Aim of Research:

To determine the relative importance of Strategic/Corporate/Operational Planning & Integrated Budgeting, Performance Management Appraisal Systems and Human Resource Planning in the Public Sector.

Research Questions:

1. Why is Strategic Corporate Planning and Integrated Budgeting used in the public sector?
2. How important is the Strategic/Corporate Planning and Integrated Budgeting to the public sector? Stakeholders involved?
3. Is there congruency between human capital and organizational needs?
4. Is there an alignment between Strategic/Corporate Planning/Budgeting, human resource and PMAS?
5. What is the importance of Unit/Individual/Work Plans to the process?

Methodologies:

Observation, focus group discussions, interviews, questionnaires, surveys and evaluation of training seminars are the main methodologies.

Main Findings:

Most public sector staff is unfamiliar with the Strategic/Corporate Planning process, unaware of the existence of the plan(s), were never invited to a meeting nor trained. Most senior managers view the process as tedious/unnecessary and are s too busy to attend scheduled meetings.

Recommendations

1. Top-down approach to dissemination of Strategic/Operational/Budgeting process
2. Sensitization meetings with all levels of staff to establish buy-in and commitment.
3. Training sessions/workshops conducted throughout all public sector entities
4. Regular mandatory meetings conducted with persons held accountable and responsible for achievements of the Strategic/Corporate Planning and integrated budgeting process.
5. The mandatory utilization of the Strategic/Corporate Planning and integrated Budgeting document
6. The Performance Management System must be objective and used in conjunction with Strategic/Corporate/Operational/Unit/Individual Plan(s)
7. Culture change to the behaviour and approach to management public sector organizational design