Entrepreneurial Leadership Strategy in Public Administration: Challenges and Pathways inLocal Governments in Zanzibar

Abstract

This study investigates the barriers to implementing Entrepreneurial Leadership Strategy (ELS) in Zanzibar’s Local Government Authorities (LGAs) and explores pathways for enhancing adaptive governance. A mixed-methods approach was employed with a total sample of 300 respondents, comprising 210 local government officials, 30 private sector actors, and 60 community elders. Quantitative surveys were complemented by qualitative interviews to capture both perceptions and practices across diverse stakeholder groups. Findings reveal that more than 70% of respondents identified bureaucratic rigidity, hierarchical culture, risk-averse decision-making, and limited leadership innovation as the primary obstacles to ELS adoption. These structural and cultural barriers were found to reinforce systemic inertia, limiting the ability of LGAs to embrace entrepreneurial governance. However, evidence also suggests that employee engagement and innovative leadership practices can mitigate resistance, while resource constraints and inflexible regulatory frameworks continue to pose significant challenges. The analysis is interpreted through Entrepreneurial, Transformational, and Contingency theories, demonstrating that institutional context and leadership behavior jointly determine organizational adaptability. The study contributes to theory by empirically linking structural, leadership, and environmental factors with resistance to entrepreneurial governance. Practically, it recommends integrated interventions such as fostering risk-tolerant leadership, promoting employee participation, and strategically aligning resources and regulations to strengthen service delivery and accelerate socio-economic transformation in Zanzibar’s public sector.