Influence of Top Management Strategic Decisions on Effective Implementation of E-Learning in Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions in Western Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish influence of top management strategic decisions on effective implementation of e-learning in Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya. Studies on e-learning have become paramount and researchers have evaluated its challenges but have not sufficiently reversed the inconsistent implementation of e-learning. Efforts to overhaul education due to prolonged lockdown made the government enforce e-learning policy directive in TVET institutions across the country. Conversely, such directive has not yet yielded the expected change deliverables. Institutions actively engage in designing strategies but managerial attention to implementation of the strategies is usually low and inconsistent. Over 450 educational reforms have been adopted by OECD nations but fail to bring intended output. Such policies are non-specific and often lack focus during implementation phase, lack stakeholders' engagement and fail to address appropriate implementation models. Hence, policies formulated at national level find challenges at lower levels despite significant reforms made in the education sector. This paper aimed at unravelling how top management strategic decisions influences effective implementation of e-learning by; evaluating managements' characteristics and use of tactical decisions. Using the Mazmanian and Sabatier Theory, the study was conducted decisions of Principals, Deputy Principals, Heads of Departments and trainers in 14 Public TVET institutions in Kenya. The study sampled 356 units administered through questionnaire and structured interviews. Findings show significant influence of implementers characteristics and tactical decisions on implementation progress of e-learning in TVET {R² = .942, F(20,281) = 245.730, p = .000} where management with robust characteristics and tactical decisions were expected to have effective implementation progress, (R² = .942). Similarly, there was low level of tactical decisions with regard to technical, financial and human resource. The study concludes that institutional managements should realign their strategic decisions with implementation of policies in order to attain the overall goal of TVET. It is important for institutional managements to realign their strategic decisions with implementation of policies in order to attain the overall goal of TVET.