From Statutory Mandate to Strategic Capability in Public Institutions: Repositioning the Kenya School of Government within a Changing Public-Sector Environment A Conceptual Review Based on Desktop Analysis

This paper investigates how statutory public institutions can convert mandate-based institutional advantages into strategic capabilities that maintain relevance and performance amid evolving operating environments, using the Kenya School of Government (KSG) as a case study. Employing Strategic Fit Theory, the Resource-Based View, and dynamic capabilities frameworks, the study conducts a conceptual desktop review of institutional documents, national policy frameworks, and strategic management literature, supplemented by environmental, SWOT, and TOWS analyses. The findings indicate that KSG has substantial institutional resources, including statutory legitimacy, specialized public-sector expertise, national reach, institutional knowledge, and established government relationships. Nevertheless, fiscal constraints, technological advancements, the emergence of alternative service providers, and shifting stakeholder expectations increasingly challenge the institution’s ability to convert these resources into sustained strategic value. Four interconnected capability domains are identified as critical for institutional repositioning: digital capability, financial resilience, research and knowledge differentiation, and strategic partnerships and institutional reach. The paper contends that statutory mandate, while fundamental for institutional legitimacy and positioning, does not ensure sustained strategic relevance. Rather than replacing existing institutional strengths, effective strategic repositioning requires intentional integration, adaptation, and renewal in response to environmental change. This study offers a capability-oriented perspective on public-sector strategic management by distinguishing mandate-based institutional advantage from capability-driven strategic positioning, with implications for Schools of Government and similar public institutions.