Strategic Thinking and Planning for Innovation in Resource Governance: Insights from Zambia’s Mining Sector

In many emerging markets, strategic governance of resource-based sectors remains hindered by gaps between national policy ambitions and sectoral implementation. Zambia's Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development (MMMD) illustrates this challenge: its 2022–2026 Strategic Plan lacks full alignment with key priorities in the country's 8th National Development Plan, including mineral tax reforms, beneficiation, and artisanal mining development. This study examines the impact of managerial strategic thinking on planning outcomes under implementation constraints, aiming to develop a practical framework that enhances strategic planning in the MMMD and similar institutions in resource-driven emerging economies. Four key questions guide this inquiry: (1) what patterns of strategic thinking were evident among framers of the 2022–2026 plan? (2) How were strategic thinking dimensions applied across the planning phases? (3) What antecedents contributed to the misalignment of plans? (4) Why were specific dimensions emphasized over others? Using existential-phenomenological qualitative design, the study explores the lived experiences of MMMD planners through key informant interviews and focus groups, employing stratified purposeful sampling. This study employs a qualitative research approach and utilizes a comprehensive literature review as its primary methodology. The review focuses on existing academic publications, policy documents, government reports, industry analyses, and international frameworks related to resource governance, innovation, and strategic planning within the context of Zambia's mining sector. Data were analyzed through interpretive phenomenological and thematic analysis. The resulting strategic thinking framework informs more agile, innovation-driven planning approaches for mining governance in emerging markets.