Succession Planning and Organizational Continuity: A Conceptual Review
This paper presents a conceptual review of succession planning as a strategic mechanism for ensuring organizational continuity. In an era marked by leadership volatility, demographic shifts, and operational complexity, succession planning has evolved beyond talent replacement into a core component of organizational resilience. Anchored in the Resource-Based View, Human Capital Theory, Contingency Theory, and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this review explores how structured succession frameworks enable organizations to sustain leadership pipelines, preserve institutional knowledge, and maintain strategic alignment during transitions. The paper synthesizes findings from cross-sectorial literature—spanning private enterprises, public institutions, and nonprofit organizations—to highlight best practices, ethical considerations, and contextual challenges, particularly in developing economies. A conceptual framework is proposed to illustrate the dynamic interaction between succession processes, enabling conditions, and continuity outcomes. The study concludes with implications for practice and future research, positioning succession planning as a vital tool for fostering sustainable performance and organizational longevity.
Keywords: Succession Planning, Organizational Continuity, Leadership Development, Human Resource Management (HRM), Strategic Sustainability, Talent Management, Institutional Resilience.
