The American Journal of Strategic Studies (AJSS) is a journal that publishes high-quality research on strategic studies. It is open access, peer-reviewed, and global in reach. It covers topics such as international relations, security studies, military studies, and foreign policy analysis. It welcomes different perspectives and levels of analysis. It offers high visibility and promotion of the articles through various databases. It has a fast and efficient submission and publication process. It is a platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to share their ideas and insights on strategic thinking and action.
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From Promise to Progress: Imihigo Framework and People-Centred Governance in Rwanda
Purpose: This study examines the contribution of the Imihigo performance framework to people-centred governance in Rwanda. It explores how Imihigo influences accountability, citizen participation, service delivery, institutional coordination, and broader governance outcomes, while identifying implementation challenges that affect its effectiveness. Methodology: The study adopted a qualitative case study design grounded in descriptive, interpretivist, and explanatory orientations. Data were collected through 43 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) involving central and local government officials, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and private sector actors. Documentary review complemented interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and interpret findings in relation to governance and public administration theories. Findings: Findings indicate that Imihigo has significantly strengthened accountability by linking performance to measurable targets and enhancing results-based management. It has improved service delivery outcomes in infrastructure, health, and education, and strengthened vertical coordination between central and local government. However, citizen participation remains largely procedural rather than substantive, limiting downward accountability. Horizontal coordination across sectors is uneven, and there is an overemphasis on quantifiable outputs at the expense of qualitative outcomes. Additionally, challenges persist in inclusive participation, gender mainstreaming, resource alignment, and adaptive performance monitoring. Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: The study contributes to theory by extending New Public Management and participatory governance perspectives through an African indigenous governance lens. It demonstrates how culturally grounded performance systems can enhance accountability while also revealing weaknesses between efficiency and inclusiveness. For policy, it highlights the need to strengthen downward accountability, cross-sector coordination, and citizen feedback mechanisms within Imihigo. In practice, it recommends enhancing participatory monitoring, integrating qualitative indicators, and improving inclusive engagement to ensure that Imihigo more effectively supports people-centred governance and sustainable development outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Edward Kalisa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Resource Optimization and Sustained Competitive Advantage of Private Healthcare Providers in Kenya
Purpose: This study investigated influence of resource optimization on sustained competitive advantage of private healthcare providers in Kenya, guided by the Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. The study also sought to establish the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between resource optimization and sustained competitive advantage. Methodology: Adopting a descriptive cross-sectional research design, the study targeted senior managers of private healthcare providers within Nairobi Metropolitan. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including correlation, regression, and moderation tests, were employed to evaluate the relationship between resource optimization and sustained competitive advantage. Findings: The findings revealed resource optimization as a significant and strong predictor of sustained competitive advantage. Healthcare organizations that adopted capability, cost and technology optimization reported improved returns on investments, customer satisfaction and market share. Furthermore, the study established that organizational culture significantly moderates the relationship between resource optimization and sustained competitive advantage. Healthcare institutions that fostered positive cultures characterized by teamwork, role clarity, and customer-centric values experienced amplified benefits from their resource optimization efforts. This finding affirms that while resource optimization is critical, its effectiveness is enhanced within supportive cultural environments that promote collaboration and strategic alignment. The study concludes that effective resource optimization, reinforced by a strong organizational culture, is essential for private healthcare providers seeking to maintain long-term competitive advantage in Kenya’s dynamic healthcare sector. Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: It recommends that healthcare leaders institutionalize comprehensive resource optimization strategies, invest in modern technologies, and cultivate organizational cultures that support efficient resource utilization. Policymakers are also urged to incentivize healthcare providers demonstrating excellence in resource optimization and cultural alignment to strengthen the sector’s capacity for sustained competitive advantage.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mwenemeru Eunice Mugure, Dr. Jared Deya, Prof. Allan Kihara https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital Governance Capability as a Dynamic Strategic Capability in Public Sector Digital Transformation Under Institutional and Technological Uncertainty
Purpose: This paper repositions digital governance capability as a dynamic strategic capability enabling public institutions to govern emerging technologies effectively and sustain adaptability, resilience, and public service innovation under institutional and technological uncertainty. Methodology: The study employed a conceptual analytical literature review informed by an interpretivist-constructivist orientation. Evidence was purposively collected from seven scholarly databases (Google Scholar, JSTOR, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SSRN, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest) and five institutional repositories (OECD, UNESCO, World Bank, African Development Bank, and Smart Africa). Sources published mainly between 2000 and 2024, together with seminal pre-2000 theoretical works, were screened for relevance, methodological quality, geographic diversity, and alignment with the objectives. The evidence was analyzed through a three-stage thematic synthesis comprising initial coding, development of descriptive themes, and analytical interpretation across global, African, and Kenyan public-sector contexts. Findings: Digital governance capability comprises six dimensions: digital oversight mechanisms, ethical and regulatory governance, data governance, cybersecurity governance, strategic digital alignment, and accountability and transparency mechanisms. Institutional pressures drive capability adoption while technological uncertainty demands adaptive governance responses. Governance capability mediates the relationship between environmental drivers and three outcomes, strategic adaptability, organizational resilience, and public service innovation moderated by leadership support, organizational learning culture, and digital readiness. Kenyan evidence from eCitizen, IFMIS, and KRA illustrates a progression from digital government through digital governance toward AI-enabled governance. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice, and Policy: The study advances an integrative framework bridging three governance theories within public sector digital transformation discourse. The six-dimension model offers public leaders an actionable governance diagnostic. For policy, it provides emerging economy governments, particularly Kenya a contextually grounded framework for designing national digital governance policies under institutional complexity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Doreen Muriu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Entrepreneurial Orientation and Performance of the Hospitality Industry in Nairobi County, Kenya
Purpose: The hospitality industry in Nairobi County operates in an increasingly turbulent and competitive environment, requiring firms to adopt proactive and innovative strategic behaviors to sustain performance. This study examined the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance among hospitality firms in Nairobi County, Kenya. Entrepreneurial orientation was conceptualized through innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking behaviors. Methodology: A cross-sectional correlational design was employed. The target population comprised 1,104 registered hospitality firms, including hotels, travel agencies, and tour operators. Using stratified random sampling, data were collected from 293 senior managers through structured questionnaires, supplemented with secondary performance data. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the hypothesized relationship. Findings: The findings indicate that entrepreneurial orientation has a positive and statistically significant influence on firm performance. Firms exhibiting higher levels of innovation, proactive opportunity seeking, and calculated risk-taking reported superior outcomes in sales growth, market share, and return on assets. Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: The study concludes that entrepreneurial orientation constitutes a critical dynamic capability within hospitality firms operating in volatile service markets. It recommends that managers institutionalize innovation-driven cultures, strengthen opportunity recognition processes, and allocate resources toward strategic experimentation to enhance sustained performance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anne Wanjiku Karanja, Professor Willy Muturi, Professor Allan Kihara, Dr. Samson Nyang’au Paul https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0