Abstract:
The importance of achieving governmental goals within the spheres of government is
a valuable dimension of service delivery through which communities realise the
fulfilment of promises made by government. The strategic management process is
one of the tools to be used to achieve governmental goals. This study shows the
importance of using strategic management process in achieving governmental goals:
A case study of Limpopo Department of Agriculture. The problems and challenges
identified during the process are highlighted for probing. There is a need for the department to acknowledge and recognise the strategic management function by
fully utilising the process thereof in order to see its positive contribution to service
delivery. The following areas were investigated by the researcher; demographics profile of therespondents; the challenges in the development, implementation and evaluation of strategy; the importance of proper management of strategy; the role of strategy in achieving governmental goals, the mechanisms of communicating departmental
strategies. The collected data was categorised into themes and subthemes to
accommodate proper analysis and interpretation. In conclusion the study gave recommendations on how strategic management
processes can be improved through proper consultations both internally and
externally, effective communication processes, and bottom-up approach as part of
the consultation processes. It also indicated the importance of management team
taking ownership of the strategic management processes. However, the recommendations given are not cast in stone towards improving strategic management process. The senior management team of Limpopo Department of Agriculture should consider recommendations in this study together with other solutions to improve service delivery to the citizens of Limpopo in the agricultural sector.
