African Journal of Leadership and Development

Strategic Management Practices of Regional Level Public Sectors in Oromia Regional State: The Case of Selected Public Sectors

Libanos Semere Haile — 2025-06-10

Strategic management practices in the context of public service involve a systematic approach to decide the strategic direction of public sectors and implementing plans that promote effectiveness, accountability and responsiveness to the public. The objective of this study was to assess strategic management practice of selected public sectors at regional level in public sectors of Oromia Regional State. Quantitative and Qualitative approaches were employed in this study. Descriptive research design was also employed using quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources. The Primary data were collected from managers and employees of sample sectors using interviews and questionnaires respectively. Secondary data were obtained through review of relevant documents. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as percentage and mean. Qualitative data that were obtained from key informant interview, open ended questions of the questionnaire and reviewed document were analyzed using narrative description method. The analysis was also made by using logical arguments, triangulations and comparisons. Accordingly, the results reveal that public sectors had adequate attention to internal and external analysis with minor gaps in external analysis, public sectors were also reluctant to involve stakeholders in environmental scanning, stakeholders’ involvement in strategy formulation process was not exhaustive and as per the level expected, gaps were also there in the allocation of adequate resources and capacity building, poor reward system and employee turnover were also among the challenges in strategy management practices in the public sectors. In general, although the effort made to successfully implement the strategy management process is commendable, public sectors are expected to work more in their strategic management practice in a way they will be effective in achieving their strategic goals. As a result, it is recommended the involvement of stakeholders in strategic management process, capacity building of employees, adequate resource allocation, and revision of reward system as well as strengthening monitoring and evaluation system of public sectors.

Exploring Rural Women Empowerment: Practices and Challenges in Northern Shoa Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Warkaw Legesse Abate — 2025-06-10

Empowering women involves uplifting those who have historically been marginalized in terms of economic, social, and political standings. The study comprehensively examined the current status of women's empowerment, the obstacles hindering progress, as well as the potential avenues for advancement. This study employed concurrent mixed method approach. Primary data were gathered from focus group discussions and interviews with key informants. Additionally, insights were gathered from 384 randomly selected women through scheduled interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using a narrative approach while descriptive statistics was used to analyze the quantitative data using SPSS software. The finding revealed 69.8% of households were found male- headed while the remaining 30.2% of them were female-headed. In addition, 59.4% of them did not have knowledge regarding the constitutionally declared women’s right and 34.1% of them their land certification is registered under their husband’s name. Although the district’s women and children affairs is expected to play the lion’s share of roles in the women empowerment process, it was found that it has failed to get incredible rating from the respondents. Likewise, 67.5% of the respondents rated the district administration’s overall effort and commitment made towards socio-economic empowerment of women as low. Presence of indigenous cooperative societies and existence of different organizations working on gender and reproductive health issues were found that as an opportunity to enhance women empowerment. However, men- dominant culture, poverty, inadequate women’s confidence, inadequate facilities, sexual abuse, inadequate women political participation continue to restrict women's control over resources, decision-making regarding finances and property management. Furthermore, prevailing perceptions systematically put women in subordinated positions in the society, curtailing their economic autonomy and weakening their bargaining position within the family. Their weakened bargaining position translated into little or no voice in household decision requires concerted awareness-raising efforts within the community.

Reclaiming Civil Society Space in Ethiopia: An Analysis of Civil Society Trends, Structural Challenges, and Distribution Gaps

Zigiju Samuel Beyene — 2025-06-10

This study examined the state of civil society organizations (CSOs) and consortia in Ethiopia. It looked at how they had grown, what structural problems they faced, how laws have changed, and what spatial differences exist. The study used a qualitative method, focusing on document reviews, interviews with key informants, and group discussions. The study found that while legal changes such as Proclamation No. 1113/2019 have made civic space more open, consortia are still weak due to monetary problems, political interventions, poor partnering, and lack of faith among the organizations involved. Moreover, CSOs are not spread evenly, as they favor cities, and their focus often misses important needs at remote and local levels. To help these organizations get better, we need to make them stronger, spread their services to more areas, create clear ways to handle financial resources, and ensure the involvement of remote and local CSOs and the community at the grassroots level.

Book Review: Anwar Shah, Local Governance in Developing Countries: Public Sector Governance & Accountability. Public Sector Governance and Accountability Series. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2006. 457 pp. ISBN 0-8213-6565-7; eISBN-10: 0-8213-6566-5.

Adbaru Tesfaye Alemu — 2025-06-10

The book has provided a comprehensive framework for comparative institutions that seek to promote responsive, accountable, and responsible governance in developing nations. It offers a concise overview of the analytical literature on regional governance and traces the historical evolution of this type of governance. Furthermore, it presents a wide-ranging perspective on different local governance models implemented in various countries. In addition, the book includes case studies conducted by renowned national and international scholars from ten countries. These case studies provide a detailed analysis of the organizational structure and financial management of local governments in each country. The publication is in line with the World Bank Institute's mission to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and learning through experiences in public governance reform across countries. Its main objective is to assist policymakers and practitioners in developing countries in making well-informed decisions to improve local governance and enhance social outcomes for their constituents.