An Empirical Study of Intelligence Strategy Implementation

Abstract

Strategy implementation suffers from a general lack of academic attention. The need for improved implementation of strategies in law enforcement and policing has been emphasised by both scholars and practitioners. Implementation is important for four reasons. First, the failure to carry out a strategy can cause lost opportunities, duplicated efforts, incompatible organisational units and wasted resources. Second, the extent to which a strategy meets its objectives is determined by implementation. Third, the lack of implementation leaves police officers dissatisfied and reluctant to continue doing strategic planning work. Finally, the lack of implementation creates problems establishing and maintaining priorities in future strategic planning. In this empirical study, implementation of intelligence strategy is studied in a causal relationship with organisation structure and organisation culture. It is found that a knowledge organisation structure has a significant positive influence on the extent of strategy implementation.