Effects of Strategic Planning on Project Performance: A Case of USAID Projects in Isiolo County

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of strategic planning on project performance, a case study of USAID projects in Isiolo County. The objectives of the study were to establish the existence of strategic planning processes at USAID projects in Isiolo County; to determine project performance measures at USAID projects and to establish the effects of strategic planning on project performance at USAID projects. A descriptive design was applied in the study to determine the relationship between the key variables. The study’s population for this study was 626 USAID projects employees. The target of the study were the 146 employees working at USAID projects in Isiolo County drawn from operations, finance and project management departments from which 73 respondents were sampled using stratified sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires and then analyzed using SPSS software. Frequency distributions, percentages and tables were used to present data. The findings indicated that USAID projects in Isiolo County met the required set standards and were completed on time, there is a project management schedule to ensure that the projects are completed on time. The study further revealed that USAID projects in Isiolo County provided economic benefits to the local community. The study concluded that USAID projects in Isiolo County were completed within budget and that they provided social benefits to the local community. Strategic planning practices were streamlined with the implementation of projects in USAID. This was through coordination with the organizational leadership. The study recommends that project teams should adopt project management practices to reflect the work associated with delivering the project on time. They should regularly compare the amount of money spent against the budgeted amount and report this information to the managers and stakeholders. The managers in the organization should be able to prioritize objectives to ensure proper allocation and use of resources.