in partnership with
For the fourth consecutive year, The KPI Institute conducted its State of Strategy Management Practice survey, focusing on key themes in strategic planning, strategy management, and strategy execution. The primary objective of the study is to offer practical insights into how organizations across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regions approach these interconnected domains of strategy management.
The report gathers perspectives from executives, managers, and strategy management specialists, incorporates firsthand insights from expert interviews, and best practices recommendations from our subject matter experts to overcome common challenges.
Strategic planning in MENA organizations has become more formalized and structured, yet the gap between planning and execution is widening.
Performance management practices are evolving in response to market uncertainty, with organizations adopting more agile frameworks such as OKRs.
Executive buy-in remains a persistent barrier to strategy planning. Overcoming this requires shifting leadership engagement from occasional endorsement to continuous ownership.
Awareness of execution failure is increasing across the region, with many professionals directly experiencing breakdowns in turning strategy into action.
The report reflects what I’ve seen across many organizations in the MENA region. Most use a mix of formal and flexible strategy approaches and often face similar challenges, especially when it comes to choosing the right KPIs, staying aligned during execution, and becoming more agile. I also found the sector-specific recommendations, particularly for government, retail, and healthcare, to be very practical. Overall, the report is a valuable resource—whether you’re a strategy professional looking for regional insights, a decision-maker assessing where your organization stands, or someone new to the field wanting to understand best practices in a MENA-specific context.
I found the report to be a valuable resource that bridges the often challenging gap between strategy and execution in the MENA region. What stood out to me was how it combines solid data with real human experiences, offering not just a deeper understanding of regional trends but also practical insights I can apply directly to my work. It will be especially useful in shaping strategic planning, improving implementation, and drawing meaningful lessons for future growth.