Strategic Management Practices. An Investigation of Public Sector Organizations in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

Over more than three decades, there has been a sustained interest in strategic planning in the public sector to secure positive outcomes and long-term growth. However, several authors argued that strategic planning is limited, costly, time consuming and not producing the needed outcomes. Previous research has focused almost upon developed, and not on developing countries, for instance, the Kingdom of Bahrain. This gap in the knowledge provides the justification for this research. Using survey method, this research aims to explore strategic management practices in the public sector of Bahrain. Using both interviews and questionnaires as the mixed methods was more convincing and produced more comprehensive findings and hence stronger credibility. The findings reveal that the strategic management process was not effective in the researched organizations in the strategic formulation stage, the strategic implementation stage, and the strategic evaluation stage. The findings also reveal that there is a low satisfaction level with strategic management process within most of the organizations surveyed. Moreover, the findings revealed that the progress in the transition from strategic planning to a strategic management approach was limited. However, some of the organizations were found to be at the start of such a transition and this may be a good sign. Additionally, the findings reported many leading edge elements that are closely related to this transition, and help to successfully implement organizational objectives. Finally, the present research is proposing a strategic management model to increase the ability to formulate, implement and evaluate better future governmental strategic plans.