An Assessment of the Performance of Strategic Plans in Ghanaian Universities: A Case Study of the University of Cape Coast and Christian Service University College

Abstract

The study used the descriptive research approach to assess the performance of the strategic plan implementation of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and Christian Service University College (CSUC) in Ghana. This research targeted middle-level managers including heads of departments, registrars, finance officers and union leaders. Methodologically, face-to-face interviews from 20 respondents were conducted to obtain primary data aided by an interview guide and this was complemented by secondary data. The results of the study showed that CSUC which is a private university recorded higher implementation rate of their strategic plan (85%) than UCC which is a public university with 70% due to committed staff, visible support from the President and reduced bureaucracies. The findings established that both UCC and CSUC did not prioritized monitoring and evaluation of their strategic plans. The findings on the barriers to strategy implementation showed that the major challenges encountered during the implementation of the strategic plans were: funding, resistance to change, low awareness by the key stakeholders. In order to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the strategic plans, the management of CSUC and UCC should adopt management practices that encourage effective communication among the top, middle, and bottom staff of their institutions. This will help bridge the gap between strategy formulators and implementers. Additionally, the institutional managers should ensure that annual budget always aligns with the strategic plan. The institutions should also use innovative strategies to generate alternative funding sources and these should be allocated to each of the key actions in the strategic plan.