The Impact of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems on the Implementation of Strategic Plans in Public Corporations in Nairobi, Kenya

The Government of Kenya has acknowledged the importance of state corporations for development since the country's independence to accelerate social and economic advancement, address regional economic imbalances, and increase the economic participation of Kenyans. The primary aim of the investigation is to explore the effects of monitoring and evaluation systems on strategic plan implementation within state corporations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Hence, the functioning of Kenyan State Corporations is crucial for the nation's macro- and microeconomic development. To fulfil the Public Service's role in achieving Vision 2030, the Kenyan government created a public sector transformation strategy along with other strategic plans. This investigation sought to determine the effect of monitoring and evaluation systems on the implementation of the strategic plan within state corporations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The investigation was guided by the theory of change, stakeholder, and systems theory. A descriptive study design guided the suggested assessment. The target population for the present investigation was the 248 state corporations within Nairobi City County, Kenya, as of 2023. The units of analysis were the state corporations, whereas the units of observation were the heads of the state corporations in the 248 state corporations. Employing a stratified random sampling approach, responses were generated randomly from amongst the heads of the corporations totalling one hundred and fifty-three 154 respondents. Primary data was gathered using the drop and pick method, and the instrument that was utilised was structured questionnaires. Findings revealed that data collection efficiency has an inverse and insignificant effect on strategic plan implementation. The coefficient for reporting, however, is 0.218, and its corresponding p-value is 0.027. The result depicts a positive and significant impact on strategy execution. Therefore, an increase in reporting by 1% would increase strategy execution by 0.218%. The coefficient for the feedback mechanism is 0.428, and its corresponding p-value is 0.000. The outcome also noted that data reporting demonstrated a positive and significant effect on strategic plan implementation. The feedback mechanism had a significant positive effect on strategic plan implementation within state corporations in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study recommends that the state-owned enterprises need to put in place standardised, institutionalised, timely, and open procedures for reporting data. These procedures should provide for the availability in real-time of performance data for all relevant managerial levels. The findings showed that feedback has a strong and significant positive effect on strategy execution success, with the focus placed on the fact that the feedback loop facilitates learning, adaptive management, and continuous improvement. In conclusion, the study proves that feedback mechanisms are essential in increasing the efficiency and responsiveness of the strategic plans of state corporations.