualitative analysis. The results demonstrated the difficulties and opportunities that public service departments encounter when implementing strategic plans. . The results highlighted different approaches adopted by NWDoE to carry out its strategic plan implementation as well as problems resulting from their decisions. The findings also identified and described elements that enhanced or hampered the NWDoE ability to implement strategic plan. The recommendations were used to develop an empirical framework that emphasizes key factors that must be taken into account concurrently in order to successfully implement strategy. A flow line model and a set of recommendations are presented. This was a remarkable accomplishment despite all the obstacles including effects of COVID. In conclusion, this case study offered insightful information about the subtle complexities involved in the NWDoE implementation of strategic plans. The goal of the study was to develop a framework for the NWDoE implementation of the strategic plan. It was designed with four objectives in mind: understanding how the NWDoE is carrying out its strategic plan, understanding what enables it to do so, understanding what hinders the department from carrying out its strategic plan, and understanding whether or not a better implementation model can be developed. All government departments may find general use for the study's findings.