Implementation is defined as the realisation of an application, or execution of a plan or an idea. Assuming responsibility for implementation of a project, a programme, a company strategy or a government policy is often a perilous undertaking of managing the intersectionality of complex factors.  

 

The academic body of knowledge and scholarly topics focus on theoretical frameworks and hardly ever deep dive into the factors that result in many well intentioned programmes, strategies and ultimately policy failures. The financial reporting standards do not even offer treatment for failed projects, wasted resources and opportunity cost.  The Implement is a data-based platform that places specific focus on tools and conditions for successful implementation. Some common implementation pitfalls have been documented in both academic and business literature.

More often than not plans appear good on paper but these are not based on any pragmatic analysis of the problem. Some public policies in South Africa are benchmarked from developed economies and have no relevance to the realities of the country. Implementation of a policy, plan or strategy that is not based on some situational analysis will always fail.

There are always immediate and pressing challenges that divert the attention of leaders meaning that they only focus on immediate results. Usually the implementation process will never reach the outcomes and desired impact phase. The immediacy of the next quarterly report, or the next board meeting keeps leaders stuck in the short term and not on the desired long term change. A plan provides the framework for effective decisions to track actions for the long term goals and the desired impact.
                                 

Theoretical business models dictate that leaders should only be focused on tasks that no one else can do. If someone else can do the task, delegate it and monitor the outcomes. Often managers avoid making unpopular decisions dragging the leader into operational matters that they should be resolving to clear the path for the implementation process.

If there is not buy-in at the middle level of leadership, the implementation of the plan will be thwarted and ultimately blocked. As important is to have congruence at the top and a clarion message that is common from all top leaders. Typical of any environment were cooperation is essential, there are often winds of mistrusts and competition at the top that result in members of the executive sending mixed messages. A new plan, policy or strategy often requires changes in behaviours at all levels. Managers perceiving loss of competitive advantage in the implementation of a new plan may withhold commitment creating incongruency that trickles down from the top to the lower levels. The Human Factor is an important lever affecting implementation processes, however there are limited litmus tests for the psychology of the environment that drives successful implementation. When values are out of alignment, people work towards different goals, with different intentions, and with different outcomes. There is limited literature coverage of the impact of conflicting cultures to achieving implementation milestones.
    

There are persuasive research theories into the impact of incentives on motivation and performance. The forward driving force of the implementation process is forfeited when there is no clear, measurable and appropriately incentivised roadmap of collective actions towards achieving the outcomes and desired impact. Without this alignment at all levels, efficient and effective implementation is impeded, if not stopped altogether. The Human Factor is the least studied and understood dimension in the failure of implementation processes. Theoretical models of implementation pinpoint clear, vibrant, specific and memorable messaging as a critical necessity to facilitate buy-in from top to bottom. Very limited literature is available on  the alignment of the values and ethics of all individuals involved in the implementation process.  Regrettably, organisations do have individuals with misguided ambitions that believe that upstaging and sabotaging is the way to the top. These  behaviours at any level of the organisation destroy even the best conceptualised plans and implementation roadmaps.

The Implement is a platform that aims to bring to the forefront the holistic understanding of the implementation challenge; the development of tools and solutions for effective implementation based on real life data analysis.

The bulk of the work will be on a top-down portfolio of policy/strategy implementation challenges. It is often the underlying policy theory that is at fault rather than the execution process itself. Data based post-graduate studies will be commissioned and supported to analyse the complex and often elusive entity of implementation and the implements.

The bottom-up portfolio will be looking at examples of ordinary citizens that have somehow managed to implement effective solutions alleviating various societal challenges outside the government policy instruments. The successes of such initiatives offer avenues to probe and analyze the Human Factor in the implementation process. What characteristics, values and personal drive should leaders possess to achieve societal change? To look beyond self-interest and live fervently for a greater good? 

When policies are badly formulated, misplaced and ill-conceived, they bring harm to society at large. In these cases it would be unfair to expect implementing agents at the front line to successfully carry out the needs of a policy that is essentially unworkable or inadequately designed and resourced. The stories of ordinary yet heroic citizens will be showcased and formally coded in academic studies to analyse the Human Factor responsible for driving effective implementation.  Masters and PhD topics will be distilled from real-life case studies of challenges facing South Africa from various sectors of societal needs, prioritising Education. All studies under The Implement academic platform will be based on analysis of verifiable data. The Implement will remain apolitical at all time in undertaking academic research. It is only with a factual-data-based body of knowledge that South Africa can start to confront constructively the multifaceted challenges of implementation that hamper socio-economic development.