Strategy Implementation Drivers and Performance of the National Council on the Administration of Justice Agencies in Kenya

Abstract

Strategy implementation is an action phase of the strategic management process involving putting the chosen strategy into practice, resourcing the strategy, configuring the organization’s culture and structure to align with the strategy and managing change, which requires effective drivers such as leadership, resources, culture, and structure to enhance organizational performance. In Kenya, the National Council on the Administration of Justice comprises state and non-state actors responsible for ensuring a well-functioning justice system. Despite the existence of strategic plans, these agencies have faced persistent challenges, including systemic inefficiencies, structural constraints, low prosecution success rates, and barriers to equitable access to justice. This study examined the relationship between strategy implementation drivers and the performance of NCAJ agencies in Kenya. Specifically, it assessed the influence of strategic leadership, organizational resources, organizational culture, and organizational structure on performance. Additionally, the study evaluated the moderating role of the changes in Changes in Regulatory Environment in this relationship. Adopting a positivist philosophy and a correlational research design, the study targeted 231 managers (36 CEOs and 195 regional coordinators) drawn from 36 NCAJ agencies in Nairobi. Using stratified sampling and Yamane’s formula at a 95% confidence level with a 0.05 margin of error, the sample size was determined as 164 respondents, comprising 33 top-level and 131 middle-level managers. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The findings reveal that strategic leadership, organizational resources, organizational culture, and organizational structure collectively explain 68.7% of the variance in agency performance (R² = 0.687). The Changes in Regulatory Environment significantly moderates these relationships, increasing the explained variance to 76.0% (R² = 0.760), amplifying the impact of each driver, with the strongest moderation observed for organizational structure, followed by culture, leadership, and resources. However, deficiencies such as limited leadership responsiveness, inadequate infrastructure, lack of innovative culture, ineffective communication, and delays in regulatory compliance constrain optimal performance. The study concludes that addressing these gaps is essential for effective justice delivery. Recommendations include prioritizing leadership agility programs, increasing resource allocation, fostering innovative cultures, improving structural communication, and streamlining regulatory systems. Future research should explore additional variables, such as technological adoption, and employ longitudinal designs to address unexplained variance. These findings offer evidence-based insights for policymakers to enhance NCAJ agency performance and strengthen Kenya’s justice system. Keywords: Strategy Implementation, Strategic Leadership, Organizational Resources, Organizational Culture, Organizational Structure, Regulatory Environment, NCAJ Agencies, Justice Sector Performance.