Succession Planning in Ghana’s Nascent Technical Universities: The Case of Cape Coast Technical University

Abstract

This paper investigated on succession planning in Ghana’s Technical Universities with the Cape Coast Technical University as a case. In this study, the researchers interviewed nine purposively sampled senior managerial and administrative personnel. The interview transcripts were content-analysed using the Taguette computer-aided qualitative data analysis software. The study uncovered that the CCTU has neither a succession policy nor a formal arrangement for training and mentoring personnel to fill leadership roles. Personnel interviewed demonstrated a positive perception of succession planning even though it was based on basic knowledge of the concept. Further, interviewees expressed a desire to see succession planning given a try at the CCTU.  However, they wanted such a program to be transparent, inclusive, and coherent. They also would like to see any such policy have adequate top-level backing. The challenges to a potential succession planning policy included the risk of it being abused as a tool for cronyism, the risk of people selected and sponsored under the policy leaving the organization and the risk of it only existing on paper without full implementation The authors recommend that the dominant coalition at CCTU should study feasibility of formal succession planning and formulate a unique solution that is based in local context. They also recommend that researchers expand on this study across HEIs in Ghana. Finally, the researchers recommend that it would be insightful to examine the prevalence and nature of succession planning in various Ghanaian organizations. Such research may uncover practices and leadership development philosophies that are rooted in Ghanaian culture and which may be further developed.