MIDDLE LEVEL MANAGEMENT ROLE IN CHAMPIONING ALTERNATIVES AND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AMONG INSURANCE COMPANIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Middle level managers have a significant role in organizational strategic outcomes and activities particularly implementation of strategy. Middle level managers gather information and make sense of it in line with any issues relevant to organizational strategy making it the basis for strategic decisionmaking. Anchored on Open system theory, the study sought to establish the role of middle level management in championing alternatives and how it affects strategy implementation among insurance companies in Kenya. A descriptive research design was used. The study used the stratified random sampling technique to achieve sample population of 189 management staff in insurance companies in Kenya using Selfadministered questionnaires were used to obtain primary data. The validity of the research instruments was then checked using content and construct validity. The study found that communication and interpretation of strategies and organizational plans and objectives affected the strategy implementation in the organization to a great extent. The study concluded that championing alternatives had great effect on the strategy implementation among insurance companies in Kenya. The study recommended that the involvement of middle level management ought to at the very minimum be represented at the strategic planning stage as it increases ownership of the process by the middle level managers and cultivate a marked will to see the strategy succeed. The study further recommends that communication of the strategy to all stake holders including Middle level managers is paramount and that they ought to have direct access to the main decision making individuals or organs in the organisation.