Leadership skills, stakeholder management and execution of fibre-optic infrastructure: intervening influence of government policy

Abstract Communication technology has drastically evolved in the last 10 years across the globe. With increased demand for data and voice traffic, fibre-optic network is preferred to transmit high-speed broadband. Nonetheless, fibre-optic infrastructure involves huge construction challenges and continues to fail because of ineffective leadership, stakeholder management and government policies. The main purpose of this study was to investigate how government policy intervenes on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study adopted the pragmatism paradigm approach, with a cross-sectional survey design. Census was used to select 187 respondents from a target population of 187 functional staff in fibre-optic infrastructure departments. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Statistical analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. It was demonstrated that government policy has a significant intervening influence on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure. Therefore, governments should come up with policies to guide and regulate execution of fibre-optic infrastructure, review building code to allow for fibre-optic services in new buildings, develop right of way conduits and establish a centrally coordinated authority to facilitate time-bound issuance of permits and related services. It was suggested that similar studies should be carried out in other countries and target vendors and contractors engaged in supply of equipment and construction of fibre-optic infrastructure.