BUILDING FUTURE LEADERS: CRITICAL FACTORS FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCCESSION PLANNING IN EASTERN HEALTHCARE CLUSTER ADMINISTRATION IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

This study investigated the critical elements shaping the implementation of succession planning within the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector, with a particular to the Eastern Healthcare Cluster (EHC) of Saudi Arabia. Guided by the Flexible Open Systems Model and the Rothwell Seven-Pointed Star Model, the study’s multi-layered approach mapped the organizational elements internally and the external elements with the aid of the various levels (macro, meso, and micro) of the four variables of the PEST approach (politics, economics, societies, and technology), amongst others. Using the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT), a qualitative-driven method, the study captured real experiences, narratives, and practice-based examples from 16 senior administrators directly involved in succession-planning efforts. Participants reported 144 critical incidents, categorized as helping Factors (52 incidents, 36.1%), hindering Factors (50 incidents, 34.7%), and wish list Items (42 incidents, 29.2%). The credibility of the findings was ensured through nine Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT) validation checks, including interview fidelity, independent extraction, participant cross-checking, expert review, and theoretical agreement. Mapping these critical incident categories into the Flexible Open Systems Model by identifying the internal organizational elements that best represented each category. This process surfaced six core components: leadership, strategy, culture, people, processes, and systems—as the foundational domains influencing succession planning implementation. Interestingly, communication emerged as a distinct and essential internal element, expanding the original components and reflecting its central role in the experiences shared by participants. Synthesizing these insights led to the development of the Resilient and Strategic Succession Planning Model (RSSPM), a contextually grounded model designed to strengthen leadership pipeline resilience, organizational readiness, and strategic alignment within Saudi Arabia’s emerging healthcare transformation landscape, aligning with Vision 2030.