Strategic Management Practices on Service Delivery in Garissa Municipality, Garissa County, Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between strategic management practices and service delivery in Garissa Municipality, Kenya. The specific objectives comprised of establishing the relationship between strategic planning, strategy implementation and strategy control and service delivery in Garissa Municipality, Kenya. The theories guiding the current study were survival-based theory, institutional theory and control theory. Methodology: The study was framed on a descriptive research approach. The research employed correlation research with a target population of 121 permanent staffs in Garissa Municipality drawn from 6 departments. The study employed a census method in which all 121 staff was the unit of observation. Data was collected by use of structured self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics was employed to analyze data. Findings: The findings will help municipal authorities and service providers to understand the gaps in their current practices and take measures to enhance service quality. The study concludes that Garissa Municipality demonstrates both strengths and areas needing improvement in its strategic planning practices. Hitherto, strategic planning practices have not been optimized thus affecting the service delivery in Garissa Municipality. Regarding strategic implementation practices, there is diverse view regarding resource allocation effectiveness, suggesting a need for improvement. On strategy control and service delivery, while there is a general inclination towards alignment with strategic plans and budget adherence, there is notable variability in perceptions across different dimensions of strategy implementation. The organization should improve stakeholder engagement practices through diverse avenues. There is a need to clarify and effectively communicate the municipality's mission and vision to stakeholders. Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: Additionally, reviewing resource allocation processes to ensure effectiveness and efficiency is crucial. Implementing better mechanisms for budget planning and monitoring can align resources with strategic priorities and community needs. Efforts should also be made to address challenges in meeting timelines and adapting to changes during implementation. Developing robust monitoring and evaluation systems can track progress, identify bottlenecks and make timely adjustments as needed.