Mixed-methods measurement of strategy implementation readiness: Validation of a four-factor instrument for developing-country contexts

Execution failure remains a persistent barrier to organisational performance in developing economies, yet empirically grounded tools to assess implementation readiness are scarce. Drawing on resource-based, institutional, and dynamic capabilities perspectives, this study develops and validates a mixed-methods instrument to measure strategy implementation readiness across four dimensions: organisational, resource-related, environmental, and stakeholder In Phase I, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and document analysis in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya. Thematically coded insights informed a 40-item pilot scale rooted in indigenous managerial practice, which achieved strong content validity. Phase II involved a survey of 743 managers from firms across manufacturing, agro-processing, telecommunications, and financial services. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor structure explaining 72% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a second-order model with robust fit indices (CFI = 0.947, RMSEA = 0.041), and reliability and validity exceeded accepted benchmarks. Structural modelling indicated environmental readiness had the strongest positive effect on early implementation performance (β = 0.41, p< .001), followed by resource (β = 0.29) and organisational readiness (β = 0.24). Stakeholder readiness showed a negative direct effect (β = −0.12) but enhanced the impact of organisational and resource readiness through moderation, revealing its contingent nature. Measurement invariance across sectors and countries confirmed the instrument’s generalisability. The findings extend readiness theory into mainstream strategic management and highlight the salience of environmental sensing in volatile contexts. Stakeholder alignment emerges as a double-edged capability, requiring nuanced management. The validated scale offers practitioners a diagnostic grounded in empirical data and equips policymakers with levers to strengthen execution capacity. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts and interventions in public and non-profit settings.