Succession Planning in International Humanitarian Organisations in South Sudan

Abstract

The article explores succession planning in international humanitarian organisations in South Sudan, as succession planning is central to business continuity. For organisations to function successfully and sustainably, there is need for a clear leadership succession plan wherein the incumbent prepares their replacement by imparting the knowledge and vision of the organisation. Business leadership was used as the conceptual framework guiding the study. The study utilised a qualitative methodology with a bias towards the descriptive research design. Purposive sampling was used as a sampling method. The study used in-depth interviews and narrative data analysis for data collection. A review of the literature was drawn from facts from books, journal articles and policy documents. For data analysis, the study used textual analysis. The study found that humanitarian organisations use the identification of pivotal positions to plan succession. The findings show that humanitarian organisations use a system of assessing job performance for planning succession. The study indicated that humanitarian organisations utilise strategic leadership development to plan succession.