Firm-Level Factors and Strategic Plan Implementation among Methodist Churches in Kenya: A Case of Churches in Nairobi Region.

Abstract

Strategic planning is essential for the growth and sustainability of organizations, including religious institutions. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effect of firmlevel factors, specifically organizational culture, structure, resource availability, and leadership style on the implementation of strategic plans. This research drew upon three key theories: General Systems Theory, Resource-Based View Theory, and Dynamic Capability View Theory. The research employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design to explore the study objectives. The target population was 159 respondents consisting of superintendent minister, a minister and a church leader from each church using a purposive sampling technique. Data collection employed a questionnaire containing closed questions with a 5-point Likert scale. To ensure the reliability and validity of the data collection instrument, a pre-test was conducted. Descriptive statistics was applied for data analysis, while inferential statistic was employed to explore relationships between variables. The study adhered to ethical guidelines, seeking clearance from Daystar University's Institutional Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (DUISERC). Additionally, research permit was obtained from the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NACOSTI) to ensure credibility. The study findings indicated that Methodist Churches in Nairobi region have embraced firm-level factors specifically, organizational structure, leadership style, resource availability and organizational culture as key factors that influence the strategic plan implementation. Similarly, the study revealed that firmlevel factors were statistically significant in predicting strategic plan implementation (p=0.000<0.05) at 95% level of confidence. The study concluded that church leaders and administrators should prioritize resource allocation, organizational culture, leadership style and structure when developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve organizational goals. Lastly, the study recommended that churches should focus on developing and implementing strategies that prioritize firm-level factors to improve strategic plan implementation. The study also suggested that further studies should be extended to include contextual factors like changes in community and societal trends that might affect the strategic plan implementation.