THE STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: THE CASE OF A PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE FREE STATE TEBOHO VINCENT NYAKANE 2004206310 Submitted in the fulfilment of requirements for the degree MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION in the UFS Business School Faculty Economic and Management Sciences at the UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE Supervisor: Mr MJ. Peters NOVEMBER 2022 Bloemfontein ii DECLARATION I, Teboho Vincent Nyakane (2004206310), declare that the thesis that I herewith submit for the Master of Business Administration at the University of the Free State, is my independent work and that I have not previously submitted it for a qualification at another Institution of Higher Learning. I, Teboho Vincent Nyakane, hereby declare that I am aware that the copyright is vested in the University of the Free State. I, Teboho Vincent Nyakane, hereby declare that all royalties regarding intellectual property developed during the course of and/or in connection with the study at the University of the Free State will accrue to the University. Teboho Vincent Nyakane November 2022 iii DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dedication I dedicate this thesis to my late mother, Mmataemane Annacletta Nyakane and my late grandmother, Mmasefora Emelia Mangobe-Nyakane; you are forever in my heart, and this is for you. Acknowledgements  First and foremost, I would like to thank God for his graceful mercy and always being there for me.  To my wife Tiny Moloi and my daughter Botlhale Nyakane, I salute you for your unconditional love, support and believe in my abilities and capabilities. The time lost a few years ago when I started this journey was for a greater good, this is for you.  To Mr. Mark Peters, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for the continual support, patience with me, motivation and your guidance. You are a great mentor and supervisor, and this journey wouldn’t be possible without your guidance and immense knowledge in the field of strategic management.  To my sisters-in-law, Rethabile and Mmabatho Moloi, thank you guys for your undying support in sourcing information and helping me.  To my siblings, Ntholeng, Mapule, Nthati and Moeketsi, thank you for your understanding of those Christmas holidays that we did not spend together, this is for you.  To Ndlela-Tsela Kotjomela and Jeff Motsetse, thank you very much for your support and words of encouragement.  To all the participants, thank you very much. This field study wouldn’t be possible without your participation. Thank you for your participation and the insights provided throughout the research.  To Brute Force syndicate members, thank you for holding my hand throughout our journey together and I learned a lot from you. The A-Team (Achievers), thank you for adopting me into your syndicate. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION II DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III TABLE OF CONTENTS IV LIST OF TABLES X LIST OF FIGURES XI LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS XII ABSTRACT XIII KEYWORDS XIV CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY AND RESEARCH OUTLINE 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM 3 1.3 RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT 4 1.4 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS 4 1.4.1 Primary research question 4 1.4.2 Secondary research questions 4 1.5 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 5 1.5.1 Primary research objective 5 1.5.2 Secondary research objectives 5 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, RESEARCH METHOD AND RESEARCH DESIGN 5 1.6.1 Introduction 5 1.6.2 Research methodology and research methods 5 1.6.2.1 Quantitative research 6 1.6.2.2 Qualitative research 6 1.6.2.3 Conclusion on research methods 7 1.6.3 Research design 7 v 1.6.4 Research design for this study 7 1.7 POPULATION AND SAMPLING 7 1.7.1 Target population 7 1.7.2 Sampling 8 1.8 DATA COLLECTION 8 1.8.1 Data analysis 9 1.8.2 Coding 9 1.8.3 Content analysis 9 1.9 PRACTICAL ETHICAL ASPECTS 10 1.9.1 Ethical considerations 10 1.9.2 Obtaining permission 10 1.9.3 Informed consent 10 1.9.4 Confidentiality and anonymity 10 1.9.5 Voluntary participation 11 1.9.6 No harm 11 1.9.7 Deception 12 1.10 DEMARCATION OF THE STUDY 12 1.11 OVERVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY 12 1.12 DEFINITION OF TERMS 13 1.13 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 15 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 16 2.1 INTRODUCTION 16 2.2 THE CONCEPT OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 16 2.2.1 Strategic management process and framework 17 2.3 STRATEGIC PLANNING CONCEPT 19 2.3.1 South African strategic planning 20 vi 2.3.2 Perspective on strategic planning in the public sector 20 2.4 STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION 21 2.5 BARRIERS FOR STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 25 2.5.1 Lack of finance barrier 26 2.5.2 Vision barrier 26 2.5.3 Management practices barrier 26 2.5.4 Human resource barrier 27 2.5.5 People barrier 28 2.5.6 Internal communication barrier 29 2.6 DRIVERS FOR STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 30 2.6.1 Valid performance measurements 31 2.6.1.1 The performance system conceptual model 31 2.6.2 Strategic leadership 35 2.6.3 Training and development 36 2.6.4 Top management involvement 36 2.6.5 Organisational culture and structure 37 2.7 INSTRUMENTS OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION 37 2.7.1 The role of short-term goals 37 2.7.2 The role of functional tactics 37 2.7.3 The role of policies 38 2.7.4 Strategic control and evaluation 38 2.8 THE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK 38 2.9 THE MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 40 2.9.1 Free State Growth and Development Strategy (FSGDS) 42 2.10 SUMMARY OF THE MAIN THEMES 42 2.11 CONCLUSION 43 vii CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 45 3.1 INTRODUCTION 45 3.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 45 3.2.1 Quantitative research 45 3.2.2 Qualitative research 46 3.2.3 Research methodology for this study 46 3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN 46 3.4 POPULATION AND SAMPLING STRATEGY 48 3.4.1 Target population 48 3.4.2 Sample size 48 3.4.2.1 Non- probability sampling technique 49 3.5 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS 50 3.6 DATA ANALYSIS 51 3.6.1 Grounded theory 51 3.6.2 Qualitative data analysis steps 52 3.6.2.1 Compiling 52 3.6.2.2 Disassembling 52 3.6.2.3 Reassembling 53 3.6.2.4 Interpreting 53 3.6.2.5 Concluding 54 3.7 DATA SATURATION 54 3.8 PRACTICAL ETHICAL ASPECTS 55 3.8.1 Ethical considerations 55 3.8.2 Ensuring permission is obtained 55 3.8.3 Informed consent 55 3.8.4 Voluntary participation 56 viii 3.8.5 Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity 56 3.8.6 Ensuring no harm to participants 57 3.9 CONCLUSION 57 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 58 4.1 INTRODUCTION 58 4.2 PRESENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS 58 4.3 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 59 4.3.1 Gender 59 4.3.2 Highest qualifications 60 4.3.3 Years of experience 60 4.3.4 Position in the organisation 60 4.4 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA ON RESPONSES FROM PARTICIPANTS 60 4.4.1 Barriers and drivers for strategy implementation 60 4.4.2 The linkage between strategy formulation and its implementation 68 4.4.3 The strategy implementation and alignment to the MTSF of the Government 73 4.4.4 Participants’ views on how to improve strategy implementation and how to overcome the barriers for strategy implementation in the department 75 4.5 CONTENT ANALYSIS 80 4.6 SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS 81 4.7 CONCLUSION 82 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 83 5.1 INTRODUCTION 83 5.2 RESEARCH SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 83 5.3 MAIN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 85 5.3.1 Lack of financial resources 85 ix 5.3.2 Unskilled workforce and personnel appointed in strategic positions 86 5.3.3 Inclusive participation at all levels in the department 86 5.3.4 The linkage of individual performance agreements with the strategy of the department 87 5.3.5 Inclusive internal communication 87 5.4 LIMITATIONS 88 5.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 88 5.6 FURTHER RESEARCH 89 5.7 CONCLUDING REMARKS 89 REFERENCE LIST 91 LIST OF APPENDICES 100 APPENDIX A: APPROVAL LETTER TO CONDUCT THE RESEARCH IN THE DEPARTMENT 100 APPENDIX B: ETHICAL CLEARANCE LETTER 101 APPENDIX C: DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT: INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 102 APPENDIX D: POPIA COMPLIANT CONSENT FORM 105 APPENDIX E: LANGUAGE EDITING CERTIFICATE 111 x LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1: Demographic analysis of the participants. ............................................... 59 xi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Strategic management framework. ........................................................ 18 Figure 2.2: Performance management system (conceptual model) ......................... 32 Figure 2.3: Model proposal for the strategy implementation process. ...................... 40 Figure 4.1: Participants' involvement in strategy implementation. ............................ 61 Figure 4.2: Supportive factors assisting strategy implementation. ........................... 62 Figure 4.3: Barriers for strategy implementation. ..................................................... 64 Figure 4.4: Drivers for strategy implementation. ....................................................... 66 Figure 4.5: Medium of communication by the department........................................ 70 Figure 4.6: Measurement of the effectiveness of its strategies. ............................... 72 Figure 4.7: Alignment of strategies to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework. ....... 74 Figure 4.8: Factors to improve strategy implementation. .......................................... 76 Figure 4.9: Factors to overcome strategy implementation barriers. ......................... 78 xii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS APP Annual Performance Plan DPME Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation FS Free State FSGDS Free State Growth and Development Strategy IDP Integrated Development Plan MTSF Medium-Term Strategic Framework MTEF Medium-Term Expenditure Framework PFMA Public Finance Management Act SA South Africa xiii ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to evaluate strategic plan implementation in the public sector with a focus on the Provincial Government Department in the Free State. The study also pursued to investigate the barriers and drivers for strategy implementation in the department, the linkage between strategy formulation and its implementation in the department and the strategy implementation of the department and its alignment to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of Government. For this study, an exploratory research design and qualitative research methodology were employed. Senior and middle management representatives from the department made up the sample population. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to collect data to meet the study's objectives. Grounded theory was used to analyse the collected information using categories and themes to analyse data. The findings revealed that a lack of finance, human resources, and internal communication amongst others are barriers for strategy implementation in the department. Additionally, organisational culture and structure, and training and development are drivers for strategy implementation, amongst others. Furthermore, they also revealed that the strategy formulation in the department is not fully linked to its implementation and that there is no proper alignment between the departmental strategies and the MTSF (Medium-Term Strategic Framework). The study established the following as the key findings in the department: lack of financial resources, unskilled workforce and personnel appointed in strategic posts, the linkage of individual performance agreements with the strategy of the department, and inclusive internal communication. The study's conclusions will be helpful to other public sector stakeholders, academics, strategy consultants, and public sector strategists and practitioners. Furthermore, this study can help the development of models and approaches for strategic planning implementation in the public sector. It is also possible to investigate how well strategies are implemented in the public sector in general as this study only focused on one provincial department. xiv KEYWORDS Barriers, Drivers, Strategy, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning, Strategy Formulation, Strategy Implementation, Strategic Monitoring and Evaluation. 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY AND RESEARCH OUTLINE 1.1 Introduction and background In contrast to the private sector, which has profit as its main objective, the public sector's main objective is to serve the community. The creation of a strategy, its execution, and its oversight are all parts of the strategic management process. The strategy formulation process entails an examination of the organisation's environmental elements, both internal and external, that may have a good or negative impact, and the establishment of a mission, objectives, programmes, and vision. However, because effective plan implementation requires money, public sector organisations must also have money to be able to provide services to the population they serve, which is the primary purpose of any government. The most critical impediment to effectively implement the plan is for employees to misunderstand the strategy and for management to communicate it poorly. According to Amason and Ward (2020), strategic management, in essence, is a framework for assessing the external environment, integrating internal processes, adapting to change, and generating value for the present and the future. Additionally, it is a framework that can be applied to organisations of any size, whether they are large or little, recent or established, domestic or foreign, for-profit or not for-profit organisation. Additionally, strategic management, according to Pearce and Robinson (2015), is a series of choices and activities that lead to the creation and execution of plans to achieve an organisational goal. Additionally, it comprises the organisation, direction, and management of these actions and choices. According to Valcik (2016), without a strategic plan or with a very restricted strategic plan, organisations risk facing serious repercussions if resources are wasted, or objectives are not met. In the age of accountability, both public and non-profit organisations will face the challenge of satisfying the public's expectations and scrutiny. Moreover, strategic management practice is more critical in developing Southern Africa, since there are so many variables and sophisticated environmental changes, including economic, social, and political changes, that strategic management should be seen as an integral part of any organisation's management 2 process. In addition, whether an organisation is a public or private sector, a partnership, a sole proprietorship, a sports club, a church, or a government entity, it cannot survive the turbulent future without effective strategic management (Lazenby, 2018). According to the National Department of Small Business Development (2018), strategy evaluations are systematic rather than ad hoc activities - which means that the evaluation activities consider the availability of evidence needed to make informed decisions. It also involves the availability of questions that need to be responded to, which then helps an organisation to obtain the evidence requirements in the business improvement of an organisation. In addition, Hartford (2018), emphasises that the first step in strategic planning evaluation focuses on the evidence required, questions that need to be answered, and then the decisions to be made. Hartford further postulates that the strategic evaluation exercise is meant to generate information that dispenses into the critical decision processes and improvements. Therefore, designing a comprehensive strategy and plan for the gathering and analyzing of data to produce pertinent information for the decision-making process is essential. The department under study’s commitment is based on the national priorities set by the government, particularly ‘Economic Transformation and Job Creation’, and to achieve this, it focuses on the following areas:  Growing the economy  Environmental management  Creating an ethical and capable state In the 2019/2020 fiscal year, the department significantly underspent its budget by R 26.242 million, especially on its two key divisions. Additionally, there was a major discrepancy between the accomplishments listed in the annual performance report and the supporting data for the measures indicated in one of the department's main core divisions. According to the departmental Annual Reports for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 fiscal years, the Department’s two main divisions did not meet their targets. 3 Furthermore, the 2020/2021 Annual Report indicated that the Free State Province is currently not achieving its tourism goals, given its attractive tourism resources and offerings. This was due to certain inconsistencies between the department's planned and accomplished yearly targets. The Department also failed to meet some of its intended annual targets for the reporting periods. Geographically centered, the Free State Province is surrounded by the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng provinces, as well as Lesotho. The Province's features include its hilly environment, goldfields, widely spaced towns, and agricultural economy. The Province is divided into four district municipalities and one metropolitan municipality, namely Fezile Dabi, Lejweleputswa, Thabo Mofutsanyana, and Xhariep, and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. All South African government departments are required to develop strategic plans by the Public Service Amendment Act (2008, Act No. 30 of 2007) and the Public Finance Management Amendment Act (2003, Act No. 29 of 1999), which have been authorised by their respective executive authorities. All government departments are obliged to table five-year departmental strategic plans, departmental yearly performance plans that adhere to the MTFS, and the MTEF that includes annual and quarterly targets. Jooste and Fourie (2009) account that South African organisations believe that willingness to implement the strategy is more significant than their willingness to construct the plan and that strategy implementation is more essential than strategy development. Furthermore, the most critical impediment to effectively implementing the plan is for employees to misunderstand the strategy and for management to communicate it poorly to other employees. 1.2 Background to the problem According to the department’s Annual Reports of the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 fiscal years, the main two divisions of the department did not meet their targets as per their annual performance plans for these financial years. According to the 2020/2021 Annual Report, as required by the public service regulation, no specialised information systems were developed to monitor progress 4 towards achieving targets, major goals, and service delivery. The creation of tools that allow for efficient performance monitoring, evaluation, and corrective action via quarterly reporting is also mandated by treasury regulations. Moreover, the report indicated that insufficient proof was supplied regarding the accomplishment of the objectives. There were noticeable shortfalls in the outcomes-based performance evaluation of the three main divisions of the department. The department has expressed concern over the fact that the main distinct priority outcomes, such as economic transformation, job creation, education, skills development, and health, as well as sustainable resource management aimed at protecting and enhancing environmental assets and natural resources, were not achieved. These divisions are critical to the province's economic success, and as a result, the below problem was identified. 1.3 Research problem statement The problem is that the department’s two main divisions did not achieve their planned targets for two consecutive fiscal years. The department has four programmes or main divisions, and out of these four programmes, three are core to the department and if they do not achieve their targets and goals, it will result in the department failing to deliver on its legislative and service delivery mandates. With the above-mentioned problem, the study will answer the following research questions. 1.4 Primary and secondary research questions 1.4.1 Primary research question What are the barriers and drivers for strategy implementation affecting the strategy implementation in the department? 1.4.2 Secondary research questions  To what extent is strategy formulation linked to its implementation in the department? 5  To what extent is the strategy implementation of the department aligned to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the government? 1.5 Primary and secondary research objectives 1.5.1 Primary research objective The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate strategic plan implementation in the public sector with a focus on the Provincial Government Department in the Free State. 1.5.2 Secondary research objectives  To investigate the barriers and drivers for strategy implementation in the department.  To investigate the linkage between strategy formulation and its implementation in the department.  To investigate the strategy implementation of the department and its alignment to the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the government. 1.6 Research methodology, research method and research design 1.6.1 Introduction The qualitative research approach was used in this study to examine the department’s implementation of a strategic planning process. Data was collected through semi- structured interviews via online platforms (Microsoft Teams and Zoom). 1.6.2 Research methodology and research methods Research approaches are strategies and procedures that cover a wide range of topics, from general theories to specific procedures for collecting, analysing, and comprehending data. The strategy requires many decisions, but it is not necessary to make them in the order we find rational or in which they are laid out here. The key decision is which research methodology should be used to investigate a subject. This decision should be guided by the researcher's philosophical presumptions, study procedures, and specific methods for collecting, analysing, and interpreting data (Creswell and Creswell, 2018). 6 According to Creswell (2014), there are primarily two major philosophical perspectives for data collection: positivistic and phenomenological. Rajasekar et al. (2013) describe research philosophy as a methodical approach to issue solving. The methodology of research is a collection of processes for describing, explaining, and forecasting phenomena. Zukauskas et al. (2018) define research philosophy as the process of developing, comprehending, and applying a research hypothesis. Two distinct forms of research, qualitative and quantitative, affect research methods (Rajasekar et al., 2013). 1.6.2.1 Quantitative research The gathering of statistical data, the testing of hypotheses through the examination of correlations between variables, and the mathematical quantification of those variables are all components of quantitative research (Bryman and Bell, 2011). However, Apuke (2017) emphasises that quantitative research is focused on quantifying and evaluating factors to reveal results. Apuke continues by stating that quantitative research uses statistical approaches to assess numerical data. Williams (2011) also claims that in quantitative research, the problem description occurs first, followed by the development of hypotheses, the evaluation of the literature, and ultimately the quantification of the data. In order to collect data for quantitative research, researchers must employ techniques like experiments and surveys as well as data gathering tools to produce statistical data. Quantitative research was not used in this study as it does not allow the researcher to have a deep insight with regard to the topic under study and limit the researcher to learn directly from the participants in understanding what is important to them towards the topic under study. 1.6.2.2 Qualitative research Johnson and Christensen (2014) state that qualitative research strives to analyse and explain social interactions. According to Moore (2016), qualitative research investigations focus on how, why, and what, resulting in more qualitative than quantitative data collecting. In qualitative research, the researcher collects data using detailed strategies and questions (Moore 2016). 7 A qualitative research methodology was used for this investigation. The rationale for using this methodology is that it enabled the researcher to gain a deeper comprehension and insight into strategy implementation in the public sector, with particular emphasis on the Provincial Government Department in the Free State. 1.6.2.3 Conclusion on research methods Qualitative research methodology was chosen in this research study to have a wide spectrum of data in order to have an insight of the underlying challenge and to investigate the barriers and drivers for strategy implementation in the department. 1.6.3 Research design A research design, according to Akhtar (2016), is a framework for the study, in other words, it is a plan for the proposed research endeavor and acts as the ‘glue’ that binds the varied parts of a research project. In a nutshell, it is the blueprint for a study. A research design's objective is to address specific research questions through the application of well-developed scientific concepts. Throughout the research process, the researcher tries to answer the questions that led to the need for the study. This research study only considered officials who are working in core function sections of the department. Additionally, the officials in the following sections were also part of the study because of their support services to the main divisions: human resource management, organisational development and strategic planning, and monitoring and evaluation. The rationale for choosing these participants was based on the fact that more accurate information can be drawn from these participants, which could provide a deeper insight into the underlying challenges within the department. 1.6.4 Research design for this study The exploratory design was used for this study. 1.7 Population and sampling 1.7.1 Target population The entirety of all entities having a given set of qualities, such as people, countries, groups, cities, and regions, is referred to as the population, according to Bryman et al. 8 (2015). The collection of concepts being thought about and for which information is required might be referred to as a target population (Bryman and Bell, 2011). The department has a total number of 696 officials; however, the target population for this study included only fifteen (15) employees. Additionally, the focus was on those employees employed in the department's core divisions and those performing support duties pertinent to the study. The officials in the administration division were identified based on the support function they provide to the core function sections in the organisation, namely human resource management, organisational development, and strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation. 1.7.2 Sampling The practice of selecting a portion of a population to watch in order to obtain information about the entire population, according to Thompson (2012), is known as sampling. Purposeful sampling is a method the researcher used to select the study's participants (O'Gorman and Maclntosh, 2015). In this study, non-probability sampling technique was used. The study only considered officials who are working in core function sections of the department. Officials in the following sections were also part of the study because of their support services to the main divisions: human resource management, organisational development and strategic planning, and monitoring and evaluation. The sample size from these sections will be fifteen officials. 1.8 Data collection Data collection, according to Kabir (2016), is the process of acquiring and logically and methodically analyzing data that leads to the resolution of a certain study issue, the hypothesis being revealed. Kabir goes on to say that the goal of data collecting is to obtain high-quality data, which afterwards plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of the research study. When the data has been acquired, the appropriate data gathering procedures will aid in the organisation and analysis of the data (Robson 1993). 9 The information needed to create the primary data was gathered through semi- structured interviews. Secondary data was gathered by examining the department's annual and quarterly reports that were relevant to the study and other publicly available data. 1.8.1 Data analysis Data collected were examined qualitatively, with an emphasis on making the information presentable, comprehensible, and logical. Qualitative research is a highly interconnected and interactive set of activities that include data gathering, data analysis, and the creation and verification of ideas. Analysis occurs both during and after data gathering. The analysis assists in determining the path of data collecting, particularly when using a more inductive, grounded approach (Saunders et al. 2016). Although Robson (1993) claims that data analysis occurs after all the data have been gathered; it is vital to analyse and evaluate data during data collection process when conducting qualitative research (Marshall and Rossman, 1995). 1.8.2 Coding Coding is the analytic process through which the researcher minimises, reorganises, and integrates the qualitative data obtained to construct a hypothesis. Coding is used to assist the researcher in drawing meaningful inferences about the data (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016). This is the process of assigning themes, categories, and perceptions to sections of a relevant text that are related to the study's subject. 1.8.3 Content analysis The content analysis method enables the researcher to systematically analyse vast amounts of textual material to identify its characteristics, such as the presence of specific words, concepts, characters, themes, or phrases. To do a content analysis on a text, it is first categorised into categories and then analysed conceptually or relationally (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016). 10 1.9 Practical ethical aspects 1.9.1 Ethical considerations According to Struwig and Stead (2010), ethics provide the researcher with a code of ethical instruction on how to perform a study in a morally upstanding manner. The researcher will also run into ethical issues as they design and plan the study, approach organizations and people for access, gather, analyze, manage, and publish the results. The term "ethics in research" refers to the values that guide a researcher's conduct when it comes to respecting the rights of individuals who participate in or are impacted by a study (Saunders et al. 2016). 1.9.2 Obtaining permission The permission or approval was granted by the head of the department of the Provincial Government Department to collect data for the research (see Appendix A). Data collection only commenced after the approval of ethical clearance by the University of the Free State (see Appendix B). 1.9.3 Informed consent Consent forms were sent to all the participants by emails together with an invitation to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the information through online platforms; as a result, consent needed to be given when participants agreed to participate in the study. Additionally, the forms specified that responses would be kept strictly confidential and will be utilised only for this study. The idea of informed consent for the study can help to keep research participants safe. It involves supplying participants with sufficient information to enable them to choose whether they want to participate in the research (O’Gorman and Maclntosh, 2015). 1.9.4 Confidentiality and anonymity Anonymity is the idea of keeping a participant's identity concealed, whereas confidentiality is the non-disclosure of information gained or gathered from participants for purposes other than those for which it was obtained or collected (Mounton, 2012). 11 Individuals and organisations should be able to keep their anonymity and the data they provide should be managed in a way that it cannot be associated with them unless there is an explicit agreement to credit comments. Affirmation or identification made without permission could be harmful. Furthermore, data dependability is likely to rise when confidentiality and anonymity are maintained. This idea includes the authority to demand strict adherence to agreements about confidentiality and anonymity (Saunders et al., 2016). Throughout the research study, fictitious names were used to conceal the participants' identities. 1.9.5 Voluntary participation It is permissible to choose not to participate in a research project. As part of this, you have the right to be involved without being required to put up with harassment. Furthermore, it is improper to try to increase the extent of participation beyond what has been voluntarily provided. Participants can choose how much or how little they want to participate in the data collection process, and they can do so by declining to answer any questions or sets of questions, withholding any information that is requested of them, changing the parameters of their consent, ceasing to participate, and possibly even having previously provided information withdrawn (Saunders et al., 2016). Furthermore, Rubin and Babbie (2008) argue that no participant should be coerced into participating in research and that participation should always be voluntary. Given the nature of the organisation, volunteers were chosen, and everyone who responded to the request to participate in the study was told of its purpose and goals. 1.9.6 No harm Every attempt must be made to prevent causing injury to participants. When a person's mental or physical health, social or group cohesion, or emotional well-being are at risk, harm may result. It could show up as embarrassment, anxiety, fear, discomfort, pain, or conflict. It could be brought on by invasive or aggressive study practices that put subjects under mental or interpersonal stress, causing worry or tension. Additionally, it could be set off by harassment or discrimination, as well as a breach of confidentiality 12 and anonymity guarantees (Saunders et al., 2016). Furthermore, the researcher must guarantee that the research approach employed does not jeopardise the participants' privacy or daily work schedules (Marshall and Rossman, 1989). The participants were provided with a portion of their interview before the finalisation of data analysis to validate the information and to ensure that they have not been misquoted. 1.9.7 Deception All participants received an email invitation with the research's purpose, and it was briefly discussed in each session to remind participants of the goal of the study. The integrity and objectivity of the researcher are key factors in the quality of the study. This means acting honestly, standing up for correctness, and speaking the truth. On the other hand, it requires staying away from unethical behavior, lying, misrepresenting information (such as facts and conclusions), bias, and making careless or deceptive commitments. When applicable, all potential conflicts of interest and business ties should be declared (Saunders et al., 2016). 1.10 Demarcation of the study The study concentrated on the evaluation of the Free State Provincial Government Department’s strategic plan implementation, and was conducted in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in the Central Business District. The department has a total of 696 people, but for this study, the researcher focusses on five senior managers and ten middle management personnel from the target of fifteen officials. Participants were chosen based on their unit affiliation and their relevance to the study. Even though strategy development and execution are closely intertwined, the study's theme is strategic management, which includes both. However, the emphasis is placed mostly on strategy implementation. 1.11 Overview of the structure of the study The contents of the five chapters of this study are briefly reviewed below: 13 Chapter One: This chapter provides background information that is essential from the perspective of strategic planning and strategy implementation. Furthermore, it presents a problem description, study objectives and questions, as well as a definition of significant topics. Chapter Two: This section contains the literature review, where several sources relevant to the study were consulted. The literature study covered the following topics: concept of strategic management, planning and strategy, strategic planning concept, strategy and implementation, barriers and drivers for strategy implementation, strategy implementation framework, and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of the government of South Africa. Chapter Three: This chapter discusses the study's overall methodology and strategy, including the research design, the application of methodology, and the techniques for gathering and analysing data. Chapter Four: The findings of the analysis and presentation of the data from the semi- structured interviews are presented in this chapter. Chapter Five: The chapter includes recommendations in addition to the conclusions gained from the research findings. 1.12 Definition of terms Strategy: A strategy entails identifying objectives, allocating resources, and ensuring that choices and actions are consistent and coherent (Grant, 2018). It is the application of guidelines, procedures, and resources within an organisation to aid in the accomplishment of its goals. Strategic management: A pattern of important aims, purposes, or goals, as well as crucial policies or strategies for achieving those aims, is known as strategic management. It is presented in such a way as to describe the type of business the organisation will be engaged in (Lynch, 2018). Strategic planning: Analysis of internal and external variables that may have an influence on the company and its competencies, as well as the development of plans to match the organisation's skills with external variables (Montanari et al., 1990). 14 Additionally, the strategic planning process is a systematic strategy that gathers data, communicates perspectives, performs analysis, makes choices, guarantees consistency among those decisions, and commits management to specific courses of action and performance objectives (Grant, 2018). Strategy formulation: Can be summed up as the creation of a plan that describes the objectives, provides a roadmap for achieving them, and forecasts the outcomes of those plans over the long term (Stacey and Mowles, 2016). Furthermore, it entails developing the company's vision and goal, determining external opportunities and threats, analysing internal strengths and weaknesses, establishing long-term goals, creating backup plans, and choosing which techniques to use (David and David, 2016). Strategy implementation: To ensure that the organisation is on the correct track to achieving its goals, it is necessary to create systems that enable the company to achieve the intended goals or plans and to make necessary adjustments to those systems over time (Stacey and Mowles, 2016). Additionally, this happens when a business aligns its organisational rules and practices with its strategy (Barney and Hesterly, 2019). Strategic monitoring and evaluation: Strategy review and control include monitoring the execution of the strategy, quantifying actual or realised performance, comparing actual to planned performance, detecting issues, and implementing appropriate corrective measures. It is a continual process that occurs when plans are executed (Venter and Botha, 2019). It is a continuing process for an up-and-coming course of action. Drivers: Drivers are factors supporting and enhancing strategy execution. It could be people, knowledge, or conditions in the workplace. Barriers: Barriers are factors that prevent, deter or obstruct strategy execution; it could be human actions, complications arising from processes in the workplace or organisational culture. 15 1.13 Chapter conclusion This chapter's introduction includes an explanation of the study's issue statement, aims, research questions, and ethical decisions that were made while conducting the investigation. The next chapter is thorough and provides background information on the study to help the reader understand the study's scope. The implication is that strategic planning is used to assist organisations in defining their objectives and enabling them to serve their citizens or communities. Additionally, for an organisation to plan well, it must analyse its environment and global conditions. Strategic planning is implemented by breaking down the plan and distributing it throughout the organisation according to the major divisions and their specific missions and activities. To implement the strategy effectively and efficiently, all staff members must be included, and they must also cooperate to prevent the plan from failing. 16 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The notion of strategic management is covered in this chapter, with a focus on how strategies are implemented in the public sector. The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the implementation of strategic plans in the public sector; as a result, a review of the literature on the factors that influence and hinder the implementation of strategies as well as the relationship between the formulation of strategies and their implementation will be discussed. This chapter highlights available literature from different authors. It starts by giving a brief background discussion of the topic; it then discusses the barriers and drivers for strategy implementation as well as the link between strategy formulation and its implementation. 2.2 The concept of strategic management Strategic management process includes the development of a strategy, its implementation, monitoring, and oversight. The establishment of a mission, objectives, programmes, and vision is the result of the process of designing a strategy, which entails examining the organisation's internal and external environmental elements that may have a good or negative impact on it (Jeyarathnam, 2008). Furthermore, according to Pearce and Robinson (2015), strategic management is the process of making choices and taking actions that lead to the creation and implementation of plans to achieve organisational objectives. This is also achieved, among other things, by putting strategic decisions into practice through resource allocations that are budgeted and have an emphasis on task, person, structure, technology, and reward system matching. The choice of annual objectives and short- term plans must coincide with those of the long-term objectives and overall strategy. To inform future decision-making, the evaluation of the strategic process's success is necessary. These critical tasks apply to both profit driven organisations and non-profit driven organisations. 17 The fundamental objective of the public sector is to serve the community, as opposed to the primary objective of the private sector, which is to make a profit. Public sector organisations, however, also need to have money in order to deliver services to the population, which is the main objective of any government, as efficient plan implementation necessitates financial resources (Lazenby, 2014). Organisations are divided into divisions or strategic business units. In government departments, these divisions are called main divisions or programmes. According to Lazenby (2018), A sub-programme is a segment or component of a larger program that specifies the tasks or services required to achieve the latter's aims, which are also consistent with the strategic goals of the organization. The purpose of spending should be to improve everyone's social and economic well-being, and public sector organizations should manage their budgets in a way that will enable them to accomplish their objectives. The goals of a department or organisation should be taken into consideration when planning the budget. This assertion serves to highlight the requirement for resources for an organisation to successfully implement its strategy. According to Grant (2018), a plan that has been developed without regard for its ability for implementation, is a poorly conceived strategy. Also, strategy creation and execution are inextricably linked. Additionally, implementing a strategy entails breaking down long-term goals into a succession of shorter-term plans that serve as a focal point for action and a benchmark for performance measurement. A yearly operational plan is built around a set of performance objectives drawn from the strategic plan. 2.2.1 Strategic management process and framework To decide on the organisation's long-term goals and how to reach them, management must make a number of decisions, which are referred to as strategic decisions. To accomplish long-term objectives, it entails analysing the performance and environment of an organisation. Additionally, after establishing a mission, tactics for accomplishing it are devised; and to regulate these plans, an organisation must establish a system of strategic management (Alkhafaji, 2003). 18 Furthermore, according to Alkhafaji (2003), scholars believe that models are the greatest way to comprehend and apply the strategic management process. As a result, numerous models of strategic management have been created and each model is composed of multiple interconnected, dynamic, and continuous components. Consequently, the four key components of strategic management (environmental analysis, formulation, execution, and assessment and control) should be viewed as being inextricably linked and continuous. The components of the strategic management procedure are summarised in Figure 2.1 below. Figure 2.1: Strategic management framework. Source: Alkhafaji (2003) 19 Lazenby (2018) defines these phases as follows: Organisational direction and environmental analysis: A business's strategy must be compatible with its environment. Environmental analysis is critical to determining this match. An organisation's future will be guided by a vision, mission, and organisational values. Without it, progressing effectively to the next phase of the process will be nearly impossible. Strategy formulation: An organisation must first decide how it will be different from its competitors by selecting a distinct generic approach. It must also understand its industry environment since this will have an impact on the strategic options available to it. After completing the first phase, the organisation is prepared to set long-term goals and plans. Strategy implementation: An organisation's strategy for the next five years sets out its strategic direction, gives a general direction, and specifies the procedures to be used to accomplish its goals and objectives. Now it is time to apply the specified strategic options. To conduct strategies, specific tactical and operational plans, policies, and other motivating factors must be in place. Strategic control and evaluation: The final stages of the strategic management process are thought to be strategic control and evaluation as well as the continuous improvement procedure. The implementation and applicability of the approach should be continually assessed and revised. Total quality management and a balanced scorecard are both examples of instruments that can assist managers in successfully regulating the strategic managing process. 2.3 Strategic planning concept The process of strategic planning by senior management in an organisation entail laying out the organisation's future strategic goals and a vision, followed by efforts to attain and assess these objectives, are necessary for trustworthy and meaningful operating plans and financial resources (Haines, 1995). According to Allison and Kaye (2015), strategic planning is a systematic process that helps an organisation build and maintain key stakeholder commitment to mission-critical and environmentally 20 conscious goals. Strategic planning guides the purchase and distribution of the resources required to achieve these goals. Strategic planning is a deliberate, disciplined effort that aims to assist organisations to explain their objectives, mandates, goals, and strategies. Additionally, it entails developing an efficient and responsive strategic management structure that will gradually increase the enterprise's potential for and delivery of success (Bryson, 2017). To conduct good strategic planning, one must be knowledgeable with the organisation or its surroundings. Strategic planning is based on the idea that for companies to conduct their missions, follow through on their commitments, and win over the community or general public in the years to come, senior management must be effective in executing their plan. These managers will need to make the most of their discretion in the departments or units they oversee, produce successful strategies, and give a solid and clear basis for their decision-making if they are to succeed in the transformed and variable environments (Bryson, 2017). 2.3.1 South African strategic planning In South African organisations, In order to make strategic decisions that will help the organisation achieve its objectives, strategic management is still seen as a continuous process in which the organisation's competencies must be in alignment with the opportunities and threats in their external surroundings. Similar external environment variables apply to South Africa's public and private sectors (Lazenby, 2014). Although the public and private sectors have many similar environmental traits, how strategic management is carried out in public sector organisations varies slightly from how it is done in private sector organisations. At national, provincial, and municipal levels, strategic management responsibilities are spread throughout the South African public sector (Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar, 2021). 2.3.2 Perspective on strategic planning in the public sector In the public sector, strategic planning should be based on a time horizon of at least five years, outlining the organization's goals and objectives for that period based on 21 the resources available and with the approval of the appropriate executive authority (Lazenby, 2014). To adapt to this ever-changing environment and to provide sustainable, efficient, effective, and high-quality service, managers at public institutions must employ strategic management principles and a strategic approach (Lazenby, 2018). Additionally, the public sector views its operating environment as complex and uncertain. Even though the private sector typically perceives the public sector as the source of certain political and economic decisions, the political and economic decisions of the external environment will have an impact on the public sector. The organisation's strategic plans should center on the crucial concerns and outcome-based objectives that were created within the organisation to carry out its mandates. 2.4 Strategy and implementation To achieve the desired objectives, plans must be put into action. The likelihood that an organisation will be able to accomplish its goals is increased by well-constructed plans. Planning accomplishes this in two ways: by assisting employees and management in emphasising the organisation's priorities and by fostering better teamwork in achieving those aims (Allison and Kaye, 2015). Hobbs and Heany (1977) stressed the significance of connecting the strategy to the results of its implementation. They emphasise the significance of connecting strategy with the specific operational plans and controls at lower levels and offer five suggestions for improving the linkage:  Check to make sure an ambitious plan won't overwhelm the essential portions or components.  Identify the primary issues and shield some organisational sections from them in order to contain the shock waves caused by the new approach.  Pay close attention to a few crucial areas when tying strategy to operating strategies.  Keep the planning process active and keep participants active until a list of the precise actions needed to implement the strategy, the benchmarks necessary to gauge the success of the new strategy, as well as the responsibilities assigned to everyone in charge of each important initiative, are developed. 22  Ensure that the plan is conveyed to lower levels so that they are aware of the necessary modifications. When putting the strategy into practice, the organisation's executives should focus on creating value by achieving goals and raising stakeholder satisfaction. In the public sector, strategy implementation is critical. Without comprehensive and committed execution plans, a strategic plan is meaningless. Implementing a public institution's strategic strategy is an operational procedure. All activities and choices necessary for strategy execution must be identified. Furthermore, the organisation's strategy establishes how its aims and objectives will be accomplished and the operational units required to accomplish it. Additionally, the chosen strategy will indicate the resources that will be required and how these resources will be acquired and distributed during the implementation phase. Successful strategy implementation needs proactive and deliberate steps to guarantee that the process's numerous variables and activities are integrated. All these actions will help managers eliminate the difference between the anticipated strategy and what is implemented. The key to successfully implementing the plan is to close this performance disparity (Lazenby, 2018). According to David (2016), the strategic management process is not complete once the organisation has decided which strategy or strategies to pursue. There must be a process through which a strategic idea becomes a strategic action. If the organization's management and staff understand the company, have a sense of belonging, and have developed a commitment to the organisational progress as a result of their participation in strategy-building activities, this translation will be substantially easier. Implementing a plan will face substantial challenges in the absence of understanding and commitment. A strategy's implementation has an impact on the entire functional and divisional structure of an organisation, as well as other areas of the organisation. The scope and objective of this research study do not permit examination of all business administration issues and techniques relevant to the implementation of strategies. David (2016) identifies and discusses the following activities for strategy implementation, which depends on the nature of the organisations. 23  Management perspectives: It is vital to migrate from strategy generation to strategy implementation, except for small businesses, by handing off responsibilities to divisional and functional managers. This shift in responsibility could lead to implementation issues, especially if middle- and lower-level managers are taken aback by the process of developing a strategy, unless the two are intertwined and managers and employees are motivated more by perceived self-interests than by organisational interests that are incompatible. As a result, divisional and functional managers must fully participate in strategy formulation efforts. Equally important, strategists should be involved in as many as possible activities with regards to strategy implementation.  Annual objectives: An organisation's entire management team should participate directly in setting annual goals, which is a decentralised strategy. Acknowledgement and dedication may result from active engagement in the process of developing annual goals. Annual objectives are crucial for strategy implementation because they (1) lay the foundation for resource allocation, (2) serve as the primary instrument for manager evaluation, (3) serve as the primary instrument for tracking the progress toward long-term goals, and (4) establish organisational, divisional, and departmental priorities. Additionally, success depends on properly defined and communicated objectives in all types and sizes of enterprises.  Policies: The strategic orientation of a company should not often change. Policies are necessary every day to guarantee a strategy's success. Policies direct the strategy's execution and help to resolve recurring problems. In a broad sense, the term policy refers to detailed instructions, procedures, rules, forms, and administrative procedures created to facilitate and promote the accomplishment of objectives. Strategies are put into action by policies. Policies define the types of administrative measures that can be used to reward and punish behavior, and they outline what can and cannot be done to achieve an organisation's goals.  Resource allocation: The core management task of allocating resources makes it possible to carry out strategies. Businesses commonly allocate resources based on political or personal concerns when using a tactical management style. Annual 24 objectives can be used to prioritise resource allocation through strategic management. Financial, physical, human, and technical resources are available to each organisation to aid in the achievement of its goals. Funding specific divisions and departments does not guarantee that strategies will be implemented successfully.  Matching structure with strategy: A company frequently needs to make structural modifications as a result of changes in strategy for two main reasons. To begin with, structure has a huge impact on how goals and policies are developed. All other responsibilities related to strategy implementation are significantly influenced by the organisational structure through which goals and policies are defined. The structure has an impact on how resources will be allocated, which is the second important reason why strategy changes typically require structure modifications. If an organisation's structure is built on client segments, resources will be allocated properly. Similarly, if an organisation is structured along functional business lines, resources are distributed in accordance with functional areas.  Linking performance and salary to strategies: In order to avoid ignoring long- term business strategy and objectives, bonuses should not be based primarily on short-term performance. Performance rewards that are connected to certain goals and salary scales must be established by the human resources department.  Managing resistance to change: An organisation and/or a person are both susceptible to change. However, the idea of change causes anxiety because people fear losing money, having trouble, being uncertain of what will happen, and having their regular social routines disrupted. It is possible for established patterns of interaction to be disturbed by almost any change to the structure, technology, people, or procedures. People therefore struggle with change resistance. The strategic-management approach has the potential to cause substantial changes in both people and systems. Reorienting a business to promote strategic thought and action is not an easy task.  Creating a strategy-supportive culture: Strategists should attempt to maintain, advance, and improve elements of an existing culture that support recommended new methods. The elements of the current culture that conflict with the suggested 25 strategy must be recognised and altered. Significant research has shown that market and competitive forces frequently have an impact on new strategies. As a result, adapting a company's culture to embrace a new strategy is frequently more successful than doing the same with a plan.  Human resource concerns when implementing strategies: When all members of the organisation are aware of the precise benefits they will experience personally from the company's success, the empowerment of managers and employees through their participation in strategic management activities is at its most successful. A crucial new strategic role for human resource managers is bridging organisational and individual goals. To execute a strategy, an organisation must define yearly targets, create procedures, inspire people, and allocate resources. The process of implementing a strategy necessitates the creation of a supportive organisational culture, the development of an efficient organisational structure, the reallocation of marketing resources, the creation and use of budgets, the development and use of information systems, and the tying of employee compensation to organisational performance (David and David, 2016). Many public organisations in South Africa appear to have trouble putting their strategies into action. One could argue that certain government agencies just report on their annual performance plans in order to go by the laws that require them to do so. The study found that employees at lower levels are not as heavily involved in the plan. Due to the constant changes in the environment in which organisations operate, there are challenges that the organisations encounter. These challenges are referred to as barriers and are discussed below. 2.5 Barriers for strategy implementation in the public sector The definition of a business strategy is an action plan made by a corporate entity that outlines how it will use its resources to offer a good or a service (Mafini, 2017). Before implementing a strategy, strategy implementers must overcome a number of barriers because it is a very difficult procedure. Barriers can be defined as those determinants that restrain the strategic implementation process (Mohammadi and Vakilalroaia, 2013). 26 2.5.1 Lack of finance barrier Lack of funding was identified as one of the internal constraints impeding strategy implementation in public sector organisations in a study by Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021) regarding the challenges to and solutions for strategy implementation in South African public sector organisations. The lack of finance affirmed that the participating organisations could not implement their strategies in their respective organisations. In support of the financial scarcity barrier, Elbanna et al. (2016) mentioned that the strategy implementation process requires public sector organisations to apply resources for them to have independence. The continued budget cut for public sector organisations by the government aggravated the unsuccessful implementation of strategies in organisations (Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar, 2021). The ever dependence on government finances by public sector organisations has further crippled the strategy implementation processes (Elbanna et al., 2016). Heracleous (2000) asserts that because most implementation attempts are extremely expensive, it is crucial to comprehend the obstacles that prevent successful implementation. 2.5.2 Vision barrier As one of the barriers to strategy implementation, a vision barrier is described as a failure of an organisation to properly structure its vision and mission statements, which eventually cripples the clarity on business matters that are necessary for business improvement and success (Mafini, 2017). The workforce may not understand the vision and strategy because it was not effectively conveyed to them, and lower levels of management may not understand their role in putting the organisation's strategy into action. 2.5.3 Management practices barrier According to Mafini (2017), management practices can be defined as how the top management of an organisation roll out their management functions - which include planning, controlling, leading, organising, and staffing. Organisations must have effective management practices in place that ensure that the strategy implementation process is smooth and therefore achieves its intended purpose. On the contrary, a 27 lack of effective and efficient management practices in an organisation can cripple the endeavor to the implementation of the strategy. According to research by Moussa (2021), strategic leadership is a type of leadership and management that is crucial for supporting the successful execution of strategies in organisations, according to research on the obstacles to innovation in the Australian public sector. This research serves as evidence for the significance of management practices in the implementation of strategy in public sector organisations. Strategic leadership is a form of leadership that identifies several frameworks and standards that can be utilised in the implementation process, which may be useful in the successful rollout of a strategy. The adoption of strategic leadership provides expert knowledge and guidance - which enhances the creation and delivery of strategic objectives (Moussa, 2021). The organisation's management may be too preoccupied with finding solutions to immediate problems while ignoring the strategic issues. The findings of the study by Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021) on the obstacles to and solutions for strategy implementation in public sector organisations showed that senior management involvement in the implementation of strategy is essential for its effectiveness. The study also found that the organisation's senior management has a responsibility to see to it that every employee understands the strategy's goal. This is achieved through official channels of communication within the organisation as strategy implementation must involve all employees of the organisation. It is crucial to note that the strategy should be communicated as effectively and clearly as possible throughout the organisation to prevent any ambiguities that can hinder implementation efforts (Eresia- Eke and Soriakumar, 2021). 2.5.4 Human resource barrier As the organisation's most important resource, human resources are also one of the biggest obstacles to strategy implementation. A strategic approach to managing people that helps an organisation achieve its goals is known as human resource management (Katsikea et al., 2015). 28 The purpose of human resource management is to hire individuals and to help them enhance their abilities through various initiatives (Jackson et al., 2014). The human resource management system in an organisation needs to be very robust so that the human resource capabilities are effective (Mafini, 2017). The human resource department in an organisation should be competent, skilled, and motivated for the business strategies to be achievable. In support of the human resource capabilities as a barrier for strategy implementation, the outcome of the research by Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021), the issues and solutions surrounding strategy implementation in those public sector organizations, it was discovered that the staff in such organizations has poor skill levels, which has impeded strategy implementation. The inability of the workers to be motivated was also cited as a deterrent to the implementation of the approach. 2.5.5 People barrier There are two sub-hurdles under the people barrier umbrella, according to research done by Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021), on the challenges to and remedies for strategy implementation in public sector organizations. These include the quality of staff and the lack of cooperation from all the stakeholders of the organisation. The people barrier aligns with the thoughts of Mafini (2017) employee motivation was identified as a barrier to strategy implementation in a study on the challenges facing the implementation of public supply chain management strategies. The definition of motivation is the desire or readiness to carry out a specific job (Dukhan et al., 2017). The achievement of intended organisational goals depends significantly on the employees' motivation. A motivated workforce is capable of meeting or even exceeding quality standards; is self-driven and committed; and is satisfied with their work. Motivation is a crucial component of corporate operations that enhances performance and productivity because it fosters job satisfaction, fosters a sense of pride and success, and increases employees' commitment to their work (Linz et al., 2006). Employee motivation is defined as the skilled high levels of determined attempt towards the attainment of organisational goals (Galli, 2020). Employee motivation gives an insight into the behaviour of the workforce and gives a basis to predict the behaviour of the workforce in the future. 29 Since employees are the ones who make the strategy's goals a reality, a lack of workforce motivation makes it difficult for organisations to implement their strategies. Employees are the most valuable assets of an organisation (Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar, 2021). Managers in the organisations are not permitted to connect awards to a strategy that does not provide an incentive to alter actions to fit its strategic plan. According to Frederick Herzberg's theory, certain workplace characteristics influence employee contentment with their jobs and, if unavailable, have the opposite effect. The theory is known as the Motivator-Hygiene Theory, which classified variables that lead to job satisfaction as hygiene factors, such as status, job stability, compensation, and fringe benefits, and motivators such as achievement, advancement, and development. According to Bushiri (2014), Herzberg’s theory describes four basic states that could occur:  High Motivation/High Hygiene: The ideal situation of content and motivated workers.  High Motivation/Low Hygiene: Dedicated workers who enjoy their jobs, yet frequently complain.  Low Motivation/High Hygiene: Bored employees punching the clock to be paid.  Low Motivation/Low Hygiene: A complete mess of bored, disgruntled workers. Inadequate performance management systems may overlook the fact that meeting employees' hygienic needs does not inspire them. Herzberg believes that the only way to encourage workers is to provide them with genuine motivators like success, growth, and development. 2.5.6 Internal communication barrier According to a report by Pereira and Santos (2019) on strategic communication and barriers to strategy implementation, communication remains the stronghold of one of the several methods by which an organisation prepares itself for it to accomplish its mission and vision. In today’s business world, which is characterised by fierce competition, communication could be an appropriate dimension for business entities to have a massive impact on the execution of their businesses. It is crucial to 30 effectively convey key information regarding how organisational operations should be conducted. The act of sharing information with individuals or groups inside an organisation is referred to as communication (Dukhan et al., 2017). An organisation's staff must be successfully informed of its plan through the appropriate means. According to Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021), the communication of an organisational strategy through the hierarchies of the organisation is not always as effective as it should be. This could be a challenge as it may allow employees to execute their actions, which may not be aligned to the strategy implementation efforts. The conclusive results from the outcome of the research by Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021) indicated a few remedies to curb the issue of poor communication which include the open-door policy, accessibility of the strategy and the implementation plans on organisations’ internal communication platforms, such as an intranet. With that in mind, Mafini (2017) postulated the need for the existence of both vertical and horizontal communication channels for employees to communicate with anyone at any level. A well-organised communication system enables managers to coordinate their staff members effectively, communicating and disseminating the organisation's objectives and goals to bring everyone on board. Using trained personnel to convey information is essential; proper communication routes should be developed and utilised to minimize disruptions or misinterpretations of information (Dukhan et al., 2017). Additionally, it is critical for management to communicate with staff members frequently to discuss any issues that may affect them daily. Everyone will agree and grasp the expectations, thanks to this ongoing engagement and communication. Organisations do not only experience barriers when implementing their strategies. There are also enabling factors that organisations can utilise to implement their chosen strategies. These enablers are regarded as drivers to help organisations achieve their objectives. The drivers are further discussed in the following section. 2.6 Drivers for strategy implementation in the public sector Strategic management is considered as a collection of decisions and actions that lead to the creation, execution, and monitoring of action plans meant to achieve certain 31 organisational goals, according to Jawad et al. (2017). This stage of the strategic management process is known as the executing phase, and it involves the activities necessary to successfully carry out strategies of an organisation (Venter, 2014). In order to ensure that the stated goals are achieved, strategic implementation, which divides the intended strategy into multiple tasks, is crucial to the strategic management process (Jawad et al., 2017). Drivers are crucial to the effective implementation of a plan, because they help organisations overcome the constraints that were previously highlighted. The stage of the strategic management process known as strategy implementation is where an organisation's management aligns its strategic leadership, organisational culture, reward systems, policies, and resource allocation with its intended goals. The success of strategy implementation initiatives is influenced by a variety of circumstances, and strategy implementation is seen as the action stage of the strategic management process (Venter, 2014). 2.6.1 Valid performance measurements This refers to the numerous processes used to evaluate employee performance and determine financial and non-financial incentives. Jawad et al. (2017) added that the performance measurements also include effective change in control management, progress measurement systems as well as the evaluation and reporting on the outcome of the performance. 2.6.1.1 The performance system conceptual model Speculand (2021) states that there is no universally accepted performance management methodology. Numerous experts have discussed the idea in a variety of settings. The model, which contains five essential components and offers guidelines for how a performance management system should be applied in a firm, can be prescribed as a performance management cycle. The performance management system cycle is made up of five parts, and they are:  The setting of goals.  Evaluation of the output.  Results of performance feedback. 32  System of rewards based on performance results.  Modifications to the activities and goals. The chart below (Figure 2.2) shows how the five fundamental components of the performance management model discussed above relate to one another. Figure 2.2: Performance management system (conceptual model). Source: Agarwal (2011)  Setting objectives: The first phase in the paradigm is the process of creating objectives by the supervisor and the supervisee, which is standard across most performance management models. The ‘SMART’ acronym (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound) must be used to guide the staff members’ objectives most of the time. At this stage of goal setting, the individual goals are once again in line with the goals and objectives of the organisation (Speculand, 2021).  Measuring the performance: The process of categorizing specific results within a predetermined timeframe is called the evaluation of performance, and it is how performance concepts are evaluated and reviewed (Coens and Jenkins, 2000). 33 The maxim "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it, or you can't improve it" lends credence to the argument that businesses should implement a detailed performance measurement system, such as a balanced scorecard. The plan breaks down the broad objectives into smaller, easier-to-achieve activities. After then, employee performance is assessed in relation to the established objectives or targets. The performance evaluation criteria must be unambiguous and well- explained to the staff. Additionally, it must be applicable to the tasks performed by employees at work and also attainable (Platts and Sobotka 2010). Employees must be provided with the training and opportunity for the relevant development they may require completing their responsibilities or activities. Additionally, the evaluation of each employee's performance needs to be more concerned with their behavior and productivity than with their personality (O'Brien and O'Donnell, 2017).  Feedback of performance results: Observations and the documentation of efforts and successes are just a couple of the numerous tasks involved in this stage. Giving employees feedback on their performance requires managers to coach and counsel staff members on how their assessed performance can be improved. The purpose of this step of communication is to make sure that staff members not only understand the goals that have been stated, but also contribute to and take part in its creation. It has been demonstrated that good communication boosts worker productivity and job contentment, which in turn helps an organisation achieve its goals and objectives (Hargie and Tourish, 2019). Performance evaluations are an excellent approach to support people in deciding how they wish to grow. Individual and team performance both benefit from performance feedback. This leads to a unified workforce if correct performance feedback is affected. Increased job satisfaction, motivation, and employee involvement. Organisational inefficiency may result from a lack of self-evaluation and stress brought on by inadequate or no feedback. Every performance management plan includes performance feedback. It can be characterized as details regarding a worker's prior actions in comparison to accepted norms for worker behavior and output. Effective performance feedback is provided by a reliable source and is behavioral in character, timely, specific, and delivered. Employee engagement, motivation, and job 34 contentment are all objectives of performance feedback in addition to individual and group performance (Anguis, 2013).  Reward system based on performance outcomes: This stage occurs after giving and receiving feedback on performance, which typically take place at the conclusion of the performance period. Rewarding performance typically involves key tasks including evaluating employee accomplishments and skill sets (Ying Ying, 2012). The procedure assesses how well the entire performance management model or system has worked and how well it has contributed to the overall performance of the organisation. The goal of this is to find any gaps in the system, opening the door for improvements to the overall process. This technique offers input to the entire organisation as well as the personnel. An organisation's performance is based on the caliber of its personnel, the appropriate people in the right positions, and those employees engaging in their areas of expertise. Furthermore, the organisation needs to make the correct selections and put the appropriate individuals in the right positions. For these employees to perform to the appropriate levels, they must be motivated to work and have access to quality training and development. Organisations should use a mechanism known as pay- for-performance to reward individuals who have met their goals after the evaluation and feedback procedures. The pay-for-performance system connects an employee's salary raise to their performance. Money-based rewards for excellent performance are a crucial instrument for inspiring or fostering the employees' love for their profession (Speculand, 2021).  Amendments to objectives and activities: The management assesses the entire process for any continuous improvement initiatives, such as the process of implementing a plan, at this final stage of the performance management system. The original goals are assessed to see if they have been met. If the goals are not met, a gap analysis can be performed to determine why this is the case. As a result, the original goals may need to be modified to make them more realistically achievable. At this point, evaluations are based mostly on the skill set of the employees and the caliber of their work. Personnel development and rewarding activities are also part of this phase. Positive attitudes about your coworkers directly affect their satisfaction and dedication (Ying Ying, 2012). 35 Prosser et al. (2016) assert that the four essential phases listed below are followed in a highly effective performance management model:  Plan: This involves the work planning and goal setting, performance standards, and competencies. It also involves outlining development plans and getting commitment activities.  Monitor and review: This is about the day to day supervision, feedback, performance review discussion. It also includes assessing against objectives, coaching, and reviewing of documents.  Develop: This includes coaching and mentoring, career and professional development, ongoing learning and training.  Recognise: This includes performance-based incentives, progression and appreciation. Also included here is personal development. Development of the organisation's mission and objectives, as well as improved internal communication, are important components of a successful performance management system. Individual performance measurement and rewarding systems should then be in place. Individual job tasks and accountabilities should be clearly defined and discussed with employees. Finally, a successful performance management system should work to enhance employee performance that advances their career development in the future (Ying Ying, 2012). 2.6.2 Strategic leadership In order to provide the organisation with a strategic direction, leadership is essential (Pearce and Robinson, 2005). Strategic leadership is the capacity of the leader to anticipate, visualize, and uphold the flexibility that enables others to accept change as necessary. Strategic leadership is regarded as a general purpose that involves managing through others and therefore helping the team to cope with the new strategy (Jooste and Fourie, 2009). The following characterises the actions of a strategic leader in the strategy implementation process:  Strategic direction determination.  Establishing the key performance indicators and controls.  Organisational resource portfolio management. 36  Ensuring that ethical practices are followed.  Maintaining the organisational culture. A strategic leader in an organisation must be able to anticipate, empower, and inspire other authorities to implement strategic change. 2.6.3 Training and development The primary area where employee empowerment may enhance performance is training. Training promotes learning, employee development, and the growth of human resources, according to Harrison (2017). Employee knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior are improved through training, whereas employee growth over the long term is more the focus of development. Training can be defined as an educational process that tries to reinforce previously learned knowledge and skills while disseminating new information, thereby increasing workers' job performance (Bushiri, 2014). Consequently, training can be given to help people or teams increase their talents. 2.6.4 Top management involvement Organisations of all sizes and in all markets struggle to retain the best employees in today's competitive business environment and acknowledge the crucial role they play in attaining the organisation's goals and objectives. Businesses employ a variety of tactics to improve their performance in a highly competitive market. However, few businesses recognise the value of their most valuable resource, the employees, who can contribute to the achievement of the company's objectives. Employees can lead to organisational failure and excessive labor turnover if not handled appropriately (Fisher, 2012). Therefore, it is the senior management's duty to oversee the effective operation of the entire organisation for developing and putting into practice strategy. Ran (2009) emphasised the need for companies to inspire their staff members for them to work efficiently and have high levels of job satisfaction. The needs of the workforce are diverse and individual. Each person has specific demands, and managers must be aware of these needs to be able to encourage their staff (Gurland and Lam, 2008). Therefore, it is evident that top management is crucial to ensuring the organisation's activities and operations work together in harmony and that they are a key factor in accomplishing organisational objectives. 37 2.6.5 Organisational culture and structure In an organisation, culture describes the common ideals that shape how people react to potential adverse circumstances (Pearce and Robinson, 2005). Additionally, this describes how members or staff of an organisation behave in accordance with their guiding ideals, interpersonal customs, and shared beliefs. According to Pearce and Robinson (2005), the organisational structure is the most crucial component and should be connected to the strategy as it serves as the organisation's cornerstone by outlining how the activities are arranged. It is the framework for achieving organisational goals within the strategic management process. It consists of the organisational units or departments and the links that exist between them. The above factors are critical in ensuring that organisations implement their strategies successfully. In order to achieve an organisation's long-term and short-term goals, strategies are put into place. Therefore, these drivers are also supported by the following instruments in enhancing the organisations’ ability to successfully implement their strategies. 2.7 Instruments of strategy implementation In addition to understanding the organisation's overarching direction, all staff members must be aware of the regular tasks required to accomplish the organisation's strategic goals (Venter, 2014). 2.7.1 The role of short-term goals Setting priorities for the organisation and its many divisions or sectors can be done with the use of short-term goals. It is crucial for tracking the organisation's long-term goals and progress toward those goals (Dukhan et al., 2017). 2.7.2 The role of functional tactics Employees in the divisional areas/units are given short-term direction by the functional tactics, which also explain the corporate strategy. Each division must carry out these everyday tasks in order to fulfill the organisational goals (Dukhan et al., 2017). 38 2.7.3 The role of policies Policies are rules established by an organisation, methods, procedures, and organisational practices that direct the behavior of its personnel in accordance with the nature of the organisation. The organisation's goals should be supported by the policies as well. They also operate as a guide for routine tasks and actions that encourage good strategy implementation by explaining to managers and staff members of the business their responsibilities and what is expected of them to effectively implement the strategy. 2.7.4 Strategic control and evaluation During this phase, an organisation's management ensures that implementation operations are carried out effectively and efficiently. They also identify any issues with the strategic plan and take the appropriate corrective measures (Venter, 2014). The most crucial aspects of the strategic management process are assessed at this stage, along with the content of the strategy and its implementation. This is done by detecting and analysing any relevant events that could have an impact on the organisation and drawing attention to them. 2.8 The strategy implementation framework Wolczek (2019) describes the strategic management process as the creation and application of a plan that can increase an organization's competitive advantage over the long term. Cox et al. (2012) postulate that the strategic management process involves the in-depth analysis of the business’s internal and external environment to formulate strategies that align with the overall vision of the organisation. Wolczek (2019) provides a proposal on the strategy implementation process which involve a series of steps on how a strategy in an organisation can be implemented and be sustained. This involves the following steps:  Organisational structure: The process of implementing a strategy in an organisation begins with the appointment of a person in charge of directing and managing the implementation process. 39  Cooperation: This step entails involving all the stakeholders of an organisation such as the employees from different departments, top management as well as consulting companies.  Communication and motivation: Communication and motivation entail the use of a motivating system to get the buy-in from employees.  Implementation and methods: It involve the use of the implementation programmes, use of strategy maps, balanced scorecard, and scheduling.  Control: This entails monitoring procedures, such as measuring how well work is being done as specified in the strategic management plan. The strategy implementation process according to Wolczek (2019) is summarized in Figure 2.3 below. There is a clear and common ground of agreement on the strategy implementation process steps. In support of Wolczek (2019), Gallen (2010) refers to these strategy implementation steps as managerial levers which include goals, organisational structure, leadership, communication, and incentives. 40 Figure 2.3: Model proposal for the strategy implementation process. Source: Wolczek (2019) 2.9 The Medium-Term Strategic Framework The South African government's MTSF is a five-year plan intended to carry out both the electoral mandate and the National Development Plan's (NDP) 2030 objective. The NDP urges society to cooperate in the battle against poverty, unemployment, service delivery, and inequality (Department of planning, monitoring, and evaluation, 2019-2024). 41 The provisions of Sections 215 and 216 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa govern the Program Management Framework, National Treasury Issues Performance Information, and Framework for Strategic Plans, and Annual Performance Plans. An essential component of the budgeting process is the planning techniques included in the Framework for Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans (South Africa: National Treasury, 2010). De Wet et al. (2014) assert that a shared set of priorities is provided in the form of a clear, comprehensive declaration of overall public sector policy goals, and that there is a strong connection between the national vision and the annual departmental priority-setting and budgeting processes. Some contend that budgeting and strategic planning naturally conflict, which frequently makes achieving the ideal amount of integration problematic. Since there are cascading relationships between strategic, operational, and budgetary planning within departments, the problem affects all levels of service. The South African government, like other institutions, creates and uses strategic plans. According to the National Treasury (2010), to effectively implement strategic goals, the South African government departments must track performance quarterly. Performance data demonstrates how effectively an organisation accomplishes its goals and objectives, as well as whether policies and practices are effective. Effective management requires accurate performance information, which includes planning, budgeting, implementing, monitoring, and reporting. To ensure the most efficient and economical delivery of public services possible, all government entities must develop strategic plans, devote resources to their implementation, and monitor and report on their performance. South Africa publishes financial and non-financial performance indicators, which are critical for assessing the performance of government entities. Non-financial performance monitoring throughout the year (quarterly performance reporting) is critical to the planning and budgeting processes. It makes it possible to investigate differences between original goals and actual results. Quarterly performance reviews alert departments to areas of inadequate performance, potential issues or obstacles, and the need for corrective action, acting as an early warning system (Preparation of Quarterly Performance Reports). 42 According to Eresia-Eke and Soriakumar (2021), legislation or elected political officeholders' predetermined terms are likely to place time restrictions on public sector organisations. Therefore, it is common for leadership changes to have an impact on the current strategy of public sector organisations. 2.9.1 Free State Growth and Development Strategy (FSGDS) A basic policy framework for the Free State Provincial Government, the Free State Growth and Development Strategy (FSGDS), aims to match the provincial overall strategic goals and objectives with the national strategic plan's goals and objectives. The FSGDS covers the social, economic, and political environments as well as other fundamental development challenges. It outlines the provincial priorities that spur service delivery, public sector transformation, and economic growth (Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, 2018). According to the FSGDS, the following are the drivers or priority areas of intervention for economic growth and development for the province.  Job creation through all-inclusive economic growth and sustainability.  Skills development and education innovation.  Rural development.  Proper governance and administration.  Construction of social cohesion. To ensure performance is assessed and tracked throughout all five key areas, the FSGDS works to identify the priority driver strategies and key performance indicators. 2.10 Summary of the main themes The factors below were identified as the main themes for the study as indicated by the literature review:  The literature review indicated that the barriers to strategy implementation include a lack of finance, lack of vision, poor management practices, human resource barriers, and internal communication. 43  The drivers to strategy implementation include valid performance measurement, strategic leadership, training and development, top management support and involvement, as well as the organisational culture and structure.  A linkage between performance agreement and strategy, compliance, commitment, accountability, and responsibility were identified under human resource and people barriers, as crucial towards strategy implementation.  Lastly, the instruments for strategy implementation include policy development and coordination, monitoring and evaluation, short-term goals, and functional tactics. 2.11 Conclusion The above literature review shows the important link between strategic planning and the implementation thereof. It shows that a strategic plan should serve as a guide for implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and making necessary adjustments where it is necessary. The literature review discusses the concept of strategic management, together with the strategic management process and its framework; it indicates where strategy implementation fits into the process. Additionally, the strategic planning concept is also discussed with the specific focus on its perspective in the public sector. Furthermore, with an emphasis on the drivers and barriers for strategy implementation in the public sector, strategy and implementation, as well as the process of implementing a strategy, are explored. Moreover, the instruments of strategy implementatio