The major focus and question emanating from the research is: to what extent do the
operational action plans, policies, functions, procedures and activities as well as their
implementation within the Directorate: Student Admissions and Registrations correlate with
the strategic objectives of the University of South Africa (Unisa)? In alignment with the
above, the major challenge of the study was to identify adequate and appropriate
approaches to ensure appropriate correlation levels between strategic objectives and their
successful implementation relevant to the Directorate: Student Admissions and
Registrations.
The challenge of every Departmental Head is to turn theory into practice; to make
something happen and to translate strategic plans into real business results. This will be
accomplished only when there is synergy or connectivity between strategic and
operational planning towards effective implementation.
Various literature reviews and research topics on strategic management focus either on
strategic planning or strategic implementation as separate identities. Few publications
address the challenge of connecting the pursuit of strategic objectives with operational
plans. Even fewer literature reviews indicate the relationship or correlation levels between
strategic objectives and operational plans of an organisation; the desirable or appropriate
level thereof, to ensure the effective pursuit of strategic objectives. The outcomes of this
study could contribute to the identification of an appropriate approach and measurement
criteria to ensure connectivity/alignment between specific strategic objectives and
operational plans relevant to the Directorate: Student Admissions and Registrations. By
doing this, the strategic objectives are effectively and efficiently promoted to those
responsible for carrying out the execution plan. The researcher has adopted a comprehensively-integrated-aligned-strategic-processmanagement-
approach as part of the standardised operational plans of the Directorate:
Student Admissions and Registrations so as to ensure more effective and efficient
(appropriate) correlation levels in respect of specific strategic objectives relevant to the Directorate: Student Admissions and Registrations due to a lack of correlation in some
instances.
The above approach represents a total view of an organisation‟s strategic management
and control systems and consists of the strategic planning, operational plans and resultsmanagement
plans. The mentioned approach will also consist of a measurement criterion
which identifies critical enablers, dependencies and drivers to ensure vertical and
horizontal alignment in respect of original planning (the what and why) with the
implementation plans (when, how and by whom).The integrated-aligned-strategic-management-process-approach enforces the timely
availability of major enablers, dependencies and drivers necessary to support the
execution of activities, related to specific strategic objectives. It also identifies the possible
lack thereof prior to the implementation of strategic plans. Specific alternatives or
workarounds can be identified to ensure continuity in respect of the implementation
processes related to specific strategic objectives. In this way, the above approach will
enhance the effective and efficient management and coordination of an organisation to
drive intended strategic outcomes within a specific process, taking into account project
management-driven principles within a specific sequence of activities (grouping together
what belongs together). The latter will involve all roleplayers in the work situation
accountable for the implementation process (creating ownership). By doing this,
duplication and overlapping of activities will be eliminated and connectivity/alignment
between specific strategic objectives and their implementation will be enforced. The focus
falls on the entire key/core process and cycle, producing outcomes of success in respect
of the implementation of objectives (the right people will be doing the right things at the
right time).The integrated-aligned-strategic-management-process-approach enforces the timely
availability of major enablers, dependencies and drivers necessary to support the
execution of activities, related to specific strategic objectives. It also identifies the possible
lack thereof prior to the implementation of strategic plans. Specific alternatives or
workarounds can be identified to ensure continuity in respect of the implementation
processes related to specific strategic objectives. In this way, the above approach will
enhance the effective and efficient management and coordination of an organisation to
drive intended strategic outcomes within a specific process, taking into account project
management-driven principles within a specific sequence of activities (grouping together
what belongs together). The latter will involve all roleplayers in the work situation
accountable for the implementation process (creating ownership). By doing this,
duplication and overlapping of activities will be eliminated and connectivity/alignment
between specific strategic objectives and their implementation will be enforced. The focus
falls on the entire key/core process and cycle, producing outcomes of success in respect
of the implementation of objectives (the right people will be doing the right things at the
right time). The integrated-aligned-strategic-management-process-approach enforces the timely
availability of major enablers, dependencies and drivers necessary to support the
execution of activities, related to specific strategic objectives. It also identifies the possible
lack thereof prior to the implementation of strategic plans. Specific alternatives or
workarounds can be identified to ensure continuity in respect of the implementation
processes related to specific strategic objectives. In this way, the above approach will
enhance the effective and efficient management and coordination of an organisation to
drive intended strategic outcomes within a specific process, taking into account project
management-driven principles within a specific sequence of activities (grouping together
what belongs together). The latter will involve all roleplayers in the work situation
accountable for the implementation process (creating ownership). By doing this,
duplication and overlapping of activities will be eliminated and connectivity/alignment
between specific strategic objectives and their implementation will be enforced. The focus
falls on the entire key/core process and cycle, producing outcomes of success in respect
of the implementation of objectives (the right people will be doing the right things at the
right time). The integrated-aligned-strategic-management-process-approach enforces the timely
availability of major enablers, dependencies and drivers necessary to support the
execution of activities, related to specific strategic objectives. It also identifies the possible
lack thereof prior to the implementation of strategic plans. Specific alternatives or
workarounds can be identified to ensure continuity in respect of the implementation
processes related to specific strategic objectives. In this way, the above approach will
enhance the effective and efficient management and coordination of an organisation to
drive intended strategic outcomes within a specific process, taking into account project
management-driven principles within a specific sequence of activities (grouping together
what belongs together). The latter will involve all roleplayers in the work situation
accountable for the implementation process (creating ownership). By doing this,
duplication and overlapping of activities will be eliminated and connectivity/alignment
between specific strategic objectives and their implementation will be enforced. The focus
falls on the entire key/core process and cycle, producing outcomes of success in respect
of the implementation of objectives (the right people will be doing the right things at the
right time). / Public Administration & Management / M.A. (Public Administration)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:umkn-dsp01.int.unisa.ac.za:10500/6214 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Harding, Richard Cornelius |
| Contributors | Stroh, E. C., Pauw, J. C. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (xx, 214 leaves) : ill. |
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