The challenges facing NGOs in implementing their strategic plans: A Case Study of Qatar Red Crescent

Abstract

m​m​​Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) face many challenges when implementing their well-written and documented strategic plans. Therefore, this study aims to identify the reality of the process of strategic planning and implementation in Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) by examining four elements of the Rhodes and Keogan's model, namely: mission, strategy, environment, and implementation (organizational structure and human resource approach). Our findings have implications for theories on NGOs and strategic planning by adding stakeholders to Rhodes and Keogan's model as a fifth component that has a direct impact on the strategic planning process. Our empirical analysis also shows that many stages of reviewing and approving the strategic plan, frequent organizational change, restrictions on financial transfers, and external humanitarian intervention represent important challenges facing QRCS in implementing the Strategic plans. The decentralization policy implemented by QRCS has positively affected the speed of decision-making and its compatibility with the beneficiaries, but it has negatively affected the internal financial control, as it made it difficult to know the size of violations and financial errors inside QRCS.