The Practice of Strategic Planning and Strategy Implementation

in Public Universities of Ethiopia

Assefa Beyene Bassa

ABSTRACT
Recently Ethiopia has been engaged in a huge expansion of its higher education institutions. This
was also accompanied by a series of institutional management reforms and quality assurance
regulations. Accordingly, the organizational environment in the public universities of Ethiopia has
been changing from time to time. In such a context, the key to better align these academic
institutions with the needs of their rapidly changing internal and external environments is the
design of appropriate strategic plans and effective implementation of their preferred strategies.
Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the practice of strategic planning and strategy
implementation in public universities of Ethiopia. Data were collected through questionnaires
from staff members (from both academic and administrative) and students; and through interviews
from the management team members (Vice Presidents and Directors) of three selected public
universities. The results of this study showed that in the sampled public universities: stakeholders’
participation in the process of strategic planning was found to be low; less emphasis was given to
critically assessing their ever changing external environment while planning; the practice of
clearly communicating their preferred strategies and activities to both academic and
administrative staff was found to be minimal and ineffective; there was also lack of adequate
monitoring, follow up and feedback systems; moreover, major decisions were made without
aligning them with the university’s preferred areas of priority and major objectives as stipulated
in the strategic plan document.

INTRODUCTION
Ethiopia, though one of the developing countries in the world, possesses a 1,700 year tradition
of elite education linked to its Orthodox Church. However, secular higher education was initiated
only in 1950 with the founding of the University College of Addis Ababa (World Bank, 2004).
Yet, higher education is a key factor for socio-economic development agendas of countries in
these days of globally interconnected knowledge economy. To this effect, recently Ethiopia has
been engaged in a huge expansion of its higher education institutions by establishing large number
of universities in a decade and half, increasing the intake capacity of the existing universities and
diversifying academic programs. This was accompanied by a series of institutional management
reforms and quality assurance regulations. Hence, the organizational environment in higher
education institutions of Ethiopia is changing from time to time.
As a result, the leaders of these currently mushrooming public universities of Ethiopia are
responsible for strategic visioning and planning and for effective implementation of their preferred
strategies. In this ever-changing academic landscape, an effective strategic planning practice is
highly essential to obtain new opportunities and resource requirements with future prospects by
better aligning these universities with their internal and external environmental forces. The
ultimate benefit of strategic planning practice for these universities is helping them identify clearly
appropriate strategies in line with their missions as well as take their campuses where they needed
to go (i.e. towards their preferred strategic direction).

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In Ethiopia, the tertiary education gross enrolment ratio (GER) that was only 0.2% by the year
1970 had not shown any significant improvement after twenty five years in 1995 (which was
0.7%) and only 1.5% by the year 2003 (Teshome 2005; World Bank, 2004). According to the
Federal Ministry of Education (MoE, 2010, p. 60), the GER for higher education increased from
3.6% in 1999 to 5.3 % in 2008/09. This means that the Ethiopian higher education has now come
close to the African average in GER of 6% in 2000. In this connection, currently there are 31
Public Universities operating toward accomplishment of their missions, compared to the only 2
public universities (Addis Ababa and Haramaya) that existed 15 years ago and the annual intake of

Educational Planning 17 Vol. 22, No. 2

undergraduates has increased from 9,000 in the academic year 1996/1997 to 94,000 in 2011/2012
(MoE, 2012).

This fast growth in students’ enrolment trend in public universities of the country indicates
that Ethiopia has been aggressively engaged in the expansion of higher education. This expansion
policy of Ethiopia is similar to the expansionary policies of the last 50 years. Also known as
massification fueled by social demand, open admission, free education and guaranteed
employment, have led to higher education enrollments that, since the 1960s, have multiplied nine
times in Africa and Latin America and four times in Asia (Trow, 2006). However, one of the most
important implications of this growth is the overcrowding at the public universities with an
associated perception of decrease in the quality of education (Altbach & Peterson, 1999)

Hence, this mere increase in student numbers alone in the Ethiopian public universities is not
sufficient to meet the requirements of providing competent graduates for the social, political and
economic development agendas of this nation. Besides expansion, the quality of existing
universities is a necessary condition. As universities are accountable to their stakeholders and
customers (the students, government and other employers and the public at large), those who
manage these institutions need to guarantee their constituencies that the institutions they lead offer
quality teaching, research and community services. Consequently, the leaders of public
universities of Ethiopia must accept the challenges of developing quality in their operations.
However, this expanding higher education systems are in need of resources: to employ growing
populations of faculty and staff, to provide study grants or scholarships, to fund broader spectra of
research areas, to build new teaching or research facilities, to preserve older capital investments, to
stock libraries, or to furnish and upgrade complex infrastructures (Herbst, 2007, p. 3).

Above all, higher education leaders all over the world (including the leaders of public
universities in Ethiopia) encounter an increasingly complex external environment where social,
political, and market forces are reshaping the postsecondary landscape (Bess & Dee, 2008). It is
also argued that the challenges of the higher education environment have become ever more
complex as we seek to respond to the calls for reform coming from different directions, the need
for change, the financial and budgetary difficulties we are all facing, the demand for
accountability-all the issues that surround us, or perhaps bombard us, on a daily basis (Gillespie &
Robertson, 2010).
To this connection, the key to successful institutional leadership, management and
advancement is the design and implementation of a functional long range and strategic planning
process (Wilkinson, et al., 2007, p. 11). The real significance of strategic plan is that it directs
senior managers’ attention away from day-to-day issues and forces a re-examination of the main
purposes of the institution and its key relationships with its customers (Sallis, 2002, p. 119).
Hence, the central reason for engaging in strategic planning is to better align the college or
university with its environment (Rowley & Sherman, 2001, p. 22).

Universities engaged in strategic planning as means to "make beneficial, strategic changes to

adapt to the rapidly shifting environment" (Rowley, Lujan, & Dolence, 1997). This follows that
strategic planning process in universities may form the basis for a formal relationship with outside
bodies, including government and other funding bodies or may be helpful in fostering closer
relations with other external bodies, including local or regional government, the local community
and other groups, and organizations and individuals with which the university interacts (Taylor &
Miroiu, 2002). Hence, competencies of strategic leadership style are very much required.
Strategic leadership style is the combination of three different individual skills and abilities:
visioning; focusing; and implementing (Neumann & Neumann, 1999).

A strategic plan within the university provides a link between academic planning (such as
student numbers, courses, and research), financial planning (projected income and expenditure),
and physical planning (buildings and infrastructure), and will also guide the overall allocation of
funds (Taylor & Miroiu, 2002). Therefore, strategic planning involves shifting the leaders and
managers’ position so that they consider the overall context and aspects of their institution rather

Educational Planning 18 Vol. 22, No. 2

than one particular part, aspect, situation, or circumstance. For that reason, in academic institutions
strategic planning is about identifying some common directions for the department, division,
school or college based on needs of the external and internal stakeholders.
To attain the benefits of strategic planning, urgent strategic planning, strategic leadership
competencies and practices are needed in these chaotic academic environments. However, the
academic communities, here and there, are complaining that people in various leadership positions
in most of the public universities in Ethiopia had been intensively engaged in trivial and routine
administrative decisions instead of searching for more strategic issues and visionary-proactive
leadership to better align the institutions with their internal and external forces that can positively
or negatively affect their activities.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to align with the objectives of the study, attempts were made to seek reliable answers
for the following research questions:

1. What is the practice of institutional strategic planning in public universities of

Ethiopia?
2. How were the institutional strategies implemented in public universities of Ethiopia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to gain an insight on the practice of strategic leadership in
public universities in Ethiopia. In this connection, the overall objectives of this study were to
specifically investigate the practices of strategic planning and strategy implementation of strategic
planning in public universities of Ethiopia.

A LITERATURE REVIEW
Strategic Planning in Universities
Strategic planning is no longer simply the purview of business, and many campuses hope to
duplicate the success that many businesses and not-for-profit organizations have had in developing
and implementing their strategic plan (Rowley & Sherman, 2001, p. 5). It is the process by which
the guiding members of an organization envision the future and develop the necessary procedures
and operations to achieve that future (Goodstein, 1993). Strategic plan, sometimes called a
corporate or institutional development plan, details the measures which the institution intends to
take to achieve its mission. It sets a medium-term timescale, usually over a three-year period. Its
aim is to give the institution guidance and direction (Sallis, 2002, p. 124). Strategic planning is
about what are the strategic choices that a university can make to help develop and sustain a
competitive strategic advantage? (Rowley & Sherman, 2001).

Strategic planning requires strategic thinking, which involves taking a broad set of facts and
information into consideration as you strive to understand the present situation and circumstances,
identify future trends and formulate future possibilities, decide on your organization’s core values
and value proposition, develop or firm up your organization’s mission and vision, determine the
means you will employ to attain your vision and accomplish your mission, and identify ways to
mitigate or address challenges or obstacles likely to impede your progress or sub-optimize your
overall success (Simerson, 2011; Taylor & Miroiu, 2002). Therefore, without a clear
understanding of the institution’s core beliefs and values, decision‐making has no underpinning or
consistency (Wilkinson, et al., 2007, p, 30).

Strategic planning enables the formulation of long-term priorities, and it enables institutional
change to be tackled in a rational manner. Without a strategy an institution cannot be certain that it
is best placed to exploit new opportunities as they develop (Sallis, 2002, p. 119). It is a means of
establishing major directions for the university, college/school or department. Taken together,
strategic planning and continuous quality improvement can dramatically improve the ability of the
institution to meet the needs of its internal and external stakeholders (Paris, 2003). No planning
process is going to be successful if that process is not imbedded in a thorough understanding of
both the internal and external environments (Rowley & Sherman, 2001). Hence, an effective

Educational Planning 19 Vol. 22, No. 2

strategic planning in universities involves an internal focus on the campus and an external focus
on the environment (Wilkinson, et al., 2007).

A strategic plan is only as successful as the mission, vision, goals and values it enshrines, as
well as the accuracy of the environmental assessment, institutional capacity, resources needed and
time frame for implementation (Hayward, Ncayiyana, & Johnson, 2003, p. 12). By establishing an
environmental scanning process, institutions develop an early warning system to identify and
monitor opportunities and threats that need to be anticipated as the campus strategically positions
itself in the planning process (Hayward, Ncayiyana, & Johnson, 2003; Hinton, 2012; Wilkinson, et
al., 2007;).

Strategic goals motivate people to achieve them, especially if they incorporate central aspects
of the vision of the institution and are understood to be testable hypotheses, not rigid formulae
(Morrill, 2007). Colleges and universities that align their mission with their educational policies
and programs generally are more effective and efficient (Birnbaum 1991b; Bolman & Deal 1991).

The strategic leader recognizes (and emphasizes) the importance of strategy formulation and
execution (Simerson, 2011). Strategy formulation refers to both the decision-making processes
and outcomes that colleges and universities employ to align or fit their mission with their position
in the marketplace (the environment), given the limited resources and capabilities of their internal
systems (Lawrence & Lorsch, as cited in Rowley & Sherman, 2001, p. 202). As a result, the
underlying base for choosing one type over another in the strategic choice process is dependent
upon two major realities of the college or university: the resource base of the institution and the
institution’s prevailing philosophical academic position (Rowley & Sherman, 2001).

Above all, successful strategic planning is inclusive, allowing every major stakeholder-
management, teaching and research staff, support staff, students, the council, and other interested
parties and stakeholders to participate (Hayward, Ncayiyana, & Johnson, 2003, p. 22). Shared
governance is not one of the unique features of colleges and universities; it is also part of what
makes campus operations effective. It is the lack of participation and the resulting distrust and
power struggles that lead to the failure of the strategic planning process in many colleges and
universities (Rowley & Sherman, 2001, pp. 177-78). Consequently, universities should encourage
active participation of as many people as possible, including the faculty, administration, students
and alumni, engaging them in the on-going dialogue and involving them in the strategic planning
process in order to generate a feeling of ownership of the process and the outcomes throughout the
university (Birnbaum, 1991a; Hax & Majluf, 1996).

In the first activities related to strategic planning, if top campus leaders commit to forming a
full-campus leadership team and also commit to a full and open communications process, the
resulting strategic plans will have a much greater chance of succeeding. In this connection,
involving staff in major issues such as a strategic plan is one more way of gathering support for
the successful implementation of that plan (Rowley & Sherman, 2001). Moreover, according to
these scholars, it is a real mistake not to include students (and perhaps alumni) in major campus
decisions, since this is the very group that academic programs seek to benefit. Further, the thought
that students really don’t know what they want from their college or university is a notion that
often proves to be false once students are invited to participate.

Strategy Implementation in Universities

Strategy implementation refers to “actions taken by a college or university to put their
positioning plans into action by changing their mission, changing their environment, or changing
their resources, capabilities, and internal operations” (Rowley & Sherman, 2001, p. 202). No
organization anywhere in the world has ever added a single penny to its profits from making
plans: the rewards are only realized when plans are implemented (Hussey, 1998). The
implementation of strategy is arguably the most important stage in the process of strategic
planning for one reason: Without successful implementation, an organization’s strategy is really
nothing more than a fantasy (Hambrick & Cannella, 1989). These scholars further argue that to

Educational Planning 20 Vol. 22, No. 2

formulate strategies without some serious thoughts toward implementation seems a serious waste
of the strategists’ time. Implementing the plan brings commitment, focus and direction.
Implementation is the key to making everything else functional (Wilkinson, et al., 2007). One of
the caveats of successful implementation is to implement the strategic plan incrementally. By
carefully selecting areas of the plan that will be easier and more straightforward to implement,
leaders and planners can achieve success in the early stages of the implementation process
(Rowley & Sherman, 2001).

Strategy implementation requires strategic leadership skills in the organization. According to

Reeves (2002), strategic leadership is the simultaneous acts of executing, evaluating, and
reformulating strategies, and focusing organizational energy and resources on the most effective
strategies. According to Harrison & John (1998), strategy implementation should be considered
explicitly in the formulation stage so that any resulting strategy is in fact implementable when an
organization has decided upon a particular strategic plan; planners and administrators are then
charged with altering or creating an organizational structure to best carry out that plan. Once an
organization has chosen the proper structure, the implementation process moves on to identify
specific people and tasks to carry out the intentions of the planning process (Rowley & Sherman,
2001, p. 15).

A strategic plan is of limited value unless it is used in the budget exercise (Paris, 2003). In
strategic planning practices most important thing to help achieve intended goals of an institution is
linking and supporting the planned initiatives and activities with realistic long-range budget.
Strategic planning must drive resource allocation not vice versa (Taylor & Miroiu, 2002). The
advantage for the institution using its strategic plan to allocate resources is that that everyone
knows ahead of time which activities have priority and which will be receiving the resources in
any given budget year. In addition, because the prioritization of these activities was an institution-
wide negotiation, there is some buy-in and some patience with the process. Accordingly, the most
common way of tying the entire strategic plan into the campus budget process is to prioritize
campus needs, values, and programs (Rowley & Sherman, 2001). Thus, without a clear tie
between the most preferred strategies and institutional budget, implementing a strategic plan can
become nearly impossible endeavour.

Monitoring and evaluation of strategy implementation processes in higher education

institutions are so important to check whether the performance practices of planned initiatives and
activities are being carried out as planned. Herbst (2007) opined that good planning practice of the
past was unthinkable without monitoring or performance measurement, as unthinkable as driving
an automobile without looking where the car is heading and without steering to keep the vehicle
on course or out of trouble. Above all, as to Rowley and Sherman (2001), monitoring the
implementation of the plan is an essential part of the planning process, and needs to be more than
routine re-endorsement. The process also needs to allow for regular review and updating ensuring
that the plan remains relevant.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study was aimed at examining and describing the current practices pertaining to strategic
planning and strategy implementation in the sampled public universities of Ethiopia. Therefore, it
was a descriptive research in design. It was also carried out by applying a mixed methods research
design especially that of the convergent (concurrent) mixed method design with the purpose of
comparing the results from quantitative data with that of qualitative one. Here both types of data
were collected simultaneously for triangulation and analyzed at the same time with the findings
converging in the conclusions to answer an overarching research question (Ary, Jacobs &
Sorensen, 2010).

Recently, many researchers of management related problems have employed more mixed
method approaches rather than just quantitative or qualitative research. The view is that a
combination of research methods can serve mutual purposes because ‘the relative strengths of
qualitative and quantitative methods enable management and organisational researchers to address

Educational Planning 21 Vol. 22, No. 2

important questions at different stages of a research inquiry’, thereby enhancing and enriching
current knowledge by ‘filling in the gaps’ that studies adopting a singular approach are unable to
do (Currell & Towler, 2003, p. 524).

There are also several viewpoints as to why qualitative and quantitative methods can be
combined. For the purpose of this research the legitimate reasons of combining these two methods
in a single study were to achieve triangulation-combining two or more sources of data to study the
same phenomenon in order to gain a more complete understanding of it and to achieve
complementary results by using the strengths of one method to enhance the other (Morgan, 1998).

Data Gathering Instruments

Descriptive-survey researchers design and develop their own surveys to gather the perceptions
of their sample participants on current educational issues (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2006, p.
106). As this research was a descriptive survey research, the researcher self-developed
questionnaires and interview guides to gather data from the sampled participants. For the sample
size employed in this research was large, the researcher prepared close-ended questionnaires on
the basis of the assessment levels. Hence, three categories of 5-point Likert scale questionnaires
were prepared for respondents selected from management positions, from staff members (from
both academic and administrative) and from graduating year students of the undergraduate
programs in the sampled universities. Likert scales were given scores or assigned a weight to each
scale, from 1 to 5. Five numerically coded boxes using a simple 5-point Likert scale for each
assessment was provided to respondents.

To minimize the threats to validity, the questionnaires were prepared based on comprehensive
knowledge in the research area and by consulting other professionals and experts with experience
in the area of study to incorporate their feedback and ensure that the final instrument appropriate
to measure what it was supposed to measure. Besides, for measuring internal consistency and its
associated reliability of the instruments used in the study, Cronbach alpha was calculated and the
results in each category of scales were higher than 0.70, indicating high reliability of the scale
items in the instruments.
In addition to questionnaires, interviews were conducted by the researcher (himself) with the
officials at the top level management positions in the sampled public universities in order to elicit
an in-depth and pertinent data for the purpose of triangulating the results from quantitative data.

Data Sources
In Ethiopia, currently, there are 31 public higher education institutions with full pledged
university status accomplishing their mission of teaching, research and community services. Eight
of these public universities are relatively old and organizationally well established. Three of them
were promoted (as of 2007) from colleges to the level of university with adequately reasonable
organizational development status and the rest of these public universities were newly established
and started functioning from scratch as of 2007. In this study, therefore, those public universities
which started their education and training programs from scratch as of 2007 G.C were excluded
because they were considered as very immature to provide sufficient data required to meet the
objectives of the study. Subsequently, the data sources for this study were three randomly selected
universities from the stratas of those public universities which were believed to be relatively old
and organizationally well established and from those of which were promoted from colleges to
the level of university. Addis Ababa University, Jimma University and Dilla University were the
sampled universities for this study.

Accordingly, the primary sources of data for this study were these sampled universities top
level management team members, faculty/college/school deans and administrative units’ directors,
department/program heads, academic staff members, non academic staff members and graduating
year students.

Educational Planning 22 Vol. 22, No. 2

Samples and Sampling Procedures
A combination of appropriate sampling techniques was employed for the study to suit each
group of respondents from management positions, from students, from academic and
administrative staff. Accordingly, in this study samples from academic staffs were selected using
stratified cluster sampling via categorizing them by their academic rank within their natural
clusters of Colleges/Faculties/Schools. This sampling technique guarantees that the sample will
include specific characteristics that the researcher wants included in the sample (Creswell, 2012, p.
144).

Besides, one-stage cluster sampling method was used to select officials from middle and
lower level management positions (i.e. Deans, Directors, Division Heads) by categorizing the
clusters based on their colleges/faculties/schools and listing all the clusters in the target
population. Then clusters for this study were included by employing simple random sampling
technique. On top of that, respondents from administrative staff were selected by using purposeful
sampling technique, as it provided the researcher an opportunity to derive an in-depth
understanding from information-rich cases on issues that were important to the purpose of the
study (Patton, 2002).

Furthermore, for the purpose of this study respondents from the graduating year students were
selected by employing multistage cluster sampling technique, as the sampled universities had
multiple dispersal located campuses based on their natural clustering in academic
Colleges/Faculties/Schools. Cluster sampling technique is normally used to overcome problems
associated with a geographically dispersed population where it is expensive in time and resources
to construct a sampling frame for a large geographical area (Lodico, Spaulding & Voegtle, 2006).
Top level officials -Academic and Research Vice Presidents, and Directors of Quality Assurance
in the sampled universities were also selected using purposeful sampling technique as they were
believed by the researcher to be key informants for the interviews.

All in all, the dominant sampling technique employed in this study was cluster sampling (one
of the probability sampling techniques) in its various forms (i.e. one stage, multi stage and
stratified cluster sampling techniques) as each of them applies to select respondents from different
groups and institutional levels.

Data Analysis
In this study the qualitative data were used for triangulation purpose to see whether they
support or refute results from statistical analysis of quantitative data. Thus, qualitative and
quantitative data were analyzed based on concurrent mixed method approach by merging both
quantitative and qualitative databases for example numbers and text (Creswell, 2012). The
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 15) computer software was used for analyzing
the quantitative data part. For quantitative data the researcher used the Mean as a measure of
central tendency (as the study comprised of a large sample size) to describe, and summarize the
data in a simple and understandable manner.

When it comes to inferential statistics which are so important to draw inferences or make
predictions about the population, the two most important considerations for choosing between the
parametric and nonparametric families in survey analysis are sample size and the type of scale
used in the survey questionnaire (Pallant, 2007). In this regards, the study employed large sample
size but the scale type used to collect quantitative data was Five-point Likert-scale. However,
since there is an assumption that a Likert scale database could not satisfy a normality distribution,
and hence the non-parametric tests which are distribution free were applied as inferential statistical
techniques to determine whether there was any difference between or among the comparison
groups.

The non parametric statistical techniques used to test group differences in this study were the
Mann-Whitney U test which is the non-parametric alternative of t-test and the Kruskal-Wallis H
test which is the non-parametric alternative of ANOVA. The Mann–Whitney U test is used to

Educational Planning 23 Vol. 22, No. 2

compare two independent samples when data are either interval scale but assumptions for t-test
(normality) are not satisfied, or ordinal (ranked) scale. The non-parametric alternative of one-way
ANOVA is Kruskal–Wallis and is used for ordinal data, or an interval-scale variable, which are
not normally distributed (Creswell, 2012; Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007; McCrum-Gardner,
2008; Pallant, 2007).

Besides this, interviews were analysed using typological analysis approach. Typological
analysis approach is done by dividing all information collected through interviews into categories
on the basis of some canon for disaggregating the whole phenomenon under study (LeCompte &
Preissle, 1993). Thus, the interview data were disaggregated, labelled and summarized into
categories and themes based on the attributes of successful institutional strategic planning and
strategy implementation practices in universities (emanated from existing theories and empirical
studies) and, accordingly, as posed by the researcher in the initial interview guiding questions.
Hence, in this study the analysis of quantitative data was done first and followed by qualitative
data (interviews) analysis in the form of texts and quotes to triangulate and/or corroborate the
results and, finally to identify overall converged findings.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The respondents for this study consisted of management team members (Vice Presidents,
Deans, Directors, and Heads); staff members (from both academic and administrative staff
members); and graduating year (final year) students from various areas of study. From a total of
124 questionnaires distributed to those who were working in management positions in the sampled
universities 104 (83%) were completed and returned. Out of the 310 questionnaires distributed to
staff (both academic and administrative) 241(77.7%) were completed and returned. Moreover,
from the 720 questionnaires distributed to students 570 (79.2%) were returned. In general, from a
total of 1,154 questionnaires distributed to all of the respondents categories, 915 (79.3%) were
returned and these responses were used in the data analysis process.

Research Question 1.
What is the practice of institutional strategic planning in public universities of Ethiopia?
For the data analysis purpose of this study, the values of the responses below 3 were
considered as disagreements, the values of 3 were considered as neutral (indicating neither agree
nor disagree) and values above 3 were considered as agreements. If we compute for the average
value by summing up all the assigned values for the response alternatives under each of the items
within the 5-point Likert scale questionnaires and dividing the result to the total of 5 alternatives
provided we can get an average value of 3 (i.e. 5+4+3+2+1=15/5=3). Based on this assumption,
for this study a mean value greater than 3 indicates agreement while a mean value less than 3
indicates disagreement. For quantitative data the mean responses of respondents were compared
and judged against these values. Here, the analysis of quantitative data was done first and
followed by qualitative data analysis in the form of texts and quotes to triangulate and/or
corroborate the results of quantitative data and to finally draw the overall converged findings as
presented in the following part.

Educational Planning 24 Vol. 22, No. 2

Clearly describes the institution's 2 3 2 3
opportunity from its external environment . . . .
9 4 6 0
6 7 3 0
Clearly describes threats to the
Table 1: Strategic planning Practice institution 3 3 2 2
from its external environment . . . .
Overall
0 AAU JU2 DU 6 9
Variables Under Strategic Planning Process Mean
0 9 7 7
Mean Mean Mean
Activities and programs are consistent with 2 3 2 3
Existence of Strategic Plan 3.36 3.85 2.96
the goals and objectives of the institution . . . 3.37 .
Stakeholders participation in strategic planning 9 2.71 3.15
5 2.44 6 2.75 0
Clearly indicates the institution's strengths and weaknesses 4 3.06 3.49
2 2.61 9 3.03 3
Clearly describes
Activities the institution's
and programs areopportunity
clearly from its external 2 3 23 3
2.96 3.47 2.63
environment
prioritized according to the vision and . . . .
Clearly describes threats to the institution from its external
mission 8 5 6 2.97 0
3 3.29 2.67
environment 9 4 5 0
Activities
Overall Meanand onprograms
Strategicare consistent
Planning with the goals and objectives of
Process 2 3 2 3.03 3
2.94 3.52 2.69
the institution . . . .
Activities and programs are clearly prioritized according to the vision9 4 6 0
2.89 3.54 2.65 3
and mission 8 8 7 1
Overall Mean on Strategic Planning Process 2.98 3.48 2.67 3.01

Keys: AAU=Addis Ababa University; JU=Jimma University; DU=Dilla University; Question

response scale: 5 = strongly agree; 4 = agree; 3 = neither agree nor disagree; 2 = disagree; and
1 = strongly disagree.

The results in Table 1 indicate that the mean ratings of respondents from JU were in
agreement that their institution carried out its strategic planning by applying all the key
dimensions required for the successful strategic planning process (Over all Mean= 3.48). At the
same time the mean ratings of respondents from DU indicated that they were in disagreement

(Over all Mean=2.67), signifying that their institution carried out its strategic planning without
adequately applying all the key dimensions and indicators required for successful strategic
planning process. Even they were not in a position to agree about the very existence of strategic
plan for their institution (M=2.96).

When it comes to AAU the respondents agreed that their institution have a strategic plan; the
strategic plan has clearly indicated the institution's strengths and weaknesses; and it has clearly
described threats to the institution from its external environment. However, they disagreed on the
views that there was adequate stakeholders’ participation in strategic planning; the strategic plan
clearly described their institution's opportunity from its external environment; the activities and
programs were consistent with the goals and objectives of the institution; and the activities and
programs were clearly prioritized according to the vision and mission of their institution (see
Table 1).

When we see the overall mean (in Table 1) for all the three sampled universities, the two main
aspects necessary for successful strategic planning process such as stakeholders participation in
strategic planning process (M=2.75), and clearly identifying the threats from its external
environment in the strategic planning process (M=2.97) were in problem indicating that these
public universities in Ethiopia were not sensitive to their institutions ever-changing external
environments (see Table 1). Nevertheless the challenges arising both from internal and external
environments of these days’ universities require forward-looking, proactive management strategies
by the leaders. The results in Table 1 have also indicated that the sampled public universities in
Ethiopia did not take advantage of giving adequate chance for the participation of as many
stakeholders as possible in their strategic planning process.

In order to check whether there is significant difference between the responses of the two
independent groups (managers and non managers) about the practices related to strategic planning
in theirEducational
universities,Planning 25
the Mann-Whitney U Test was performed Vol. 22,
(as can be seen in Table No. 2
2 below).
Ethiopia did not take advantage M of giving adequate chance for 1 the participation
9 of as many 0
a
stakeholders as possible in their strategic planning process. 2 . 0
n 0
In order to check whether there a is significant difference between the0 responses of the two
independent groups (managers andgnon managers) about the practices related to strategic planning
in their universities, the Mann-Whitneye U Test was performed (as can be seen in Table 2 below).
r
Table 2: The Strategic Planning s Practice within the sampled universities as Perceived by
Managers and Non Managers (Mann-WhitneyM U Test) 1 4
a 0 3
Item nR 4
N 3
M Significance
Significance Test
Test
Item Respondents
ae Category N MnR .n
M Z S
gs 6
R Man Whitney U Test Z Sig.
a i
ep 4
Non Managers 811 461.12 n g
Strategic Planning Practices ro 39639 -1 0.318 .
Managers sn 104 433.64
W
d h
Key: Significance Level: *P≤ e0.05; MnR=Median Rank; Managers=Respondents i from
management positions; Non Managers=Respondents
n of Staff and Students. t
t n
As can be seen in Table 2 the significance
s levels obtained are not less thane or equal to 0.05, so
the results are not significant. According to these results there is no statistically y significant
difference in the perception of both C managers and non managers regarding practices related
strategic planning in their institutions. a U
t
Moreover, to check whether there e is significant difference across the three T universities in their
performance practices related to strategic g planning, the Kruskal-Wallis Testewas used.
o s
Table 3: Comparison of Strategic rPlanning Practices among the sampled tUniversities (Kruskal-
Wallis H Test) y
Item UD N3 M3 Significa
U 2 Significance
4 Test
ItemStrategic N
Universities n N8 MR 4 R 3 nce Test - .
Planning o i 1 66 X2 6 9 X df Sig.1 d S
3
Practices
Strategic Planning Practices AAU n v 1
312 453.761 . 6
2
. f i1
among the three sampled JU e 277 594.43 132.657 1 2 0 g
universities r 3 .
DU 326 346.13
s
Keys: Significance Level *P≤ 0.05; AAU=Addis i Ababa University; JU=Jimma University;
DU=Dilla University; MR=Mean Rank; t
i
As can be seen in Table 3 the significance e levels obtained are less than 0.05, so the results are
significant. According to these results there s is statistically significant difference across the three
sampled public universities in their performance practices related to strategic planning, as
perceived by the respondents. Based on this A conclusion, to identify
3 which
4 university is in a better
position, the researcher has inspected the mean A rank for the three
1 sampled 5 universities in Table 3.
Accordingly, an inspection of the mean ranks U for these groups
2 suggests
3 that Jimma University is
in a better position in terms of strategic planning practices (see Table 3). 1
.
Strategic Planning 3
7 .
Practices among the
To substantiate the findings from the preceding quantitative data6 analysis concerning 2 issues 0
three sampled
related to strategic planning practices, interviews were carried . 2
J 2 out with5 the officials at the senior 0
universities
management levels across the sampled universities. In this connection, 6
U 7 9 my interviewees from a 0
senior leadership positions at Dilla University have witnessed 5 to strategic
7 the problems
4 related
planning practices in this university by stating as: 7
.
Strategic planning in this university was not seen as a priority issue 4 in comparison to other
day to day managerial routines. According to these interviewees, 3 for the last four years,
officials in various top leadership positions had been talking about the preparation of
strategic plan but they were not committed about it as they were for other routine activities
and decisions. However, as to them, though the strategic planning process completed and
ready for implementation, the vision and missions of the university were not adequately
shared with Planning
Educational all the concerned stakeholders. (ILM-DU).
26 Vol. 22, No. 2
related to strategic planning practices, interviews were carried out with the officials at the senior
management levels across the sampled universities. In this connection, my interviewees from a
senior leadership positions at Dilla University have witnessed the problems related to strategic
planning practices in this university by stating as:
Strategic planning in this university was not seen as a priority issue in comparison to other
day to day managerial routines. According to these interviewees, for the last four years,
officials in various top leadership positions had been talking about the preparation of
strategic plan but they were not committed about it as they were for other routine activities
and decisions. However, as to them, though the strategic planning process completed and
ready for implementation, the vision and missions of the university were not adequately
shared with all the concerned stakeholders. (ILM-DU).

This result suggests that the issue of strategic plan in DU is the almost forgotten aspect of
institutional management activities. This is contrary to other academic institutions that cope up
effectively with and adapt to the rapidly changing interests of their internal and external
environments. This result from the analysis of interview data also affirmed the results of
quantitative data (as indicated in Table 1) regarding strategic planning practice in Dilla University.

Another interviewee from the top level leadership position in Addis Ababa University,
concerning the practice and process of strategic planning in his university, explains that:
Yes we have five years strategic plan with clearly stated vision, missions and values. In my
view there was participation of concerned stakeholders in strategic planning process but I
have been hearing here and there that academic community were complaining that the
involvement major stakeholders was not adequate in the first place and was not continuous
practice. He went on saying that I can assure you that we have good strategic plan
consisted of all its major aspects (as a document) but it was not responsive to these days
environmental dynamisms as it was not open to continuous revision. Another problem,
according to this interviewee, was that in his university all of the decisions (both strategic
and routine) which had been made were completely ignored what was identified as the
preferred strategic direction and its associated objectives and activities in the strategic
plan document of this university. Hence, according to him, strategic plan in Addis Ababa
University was more of a formality (ILM-AAU1).

From the results (of both quantitative and qualitative data) discussed above, it is recognizable
that, in Addis Ababa University, the pressing problems related to its strategic planning practice
were inadequacy of stakeholders participation and its inability to proactively assessing and
predicting changes in its external environment.

Generally, the overall merged findings concerning strategic planning practice and process
(from the above analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data) across the sampled public
universities indicate that:
• The stakeholders (staff, students, employers, etc.) participation in strategic planning
process and practices in these sampled public universities was found to be low and
inadequate.
• There was also less emphasis given to assess their external environment in order to
clearly identify the opportunities (to build on them) and threats (to reduce their
negative impact). Hence, the prioritized strategic issues and objectives of these
public universities strategic plans were highly affected by frequently changing
interests and policy directions from the government and other external forces.

Contrary to these findings, the literature suggests that successful strategic planning is
inclusive, allowing every major stakeholders-the management, teaching and research staff, support
staff, students, the council, and other interested parties and stakeholders-an opportunity to
participate (Hayward, Ncayiyana, & Johnson, 2003). Moreover, shared governance is not one of
the unique features of colleges and universities; it is also part of what makes campus operations
effective. It is the lack of participation and the resulting distrust and power struggles that lead to
the failure of the strategic planning process in many colleges and universities (Rowley &
Sherman, 2001).
Educational
Scholars Planning
also suggest 27
that the leaders’ (in collaboration Vol.and
with the planning team 22,concerned
No. 2
stakeholders) readiness and commitment to continuously assess their institution’s external
effective. It is the lack of participation and the resulting distrust and power struggles that lead to
the failure of the strategic planning process in many colleges and universities (Rowley &
Sherman, 2001).

Scholars also suggest that the leaders’ (in collaboration with the planning team and concerned
stakeholders) readiness and commitment to continuously assess their institution’s external
environment and proactively accommodate changes occurring outside their institution is a crucial
step to success in these days’ ever changing academic landscape. Effective planning in universities
involves an internal focus on the campus and an external focus on the environment. The
challenges arising both from internal and external environments of the current universities require
forward-looking, proactive management strategies by the leaders. It is difficult to envision a
higher education institution committed to continuously improving its services without having a
strategic plan with clearly identified opportunities (to build on them) and threats (to reduce their
expected negative impacts) accompanied with the culture of continuous assessment from the
external environment. The basic strengths of strategic planning are its abilities to help better align
the organization with its environment (that set of internal and external forces that can positively or
negatively affect the activities of an organization (Rowley & Sherman, 2001).

Research Question 2.
How were the institutional strategies implemented in public universities of Ethiopia?
Without successful implementation, an organization’s preferred strategy is nothing more than
a dream. Regarding the strategy implementation practices in sampled universities both quantitative
and qualitative data were collected from respondents at management positions, staff members
(both academic and administrative) and students. Table 4 indicates the results of quantitative data
and for the data analysis purpose of this study the values of the responses below 3 were considered
as disagreements, the values of 3 considered as neutral (indicating neither agree nor disagree) and
values above 3 were considered as agreements. Hence, the mean responses of respondents were
compared and judged against these values. Just in a similar way to the analysis procedures carried
out above, in this part also the analysis of quantitative data was done first and followed by
qualitative data analysis in the form of texts and quotes to triangulate and/or corroborate the
results of quantitative data and to finally draw the overall converged findings as put in the
following part.

Table 4: Strategy Implementation Practices

AAU JU DU
Variable A
Variables Under Strategy Implementation
J D O
Overall
s Under A U Mean U Mean Mean Meanve
Strategy U ral
Responsibility for the implementation of strategic plan is communicated
2.63 2.93 2.03 2.53
to the staff
Mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of strategic plan are in
2.41 3.09 2.21 2.57
place
Mean on . . . 50
Major decisions and activities are carried
Strategy 3 out as per the strategic
0 plan 2.26 1 3.03 2.24 2.51
Impleme
Resources allocated are adequate to6 implement the strategic4plan 2.3 9 3.07 2.16 2.51
ntation
There is a practice of updating the strategic plan periodically 2.21 3.08 2.29 2.53
Practices
Overall Mean on Strategy Implementation Practices 2.36 3.04 2.19 2.5

Question response scale: 5 = strongly agree; 4 = agree; 3 = neither agree nor disagree; 2 =
disagree; and 1 = strongly disagree
Keys: AAU=Addis Ababa University; JU=Jimma University; DU=Dilla University
Source: Primary Data

The results in Table 4 show that as to the respondents from the staff and management
positions of AAU and DU the responsibility for the implementation of strategic plan was not
adequately communicated to the staff. According to them mechanisms for monitoring the
implementation of strategic plan were also not in place in their institutions. They did not also
agree that major decisions and activities were carried out as per the strategic plan in their
institutions. For them resources allocated were also inadequate to implement all the activities as
stipulated in their Planning
Educational institutions strategic plan. Above
28 all, in these two universities
Vol. there was
22, No. 2 no
practice of updating the strategic plan periodically (see Table 4). From this it can be deduced that
tdisagree; and 1 = strongly o disagree 4 7
rKeys: AAU=Addis Ababa n University; JU=Jimma
1 University;
5 DU=Dilla University
Source:
a Primary Data .
t M 5
e The results in Table a 4 show that as to the respondents1 from the staff and management
positions
g of AAU andn DU the responsibility for the implementation of strategic plan was not
adequately
y communicateda to the staff. According to them mechanisms for monitoring the
implementation of strategic g plan were also not in place in their institutions. They did not also
agree
I that major decisionse and activities were carried out as per the strategic plan in their
institutions.
m For themr resources allocated were also inadequate to implement all the activities as
stipulated
p in their institutions
s strategic plan. Above all, in these two universities there was no
practice
l of updating the
M strategic plan periodically
1 (see1Table 4). From this it can be deduced that
strategy
e implementation a processes in the
0 sampled universities
6 were affected
1 by the lack of clear
communication
m of then what, the where, 4 and the how 7aspects of strategy
1 implementation to the
staff. -
e a . 9 .
.
n g 1 2 4
As can be seen ein Table 4 JU was somehow better 7
t 9 than the other 7 sampled universities in 7
strategy implementation aspects and practices. However, JU has . also acute problems 1 of
a r 6
communicating responsibilities for the implementation of strategic plan to the 3 before
staff
t s 5
beginning
i its implementation process (Mean=2.93), and more or less 0 in carrying out major
decisions
o and activities as per strategic plan.
n
To check whether there was significant difference between the responses of the two independent
groups
P (managers and non managers) on practices related to strategy implementation, the Mann-
Whitney
r U Test was performed (see Table 5).
a
Table
c 5: Strategy Implementation Practices as Perceived by Managers and Non Managers
(Mann-Whitney
t U Test)
i Significance Test
cItems R Respondents Category N N MnR
M Significance Test
Man Whitney U Test Z Sig.
e e n M Z S
IsStrategy Implementation s Non Managers 241 175.51
R
tPractices p 11927.5 a -0.713 0.476 i
Managers 104 167.19 n g
e o .
m
Key: Significance nLevel: *P≤ 0.05; MnR=Median Rank; Managers=Respondents W from
s
management positions;d Non Managers=Respondents from Staff (academic h and administrative),
e
excluding Student respondents. i
n t
As can be seen int Table 5 the significance levels obtained are not less n than or equal to 0.05, so
s
the results are not significant. According to these results there is eno statistically significant
difference in the perception of both managers and non managers regarding y practices related
strategy implementation C in their institutions. In addition, the Kruskal-Wallis Test was carried out
to check whether there a is significant difference across the three sampled U universities in their
performance practicest related to strategy implementation as perceived by the respondents,.
e T
g
Table 6: Strategy Implementation Practices among the sampled Universities e as perceived by the
respondents (Kruskal-Wallis o H Test) s
r t
Items y U N M Significa
n R nce Test
i X d S
2
v f i
e g
r .

Educational Planning 29 Vol. 22, No. 2

 J
to check whether there is significant difference 1
across the three 2
sampled 5 in their
universities
Strategy U 0 3 9
performance practices related to strategy implementation as perceived by the respondents,. .
Implementation 6 3 . 0
2
Practices .
Table 6: Strategy Implementation Practices among the sampled Universities as perceived7 by the 0
respondents (Kruskal-Wallis H Test) 6 2 0
5 9
D 1 1 Significance Test
Items
Items U
Universities N N M Significa
U
n 2 MR 3 RX
2
dfnce Test
Sig.
i 6 5
AAU 113 157.44. X d S
2
v f i
Strategy Implementation Practices JU
e 106 233.659 59.729 2 0 g
r 3
DU 126 135.93 .
Keys: Significance Level *P≤ 0.05; AAU=Addis Ababa University; JU=Jimma University;
DU=Dilla University; MR=Mean Rank;

As can be seen in Table 6 the significance levels obtained are less than 0.05, so the results are
significant. According to these results there is statistically significant difference across the three
sampled public universities in their performance practices related to strategy implementation as
perceived by the respondents. Based on this conclusion, to identify which university is in a better
position, the researcher has inspected the mean rank for the three sampled universities in Table 6.
Accordingly, an inspection of the mean ranks for these groups suggests that Jimma University is
in a better position in terms of strategy implementation practices (see Table 6).
To corroborate the findings from the preceding quantitative data analysis concerning issues related
to strategy implementation practices, the data collected through interviews were analyzed as
follows.

Accordingly, one of the interviewee from senior leadership position at AAU explained as
follows:
I can assure you that we had smart strategic plan as a document but when it comes to the
implementation aspect of the strategic plan amazingly our university did not follow the
strategy set out in it and all of the activities we had been doing were not in accordance to the
objectives and preferred strategies set in the strategic plan. The strategic plan document was
saying something and we have been doing some other thing. We haven’t been strategic in
carrying out our missions and objectives, but busy with responding to day to day routines.
Our staff had been confused with frequently changed priority areas of the university on the
one hand side and inadequacy of clearly communicating to them these ever changing priority
areas and activities on the other hand side. So I could say that we had been totally engaged
in crises management than proactive leadership towards our preferred strategic direction
(ILM-AAU2).

Another interviewee from the senior leadership position at DU said the following:

We had been dwelling mostly in the issues which were not considered as strategic for our
university. Even at the top management level we were debating in silly and routine issues. I
doubt to say that we had shared vision. In general, I could say that we had been perturbed
with giving priority to routine issues than strategic issues with a significant influence for
betterment of our university (ILM-DU2).

One interviewee from the senior management position at JU described the practices and problems
of strategy implementation in their institution as follows:
We had clearly stipulated priorities and strategies in our strategic plan document. We had
been committed to successfully accomplish them. However, our major challenges have been
accommodating the frequently changing external pressures and policy interests and
directions of the government with our already prioritized strategic issues which required us
to change somehow our already prioritized mission areas. He further went on saying that
this situation has been affecting steady operation of our university (ILM-JU1).

The interview results discussed above indicate that strategy implementation practices in these
publicEducational
universities Planning
had been troubled with problems 30 that vary with the specific context
Vol. 22,ofNo. 2 of
each
the universities, but still they all share many problems of strategy implementation in common. If
 directions of the government with our already prioritized strategic issues which required us
to change somehow our already prioritized mission areas. He further went on saying that
this situation has been affecting steady operation of our university (ILM-JU1).

The interview results discussed above indicate that strategy implementation practices in these
public universities had been troubled with problems that vary with the specific context of each of
the universities, but still they all share many problems of strategy implementation in common. If
we take AAU, it was highly engaged in crises management than focusing on the implementation
of their preferred strategies and significant activities. In this institution strategies were identified
for the sake of identification only. AAU is going to somewhere that cannot help it to win its
competitive and strategic advantages in this globalized and highly competitive higher education
environment. DU had no adequately shared vision and excellence areas let alone thinking about
strategic positioning. JU had clearly shared vision with intensely identified priorities and strategies
but its implementation practices were affected by volatility of the policy directions and pressures
from higher education system management level which is external to the institution. This is the
same as Taylor & Miroiu (2002) assertion that in higher education, commonly, much effort is
deployed in the development of strategic plans; much less in ensuring effective implementation.

The overall findings regarding the strategy implementation practices across the sampled
public universities summarized as follows:
• There was weak communication of responsibilities for the implementation of
preferred strategies (as they were stipulated in their institutions strategic plans) to the
staff (both academic and administrative).
• Lack of adequate monitoring, follow up and feedback mechanisms (by the
management position holders and concerned others from top to lower levels in these
sampled universities) for checking and supporting the strategy implementation
practices of the staff (both academic and administrative);
• Leaders of these sampled universities frequently making major decisions without
referring to and aligning them with the major objectives and preferred areas of
priority (i.e. their preferred strategic directions) as indicated in their institutions
strategic plans;
• Leaders of these universities did not adequately share their institution’s vision and
preferred excellence areas where they were heading to all concerned stakeholders
(staff, students, employers, and the like).
• Fluctuations of preferred institutional strategic issues, priorities and strategies as a
result of frequently changing policy directions at the nation’s higher education
system level and other external environment related pressures and resultant
confusions by the universities communities.

Nevertheless, as scholars in the area of higher education management suggest that

implementing the plan brings commitment, focus and direction. Implementation of strategic plan
is the key to making everything else functional (Wilkinson, et al., 2007). To formulate strategies
without some serious thoughts toward implementation seems a serious waste of the strategists’
time (Hambrick & Cannella, 1989). No organization anywhere in the world has ever added a
single penny to its profits from making plans: the rewards are only realized when plans are
implemented (Hussey, 1998). The implementation of strategy is arguably the most important stage
in the process of strategic planning for one reason: Without successful implementation, an
organization’s strategy is really nothing more than a fantasy. Hence, if the universities did not
implement the strategies they identified what was the purpose of strategy formulation? It is simply
a waste of time, talent and energy as well as other resources.

CONCLUSION
The results of this study indicate that, in the sampled public universities, stakeholders’
participation in the process of strategic planning was found to be low. There was less emphasis
given to critically assessing their ever changing external environment while planning. The practice
of clearly communicating their preferred strategies and activities to both academic and
administrative staff was found to be minimal and ineffective. There was also lack of adequate
monitoring, follow up and feedback systems. Moreover, major decisions were made without
aligning them to the institution’s preferred priority areas and objectives as stipulated in the
Educational
strategic Planning
plan document. 31 that reaching to their preferred
Thus, it could be inferred Vol. 22, No. 2
strategic
direction in these public universities might be negatively affected and as a result, their prioritized
organization’s strategy is really nothing more than a fantasy. Hence, if the universities did not
implement the strategies they identified what was the purpose of strategy formulation? It is simply
a waste of time, talent and energy as well as other resources.

CONCLUSION
The results of this study indicate that, in the sampled public universities, stakeholders’
participation in the process of strategic planning was found to be low. There was less emphasis
given to critically assessing their ever changing external environment while planning. The practice
of clearly communicating their preferred strategies and activities to both academic and
administrative staff was found to be minimal and ineffective. There was also lack of adequate
monitoring, follow up and feedback systems. Moreover, major decisions were made without
aligning them to the institution’s preferred priority areas and objectives as stipulated in the
strategic plan document. Thus, it could be inferred that reaching to their preferred strategic
direction in these public universities might be negatively affected and as a result, their prioritized
missions’ accomplishment and achieving strategic goals and objectives could not be reached. This
could also lead to the conclusion that these sampled public universities might lack strategic
leadership competencies to deploy the human talents and material resources of their institutions
towards the effective implementation of their prioritized strategies in strategic planning.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Considering the significance of the findings of this study, the following recommendations
are made:
• For the successful implementation of strategic plan, all the stakeholders who play
significant roles in its implementation must be involved in the planning process.
Successful strategic planning must include the major parties--management, teaching
and research staff, support staff, students, the board, and other interested parties.
• The importance of strategic planning is its ability to better align the university with
its environment (that set of internal and external forces that can positively or
negatively affect the university’s activities). Hence, while they are in their strategic
planning process, the leaders of public universities of Ethiopia are expected to give
high emphasis to an in-depth scanning and assessment of their institutions’ ever-
changing external environment to take advantage of opportunities and to reduce
outside threats by making informed decisions.
• Since a university’s vision is a directing force with a powerful inspirational and
integration effect of all stakeholders to the preferred future of the institution, the
leaders of public universities of Ethiopia need to have a clearly articulated and
shared institutional vision with all concerned stakeholders especially the staff (both
academic and administrative), students, the government and other employers.
• Without successful implementation, a good strategy is nothing more than a simple
desire. Therefore, it is recommended that the leaders and management team of the
public universities in Ethiopia need to:

 Clearly communicate the responsibilities of the staff (both academic and

administrative) toward the university’s prioritized strategic issues and
preferred strategies before starting full-fledged implementation process of
the strategic plan,
 Introduce adequate monitoring, follow up and evaluation mechanisms for
the strategy implementation practices. The aim is to assess progress made
towards the achievement of the strategic targets and also for updating and
revision of plans based on the feedback,
 Refer to the major objectives and priorities in their strategic plans when
they are making major decisions.

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Educational Planning 32 Vol. 22, No. 2

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they are making major decisions.

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