Title:
MEDIATION EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE ADAPTABILITY ON SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: EVIDENCE FROM TANZANIA’S PUBLIC SECTOR

Authors:
Dr. Frankie Nkone and Dr. Edwin Rutalebwa, Tanzania

Abstract:
Successful implementation of strategic plans remains a persistent challenge in public sector organizations. Grounded in Balanced Scorecard theory, this study examines the impact of employee adaptability on strategic plan implementation and the mediating roles of employee morale and employee awareness of organizational goals in Tanzanian public sector organizations. Following a positivist research philosophy, a quantitative explanatory research design was adopted. Data were collected from 223 permanent employees using structured Likert-scale questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and reliability analysis were conducted in SPSS, while regression-based parallel mediation analysis was performed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in R with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Results indicate that employee adaptability does not have a significant direct effect on strategic plan implementation when mediators are included. However, it positively influences both employee morale and awareness of organizational goals, which in turn significantly enhances strategic plan implementation. Bootstrapped mediation analysis confirm that these variables fully mediated the relationship between employee adaptability and successful strategic plan implementation. The findings suggest that employee adaptability contributes directly to strategic execution by fostering morale and goal awareness. This underscores the importance of aligning learning and growth capabilities with employee attitudes and strategic alignment mechanisms. The study offers practical implications for policymakers and public sector leaders seeking to improve strategic plan implementation through employee-centred approaches.