Governance Mechanisms and Strategic Implementation Success in Public Sector Transformations: The Moderating Roles of Change Readiness and Resource Availability

Abstract

Emerging markets pursuing rapid transformations face governance challenges requiring simultaneous attention to strategic oversight, organizational readiness, and implementation capacity. This study examines how governance mechanisms influence strategic implementation success in Saudi Arabia's National Transformation Program, considering moderating effects of organizational change readiness and resource availability. Structural equation modeling analyzed data from 384 public sector managers across multiple government entities. Results demonstrate governance mechanisms substantially influence implementation success, explaining 67% of variance. Change readiness and resource availability significantly moderate these relationships—governance effectiveness is 65% and 44% higher respectively in organizations with high versus low levels of these contingencies. Digital infrastructure positively influences success through adaptive capacity development. Findings reveal governance mechanisms operate contingently rather than universally, with effectiveness depending critically on organizational readiness and resource availability. This research provides first empirical evidence of governance-performance relationships in Middle Eastern transformations, demonstrating transformation-specific contingencies warranting context-adapted implementation approaches.