STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN WAJIR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, KENYA
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of strategic leadership on organizational performance in Wajir County Government in Kenya. In particular, the study sought to examine the influence of strategic direction, human capital development, ethical practices and effective organizational culture on organizational performance in Wajir County Government. The study was underpinned on the transformational leadership theory, the trait leadership theory, the path-goal theory of leadership, the human capital theory, deontological and teleological ethical theories, the Denison’s organizational culture model as well as the balanced scorecard model. The study employed a survey research design. It targeted 655officials/staff holding various senior and middle level management positions in the County Government of Wajir including the elected Members of County Assembly. Stratified sampling technique was considered where 248 county officials/staff holding the said positions took part in the study. Primary and secondary data was gathered through a semi- structured questionnaire and a secondary data collection template respectively. In analyzing the data, descriptive analysis as well as inferential analysis was undertaken. Multiple linear regression model was fitted. The study established that strategic direction, human capital development, ethical practices and effective organizational culture positively and significantly influenced organizational performance in Wajir County Government. Among the recommendations of this study was that the county government’s leadership and management should hold regular and continuous open and consultative meetings with all county staff where the county government’s mission, long-term vision, strategic goals and priorities as well as the county master plan are articulated or reiterated. Lobbying for incremental and adequate budgetary allocations towards the implementation of regular and continuous staff capacity building programs by the human resource department was also recommended. It was also recommended that the county government’s leadership and management should exploit a combination of sanctions and incentives to inculcate and maintain an ethical culture in the county government by steering voluntary or enforced adherence to ethical codes of conduct, core values and laid down ethical policies and standards.
Key Words: Strategic Direction, Human Capital Development, Ethical Practices, Effective Organizational Culture
CITATION: Ali, B. K. & Njuguna, R. K. (2025) Strategic leadership and organizational performance in Wajir County Government, Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 12 (1), 157 – 183. http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v12i1.3178
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v12i1.3178
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