Research Proposal for the Qualifying Assessment

PhD in Management

Nurul Afiqah Haji Nor Amin

16H0515
Table of Contents

oIntroduction
oBackground of Study
oProblem Statement
oResearch Aim & Questions
oLiterature Review
oConceptual Framework & Hypotheses
oResearch Methodology
oMajor Area of Contributions
Introduction Dynamic, iterative and complex process
series of decisions and activities
Strategy Implementation managers and employees
Important and complex management internal and external factors
process (Barrows, 2014) to convert strategic plans into reality
in order to achieve strategic objectives
(Yang et al, 2010)

Public sector could possibly Strategic planning ended up Red tape and rigidity
benefit from ‘strategic unimplemented (Danee et al, 2011)

approach’ (Hughes, 2003) (Sial et al, 2011; Kanyua Bundi et al, 2016)

Strengthening Organizational Goals (Jooste, 2008)

Attainment of the Country’s Development Plan (Poister et al. 2010)

 Brunei Darussalam Public Sector
• Development plan = strategic plan (Haji Mohd Yunos & Milojevic, 2016)

• Financial resources → foundation of strategy implementation in local

government (Nkosi, 2015)

• Despite its abundant financial resources from the oil and gas → difficult in
Background

implementing their development plan (Duraman, 2011) → 47% projects

and programmes were not implemented

• Lack of enabling environment (Bhaskaran, 2010; Haji Hashim, 2010)

 Brunei Darussalam Public Sector
Institutional development strategy
→ government institutions practice good governance in the process of decision

making and its implementation

→ produce a more effective and efficient government practices

Global Competitiveness Report, Brunei Darussalam 2017-2018,

(World Economic Forum, 2017) inefficient government
Background

bureaucracy

streamlining government procedures and regulations to enable prompt decision-making

and the minimization of red tape is not yet achievable

How strategy can be implemented?

World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey selected inefficient government bureaucracy as number 2 most problematic factors in their country
Strategy Implementation: internal and external factors (Yang et al, 2010, p.97)

Insufficient strategy implementation framework based on any

theories to support the development of strategy implementation
research (Ivancic et al, 2016)

Contingency theory can explain the concept of ‘fit’ in strategy

implementation by identifying internal and external factors
depending on the organization’s situation and needs (Boyd, 2015)
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Research Aim and Questions
To investigate factors that influence strategy implementation Brunei
Darussalam public sector

2. What is the relationship 3. What is the role of

1. What is the extent of
of internal organizational external factors as
strategy being
factors as independent moderators on internal
implemented in Brunei
variables with strategy factors and strategy
Darussalam public sector?
implementation? implementation?
Strategy Implementation frameworks

Internal Factors
1. Organization structure, organizational
culture, resources and leadership (Higgins, 2005;
Hrebiniak, 2008; Okumus, 2003)

2. Project (Kazmi, 2008; Meskendahl, 2010)

Literature Review

3. Strategy formulation (Brenes, Mena & Molina, 2010; Ivancic et al, 2015; Yang et
al, 2010)

External Factor
1. Environmental uncertainty (Okumus, 2001, 2003; Schmelzer & Olsen,
1994)
 Strategy Implementation
past research finding
Public Sector

Leadership, organizational culture,

organizational structure, communication • Inconsistent
• Not integrated thoroughly
Literature Review

(Nkosi, 2015; Rohajawati et al, 2016, Sial et al, 2011)

• Important in the context of public

Availability of resources sector in Brunei
(Preuss, 2011) • Elaboration of individual factors
are limited → major factors should
be elaborated (Kazmi, 2008)
Political Context
(Stewart, 2014; Steyn, 2015)

Governmental regulation
(Daryani & Amini, 2016; Jiang & Carpenter, 2013; Omondi et al., 2013; Orak & İlgün, 2015)
 LEADERSHIP
Internal Factor

Styles and behaviors of leadership are not the

same (Bhatti et al., 2012)
Transactional and transformation leadership
(Barth-Farkas & Vera, 2014; Zeb et al, 2015)

The outcome of these two leadership styles

should not be ignored in the context of
strategy implementation in public sector
Literature Review-
 Internal Factor
Literature Review-

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Organizational culture that reflects one
management behavior may not be suitable
for another organization (Yozgut & Sahin, 2013)

Organizational culture dimensions – clan,

adhocracy, market and hierarchy are related
to strategy implementation (Ahmadi et al, 2012)

Organizational culture dimensions can

evaluate the effect of organizational
culture on an organization’s outcome (Fisher
& Wilmoth, 2017)
 COMMUNICATION
Public sector use formal
communication but informal
communication has more advantage in
Internal Factor

facilitating interaction
Role of informal communication in
formal settings as one of the possible
variable in implementing strategy
Literature Review-
 Internal Factor
Literature Review-

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Organization structure can be too board →
organization structure activities are hard to
assess.
Centralization, formalization and
complexity (Ahmady et al, 2016; Al-Qatawneh, 2009; Kalkan et al,
2014)

Restructuring organization from these

three aspects can provide an appropriate
design for strategy implementation in
the public sector organizations
 TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE
External factor: Development of technology
infrastructure → Necessary for organization to
External Factor

adapt to the changes (Andreatta et al. 2010; Kledt et al. 2016)

Uncertainty: fast technology change (Tegarden et al, 2005)

Moderator – befit the organizations in

delivering the organization objectives (Ponchirolli,
2007)
Literature Review-
 External Factor
Literature Review-

RESOURCES FROM THE BUDGETING

SYSTEM
External factor: basic resources given by the central
government for acquiring other resources (Fry et al, 2004)

Uncertainty: Economic play a part in allocation of

scarce resources for the management of public sector
(Osborne & Brown, 2004)

Moderator – responsibilities, duties, programs,

working procedures to implement strategy (Morales
Pedraza, 2015)
 POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL
REGULATION
External Factor

External factor & Uncertainty: affects the way organization

cope with different circumstances (Parnell et al, 2000)

Enable the authorizing, prioritizing and scheduling and

terminating projects in strategy implementation (Steyn, 2015)

Moderator – through laws and legislation (Li et al, 2017) and

reduce or allow bureaucrats (Moyinhan & Pandey, 2005)
Literature Review-
Summary of Literature
Literature revealed that strategy implementation is contingent on internal and external factors

The idea of ‘one best way’ does not exist

- management outcome is dependent on various internal and external factor (Linton, 2014)
The need to use Contingency approach on strategy implementation in public sector organizations (George & Desmidt,
2014).

Internal factors (direct relationship)

Using Contingency theory,

leadership
the strategy implementation
organization culture organization structure communication
framework should be
essentially designed in a way
External factors (moderators) that it obeys to certain
factors.

resource allocation technology infrastructure politic and governmental regulation

 Independent Variables Moderator Variables Dependent Variable
Conceptual Framework & Hypotheses Internal Factors External Factors
Uncertainties Overriding framework should consider
Management Behavior Politic and Governmental Regulation having multiple factors simultaneously
Resources from Budgeting System (Ivancic et al, 2016)
Leadership Style Technology Infrastructure
Transactional
Transformational Management behavior –
its a process that guides the
Organizational employees’ actions within a specific
Culture context.
Clan
Adhocracy Organization design –
Market involve in the organization
Hierarchy composition and act as conveyance to
the organization members in strategy
Strategy
implementation.
Organization Design Implementation

Organization Politic and governmental regulation,

Structure resources from budgeting system and
Centralization technology infrastructure are
Formalization identified as external factors and
Complexity categorized as uncertainties.

Communication
Formal
Informal
 Independent Variables Moderator Variables Dependent Variable
Conceptual Framework & Hypotheses Internal Factors External Factors
Uncertainties
Management Behavior Politic and Governmental Regulation
Resources from Budgeting System
Leadership Style Technology Infrastructure
Transactional H1
Transformational Broad Hypotheses:
H1: Leadership style is related to
Organizational
strategy implementation
Culture
Clan H2 H2: Organization culture is related to
Adhocracy strategy implementation
Market
Hierarchy
H3: Organization structure is related
to strategy implementation
Strategy
H5
Implementation H4: Communication is related to
Organization Design
strategy implementation
Organization
Structure
H3 H5: Uncertainties moderate the
relationship between leadership style,
Centralization
organization culture, organization
Formalization
structure, communication and
Complexity
strategy implementation
Communication
H4
Formal
Informal
Research Methodology
• Post-positivist philosophy
• attempts to harness a more complex research design by
upgrading positivism through the use of both qualitative-
Epistemological Foundation quantitative approaches
• produce a comprehensive explanation of a specific phenomenon
(Adam, 2014).

• Exploratory sequential research design (Creswell, 2014)

• Qualitative approach (semi-structured interview): explore a
phenomenon in depth and enables the identification of
important variables to study quantitatively
Research Design
• Quantitative approach (survey questionnaires): measure its
prevalence & generalize it
• qualitative and quantitative methods are connected through the
development of the instrument items.
 Less than 20 semi-structured interview → number is 24-36 pilot study → preliminary survey (Johanson & Brooks, 2009)

Quantitative Phase
Qualitative Phase

acceptable (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). List of criteria developed by Bowden et al. (2002)

Sample (officers): Sample (officers):

PMU: monitoring and reviewing implementation of projects PMO is the leading ministry that formulate strategic plan
MSD: audit the implementation of strategies
Yield approximately 200 or above reusable sample (Tabachnick & Fidell, 1996)
Manifest data analysis: attempts to stay true to the text
(Bengtsson, 2016)
PLS-SEM (partial least square structural equation modelling (Hair, et al,
Overseeing and identifying the factors constitute the 2012) : permits tests of hypothesis regarding the number of relevant
implementation process and items that are relevant to factors underlying each dimension
the development of the instruments
Major Area of Contributions

Theoretical Empirical Practical

Help managers and

Generalizability of the policy implementers to
theory → extending the Validating the variables understand the specific
duplication into public → quantitative evidence requirement of factors
sector organization related to strategy
implementation

Application of
As a part of a more
Contingency theory →
coherent and
only certain factors are
comprehensive
suitable and can affect
understanding of Brunei
strategy implementation
public sector
process
Achievements & Milestones:
Nurul Afiqah Nor Amin, Md Zahidul Islam, Thuraya Farhana Said, Wardah
Azimah Sumardi (2017). Developing Strategy Implementation Framework for
Public Sector. International Conference on Business, Economics and Finance
(ICBEF). Brunei Darussalam: Universiti Brunei Darussalam
(June, 2018). The Institutional Development Strategy: Its Contents,
Achievements and Recommendations to Reduce Public Sector Constraints.
Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. (forth coming).

For the next 3 semesters:

Data collection
Data Analysis
Writing up
References
Adam, F. (2014). Introduction. In: Measuring National Innovation Performance. In SpringerBriefs in Economics. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Ahmadi, S. A. A., Salamzadeh, Y., Daraei, M., & Akbari, J. (2012). Global business and management research. Global Business and Management Research: An International Journal, 4(3–
4), 286.
Ahmady, G. A., Mehrpour, M., & Nikooravesh, A. (2016). Organizational Structure. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 230, 455–462.
Al-Qatawneh, M. I. (2009). The Impact of Organizational Structure on Organizational Commitment: A Comparison between Public and Private Sector Firms in Jordan. European Journal
of Business and Management, 6(12), 30–37.
Andreatta, P. B., Maslowski, E., Petty, S., Shim, W., Marsh, M., Hall, T., … Frankel, J. (2010). Virtual Reality Triage Training Provides a Viable Solution for Disaster-preparedness.
Academic Emergency Medicine, 17(8), 870–876.
Andrews, R., Beynon, M., & Genc, E. (2017). Strategy Implementation Style and Public Service Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 4.
Barrows, E. (2014). What Is Strategy Execution?
Barth-Farkas, F., & Vera, A. (2014). Power and transformational leadership in public organizations. International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, 10(4), 217–232.
Bhaskaran, M. (2010). Economic Diversification in Brunei Darussalam. CSPS Strategy and Policy Journal, 1, 1–12.
Bahtti, Z. A., Ahmad, H. G., Aslam, A, Nadeem, U & Ramzan, M. (2012). Leadership Styles and Behaviors in Institutional Context. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in
Business. 4(2), 744-762
Bengtsson, M. (2016). How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. NursingPlus Open. 2, 8-14
Boyd, B. K. (2015). Strategy Implementation. In Wiley Encyclopedia of Management (pp. 1–3). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brenes, E. R., Mena, M., & Molina, G. E. (2008). Key success factors for strategy implementation in Latin America. Journal of Business Research, 61(6), 590–598.
Cândido, C. J. F., & Santos, S. P. (2015). Strategy implementation: What is the failure rate? Journal of Management & Organization, 21(2), 237–262.
Carlopio, J., & Harvey, M. (2012). The development of a social psychological model of strategy implementation. International Journal of Management, 29(3), 75–85.
Chemwei, B., Leboo, C., & Koech, S. J. (2014). Factors that Impede the Implementation of Strategic Plans in Secondary Schools in Baringo District, Kenya. International Journal of
Humanities and Social Science, 4(51).
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Rsearch Design. California: Sage Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
Danaee, H. F., Moshabbaki, A., Abbasi, T., & Hassanpoor, A. (2011). Strategic Management in the Public Sector: Reflections on It’s Applicability to Iranian Public Organizations. Public
Organization Review, 11(4), 385–406.
Daryani, S. M., & Amini, A. (2016). Management and Organizational Complexity. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 230, 359–366.
Duraman, H. I. (2011). Economy of Brunei Darussalam: Modeling & Policy Stimulation. Bandar Seri Begawan: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Fisher, E. M., & Wilmoth, M. C. (2017). Do I take the job?: Assessing fit with the organization. Journal of Professional Nursing.
Fry, F. L., Stoner, C. R., & Hattwick, R. E. (2004). Business: An integrative approach (3rd ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.
George, B., & Desmidt, S. (2014). A State of Research on Strategic Management in the Public Sector: An Analysis of the Empirical Evidence. In P. Joyce & A. Drumaux (Eds.), Strategic
Management in Public Organizations: European Practices and Perspectives (pp. 151–172). New York, USA: Routledge.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a Silver Bullet. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139–152.
Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Pieper, T. M., & Ringle, C. R. (2012). The Use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in Strategic Management Research: A Review of Past
Practices and Recommendations for Future Applications. Long Range Planning, 45, 320–340.
Hair Jr, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Hopkins, L., & Kuppelwieser, V. G. (2014). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). European Business Review, 26(2), 106–121.
Haji Hashim, A. A. (2010). Challenges in Achieving Wawasan Brunei 2035 Goals: Economic Diversification in Perspective. CSPS Strategy and Policy Journal, 1.
Higgins, J. M. (2005). The Eight “S”s of successful strategy execution. Journal of Change Management, 5(1), 3–13.
Hrebiniak, L. (2008). Making Strategy Work: Overcoming the Obstacles to Effective Execution. Ivey Business Journal, 72(2), 1–6.
Hrebiniak, L. G. (2006). Obstacles to Effective Strategy Implementation. Organizational Dynamics, 35(1), 12–31.
Hughes, O. E. (2003). Public Management and Administration An Introduction (3rd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ivancic, V. (2013). The Biggest Failures in Managing Strategy Implementation. Interdisciplinary Management Research, 9, 197–208.
Ivančić, V., Jelenc, L., & Mencer, I. (2016). Failing Strategy Implementations. In I. Vrdoljak Raguz, N. Podrug, & L. Jelenc (Eds.), Neostrategic Management (pp. 95–112). Springer, Cham.
Jiang, N., & Carpenter, V. (2013). A case study of issues of strategy implementation in internationalization of higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 27(1), 4–18.
Jooste, S. F. (2008). A New Public Sector in Developing Countries. Retrieved from https://gpc.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/wp036_0.pdf
Kalali, N. S., Anvari, M. R. A., Pourezzat, A. A., & Dastjerdi, D. K. (2011). Why does strategic plans implementation fail? A study in the health service sector of Iran. African Journal of Business Management, 5(23), 9831–
9837.
Kalkan, A., Bozkurt, Ö. Ç., & Arman, M. (2014). The Impacts of Intellectual Capital, Innovation and Organizational Strategy on Firm Performance. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 150, 700–707.
Kanyua Bundi, H., & Omwenga, J. (2016). Effect of Financial Planning on Project Deliverables of Non Governmental Organizations in Kenya: A Case of Pastoralist Integrated Support Programme (PISP), Marsabit Sub
County, Marsabit County. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 6(10).
Kazmi, A. (2008). A proposed framework for strategy implementation in the Indian context. Management Decision, 46(10), 1564–1581.
Kledt, F., Evers, P., & Benson, D. (2016). Organizational Complexity. In T. Havar-Simonovich & D. Simonovich (Eds.), Contemporary theory and practice of organizations. Part I, Understanding the organization (pp. 95–116).
Stuttgart: Verlag.
Latif, B., Rashid Gohar, F., Hussain, A., & Muhammad Kashif, M. (2012). Barriers to Effective Strategic Planning. International Journal of Management & Organizational Studies, 1(2), 16–21.
Li, D., Cao, C., Zhang, L., Chen, X., Ren, S., & Zhao, Y. (2017). Effects of corporate environmental responsibility on financial performance: The moderating role of government regulation and organizational slack. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 166, 1323–1334.
Linton, G. (2014). Contingency Theory in Entrepreneurship research. Orebro University School of Business. Retrieved from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:705459/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Meskendahl, S. (2010). The influence of business strategy on project portfolio management and its success — A conceptual framework. International Journal of Project Management, 28(8), 807–817.
Narayanan, V. K., & Fahey, L. (2013). Seven management follies that threaten strategic success. Strategy & Leadership, 41(4), 24–29.
Nazemi, S., Asadi, S. T., & Asadi, S. T. (2015). Barriers to Strategic Planning Implementation; Case of: Mashhad Electricity Distribution Company. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 207, 2–9.
Nkosi, S. M. (2015). Factors Affecting Strategy Implementation: A Case Study of A Local Municipality in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. European Journal of Business and Management, 7(36), 29–35.
Okumus, F. (2001). Towards a strategy implementation framework. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 13(7), 327–338.
Okumus, F. (2003). A framework to implement strategies in organizations. Management Decision, 41(9), 871–882.
Omondi, M. P., Ombui, K., & Mungatu, J. (2013). Factors affecting effective strategy implementation for attainment of Millennium Development Goal 5 by international reproductive health non-governmental organizations
in Kenya. The TQM Journal, 25(5), 507–519.
Orak, S., & İlgün, G. (2015). Determination of Appropriate Organization Structures for the Implementation of Strategies in Healthcare Organizations. The Macrotheme Review, 4(4), 97–105.
Osborne, S. P., & Brown, K. H. (2005). Managing change and innovation in public service organizations. Routledge.
Palladan, A. A., Abdul Kadir, K. B., & Chong, Y. W. (2016). The Effect of Strategic Leadership, Organization Innovativeness, Information Technology Capability on Effective Strategy Implementation: A Study of Tertiary
Institutions in Nigeria. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 18(9), 2319–7668. Retrieved from www.iosrjournals.org
Parnell, J. A., Carraher, S., & Odom, R. (2000). Strategy and Performance in the Entrepreneurial Computer Software Industry. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship (Vol. 12).
Poister, T. H., Pitts, D. W., & Hamilton Edwards, L. (2010). Strategic Management Research in the Public Sector: A Review, Synthesis, and Future Directions. The American Review of Public Administration, 40(5), 522–545.
Ponchirolli, O. (2007). The theory of Complexity and Organizations. Revista Diálogo Educacional, 7(22), 81–100.
Preuss, S. (2011). Implementation in regional planning: A West Midlands perspective. Local Economy, 26(4), 294–304.
Samsami, F., Hamid, S., Hosseini, K., Kordnaeij, A., & Azar, A. (2015). Managing Environmental Uncertainty: From Conceptual Review to Strategic Management Point of View. International Journal of Business and
Management, 10(7), 215–229.
Schmelzer, C. D., & Olsen, M. D. (1994). A data based strategy implementation framework for companies in the restaurant industry. Int. J. Hospitality Management, 13(4), 347–359.
Sial, A., Usman, M. K., Zufiqar, S., Satti, A. M., & Khursheed, I. (2011). Why Do Public Sector Organizations Fail In Implementation Of Strategic Plan In Pakistan? Public Policy and Administration Research (Vol. 3).
Stewart, J. (2014). Implementing an innovative public sector program. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 27(3), 241–250.
Steyn, H. (2015). Corporate Strategy and Projects - Mind the Gap. In IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings. University of Pretoria. Retrieved from http://www.iamot2015.com/2015proceedings/documents/P410.pdf
Tegarden, L. F., Sarason, Y., Childers, J. S., & Hatfield, D. E. (2005). The engagement of employees in the strategy process and firm performance: the role of strategic goals and environment. Journal of Business Strategies,
22(2), 75–99.
Waterman, R. H., Peters, T. J., & Phillips, J. R. (1980). Structure is not organization. Business Horizons, 23(3), 14–26.
Wright, B. E., & Pandey, S. K. (2010). Transformational Leadership in the Public Sector: Does Structure Matter? Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 20(1), 75–89.
Yang, L., Guo-hui, S., & Eppler, M. J. (2010). Making Strategy Work: A literature review on the factors influencing strategy implementation. In P. Mazzola & F. W. Kellermanns (Eds.), Handbook of research on strategy
process (pp. 165–183). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Yozgat, U., & Şahin, S. (2013). Perceived Managerial and Leadership Effectiveness Within Turkish Public Sector Hospitals. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 99, 216–221.
Zeb, A., Saeed, G., Rehman, S. ur, Ullah, H., & Rabi, F. (2015). Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles and its Impact on the Performance of the Public Sector Organizations in Pakistan. Abasyn Journal of
Social Sciences, 8(1), 37–46.