STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE MARITIME SECTOR IN KENYA
Abstract
Contemporary organizations in Africa have continued to embrace strategic management in their quest to boost performance in the risky business environments so as to maximize returns on their investments. The government of Kenya has currently embarked on an elaborate plan to expand its economic viability through the maritime sector, which is largely untapped, to achieve its Vision 2030 and Big Four Agenda for sustainability. Strategic leadership thus plays a pivotal role in the achievement of these objectives. This research proposal intended to find out the effect of strategic leadership as it applies to the maritime sector in Kenya. The research intended to collect primary data using random and stratified sampling of key informants. The respondents were approached open mindedly, and a reliable induction done just before their responses could be recorded. Structured, open and close-ended questionnaires were administered to the key informants who were sampled from all the ranks of leadership within the organizations. Most specially, the executives, senior management as well as the senior and junior staff were targeted for information. The collected data was analyzed using SPPS, ANOVA, regression analysis and correlation to establish the relationship between the variables, as they applied to strategic leadership and consequently their effect on organizational performance. The study concluded that there existed a positive correlation between strategic direction, strategic ethical practices, strategic control and developing strategic human capital and organizational performance in the maritime sector in Kenya. The study recommended that the strategic direction of the organization should be well articulated through ensuring that the development of organization’s mission, vision, strategic goals and objectives are well implemented. The employees in the organization should observe ethical leadership practice and behaviour so as to give the organization the desired reputation and this would in turn enhance the organization performance of the organization. The management should have an agenda that can transform their organizations and optimize long term survival strategies through effective monitoring and evaluation. The organization should have the right human capital through recruitment of the right human personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary for ensuring that the firm’s productivity and competitive advantage is achieved.
Key Words: Strategic Direction, Strategic Ethical Practices, Strategic Control, Strategic Human Capital, Organizational Performance
CITATION: Otieno, V. O., & Lewa, E. (2020). Strategic leadership and organizational performance in the maritime sector in Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7(3), 1244 – 1263.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v7i3.1739
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