Strategic Management Practices Adopted By Rural Development Sector Of Afghanistan: From Planning To Implementation - A Descriptive Research

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the Strategic Management Practices formulated for the progress of the Rural development sector of Afghanistan and to critically analyze the effectiveness of the Strategic Management Practices implemented for the progress of the Rural development sector of Afghanistan.  The study has adopted both quantitative and qualitative methods by using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. In terms of quantitative data probability sampling technique (SRS) and for qualitative data collection non-probability sampling was applied. The target groups were top managers, middle managers, first-line managers, and lower-ranking staff, and were a total of 205 respondents from 21 directorates within the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). Both inferential and descriptive statistics by calculating the mean, standard deviation, and standard error of the mean for all variables and items of the study, conducting correlation analysis, testing the hypotheses, and conducting factor analysis were adopted. Findings of the research have shown that the elements of the strategic plan within MRRD have been developed, while performance indicators are something that needs further attention. Also, the research revealed that more that somehow the internal and external stakeholders were involved in the process of the strategic planning development, at the same the study reports on average the existence of resources within the MRRD. The findings of the research also revealed moderate positive and weak positive correlation among variables, and applying levels considering the formulation to the implementation process. Furthermore, the findings supported the hypothesis. This study declared the importance of the transition from the classic strategic planning process to the strategic management practices approach for the progress of the Rural development sector of Afghanistan public sector organizations and distinguished the strategic management approach as a crucial tool for the public sector to reach effectively and successfully to the organizational strategic and operational objectives, that should be considered as the key practical implication of this study. This is the first descriptive study to focus on the strategic management practices in the rural development sector and critically analyze findings by adopting inferential statistics to find an appropriate model, keeping in mind the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework, 2021-2025 as well as the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development strategic plan for 2017-2021. And, according to the world bank, the poverty rate is increasing in Afghanistan, and have got worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic which is up to 72 percent in 2020, and as reported the statistics show a terrible increase in the poverty line impacts more than 90% of the Afghan population in 2021/2022, while more than 71% of the Afghan population lives in the rural area.  Therefore, addressing the first goal of the SDGs Agenda 2030, the Afghan rural development sector’s vision is to reduce poverty across the country. And this study aims to critically analyze the strategic formulation to implementation development processes within MRRD by addressing the drawbacks, to help practitioners and strategists increase their competencies to formulate and implement more effective and better strategic plans in the future.