Determinants Linked to Executive Succession Planning in Public Sector Organizations

Abstract

Succession planning is important for organizational growth and business sustainability in the public sector. However, few organizations have attempted to introduce the concept and practice. This article aimed to identify and prioritize the factors that influence executive succession planning in the public sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using the analytic hierarchy process. A model was developed with 5 criteria and 29 sub-criteria and tested using data collected from 40 interviews with top executives from various public sector organizations. The findings showed that succession planning strategy, organizational culture and leadership development opportunities were the most significant factors linked to executive succession planning in the UAE public sector. A framework for decision-makers was developed which could be used to overcome some of the challenges of executive succession planning. It is hoped that this study will help policymakers to formulate suitable policies and strategies to promote executive succession planning in public sector organizations. It will also help them to implement best practice in this field.