The study aimed to identify the level of practice of the dimensions of strategic leadership (strategic orientation, human capital, organizational culture, and organizational control) in addition to knowing the level of organizational excellence with its dimensions represented in leadership excellence, human capital excellence, organizational structure excellence, and strategy excellence, and understanding the nature of the relationship between practicing the dimensions of strategic leadership and organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University.
The researcher adopted the descriptive analytical approach, and the study sample included 80 male and female employees from the academic and administrative staff. The results of the study showed that the level of practice of the dimensions of strategic leadership came at a moderate level, and the levels of organizational excellence were moderate.
The results showed that there is a relationship between all dimensions of strategic leadership and organizational excellence. The study recommended strengthening the practices of strategic leadership dimensions, and the need to increase continuous attention to practices that achieve the highest levels of organizational excellence.
Leadership is considered one of the modern administrative concepts that has attracted the attention of many researchers in the field of management sciences, as it is regarded as one of the most important administrative functions that support the functions of organizational management. Managers and administrative leaders within institutional work, including higher education institutions (Allaoua et al., 2024), practice it.
The presence of strategic leadership has become one of the most prominent key criteria for achieving the quality and excellence of institutional performance, as strategic leadership plays a significant role in building an effective organizational culture and ensuring the optimal utilization of all organizational resources (Al-Zahrani, 2023).
Numerous studies have emphasized that strategic leadership constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of organizational success and the achievement of an organization’s vision and mission, through identifying the goals that the institution aspires to attain and strives to realize. In an environment characterized by continuous change and intense competition, the need for strategic leadership has become an urgent necessity to ensure the achievement of organizational excellence (Abdul Rahim, 2019).
Leaders continuously seek to develop their institutions and make them distinctive; therefore, strategic leadership, through its dimensions (strategic orientation, human capital, organizational culture, and organizational control), plays an essential and significant role in organizational operations. It enables institutions to move toward improvement and excellence through the skills and capabilities possessed by the strategic leader (Al-Anzi, 2024).
In light of this, Al-Istiqlal University holds a unique and distinguished position within the Palestinian environment as a national educational institution that seeks leadership and community service, through studying and understanding the relationship between strategic leadership practices and the level of organizational excellence within the university.
The researcher reviewed previous studies that addressed the topic of strategic leadership and organizational excellence. The following is a presentation of studies relevant to the current research topic.
The study by Abdul Hussein (2022) revealed that the application of strategic leadership, with its various dimensions, in the Directorate of the Criminal Evidence Investigation Department in Babylon was at high levels, and that the level of organizational performance was rated as good.
The study by Sweis and Al-Qabaj (2021) also indicated that the level of application of strategic leadership and the achievement of institutional performance in commercial banks in the West Bank were high, and it demonstrated the existence of a positive relationship between strategic leadership practices and the achievement of institutional performance.
The study by Khalaf (2021) demonstrated that Iraqi private banks were able to employ the practices and dimensions of strategic leadership to achieve organizational superiority through realizing a future vision, formulating strategic plans, defining goals and core processes, and continuously improving various operations.
The study by Abboud (2020) showed that there is an effect of the dimensions of strategic leadership (defining strategic orientation, investing strategic capabilities, developing and enhancing human capital, and continuous learning) on the dimensions of organizational excellence (leadership excellence, subordinate excellence, structural excellence, and cultural excellence) among employees at Al-Zaytoonah University in Jordan.
The study by Samr Al-Din and Al-Qurashi (2020) revealed that the levels of strategic leadership practices and organizational excellence at the Ministry of Commerce and Investment in Jeddah Governorate were high, and the study showed the existence of an effect of strategic leadership, with its dimensions, on achieving organizational excellence.
The study by Otieno and Lewa (2020) indicated the presence of a positive correlation between strategic leadership and organizational performance in the maritime sector in Kenya.
The study by Obadha and Deya (2020) demonstrated that strategic leadership has a strong and effective impact on change management in the African Union.
The study by AL Ayoubi et al. (2020) confirmed the existence of a strong and statistically significant relationship between strategic leadership practices and the improvement of the quality of educational services in the Gaza Strip.
The study by Butama et al. (2019) showed that there is a significant positive relationship between strategic leadership and organizational performance.
Al-Istiqlal University represents a fundamental and important pillar in the progress and advancement of Palestinian society. In its pursuit of achieving organizational excellence, the university administration has placed special emphasis on adopting strategic leadership practices that contribute to enhancing institutional performance and developing its competitive capabilities. A study by Sweis and Al-Qabaj (2021) confirmed that strategic leadership possesses the ability to anticipate the future, formulate and implement strategies, and optimally invest various resources. Through these capabilities, substantial knowledge can be created and produced with the aim of achieving organizational excellence and attaining a high standing and greater value for organizations.
Given the researcher’s work at Al-Istiqlal University, and after reviewing the findings of studies that examined strategic leadership and organizational excellence—such as the studies by Samr Al-Din and Al-Qurashi (2020), Al-Zahrani (2023), and Butama et al. (2019)—these studies indicated the existence of an effect and a relationship between the dimensions of strategic leadership and their role in achieving organizational excellence. Based on the importance of the role played by strategic leadership in achieving organizational excellence, the researcher formulates the research problem by addressing the following main question: To what extent do strategic leadership practices contribute to achieving organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University?
Based on the main research question, the researcher poses the following sub-questions:
The study examines the following main hypothesis: There is a statistically significant relationship at the level (α ≤ 0.05) between strategic leadership practices, with their dimensions (strategic orientation, human capital, organizational culture, organizational control, and strategic capabilities investment), and organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University.
The significance of this study is reflected in its scientific and practical importance, as outlined below:
Based on the nature of the study and in order to achieve its objectives and answer the research problem and its questions, the researcher adopted the descriptive analytical approach related to the study instrument (the questionnaire), as it is appropriate to the nature and objectives of the study.
The study population consisted of the administrative and academic leaders working at Al-Istiqlal University, totaling 100 male and female employees who were actively employed during the year 2024.
For the purpose of achieving the objectives of the study and obtaining the results, the researcher distributed the questionnaire to a random sample drawn from the study population. A total of 80 questionnaires were distributed, of which 50 valid questionnaires were retrieved for the purposes of analysis (Sekaran, 2009).
Table 1 presents the distribution of the study sample according to demographic variables.
| Variable | Category | Frequency | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | 26 | 52 |
| Female | 24 | 48 | |
| Educational level | Diploma | 5 | 10 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 18 | 36 | |
| Master’s Degree | 21 | 42 | |
| Doctoral Degree (PhD) | 6 | 12 | |
| Nature of Work | Academic | 19 | 38 |
| Administrative | 22 | 44 | |
| Academic–Administrative | 9 | 18 | |
| Years of Experience | Less than 5 years | 12 | 24 |
| 5 to less than 10 years | 18 | 36 | |
| 10 to less than 15 years | 20 | 40 |
By reviewing and examining previous studies related to the current research, and in light of the study objectives, the researcher designed and developed the study instrument (the questionnaire) to measure strategic leadership practices and their role in achieving organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University.
To verify the validity of the instrument, it was presented to a group of specialized experts, who were asked to provide their opinions on the items in terms of the clarity of their wording, their suitability to the domains to which they belong, the appropriateness of each item for measurement, and its applicability. Based on the comments and guidance provided by the experts, the researcher made the required modifications to the study instrument, which included revising the wording of some items, deleting others, and adding novel items.
To ensure the reliability of the study instrument, reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for all items and dimensions. Table 2 illustrates the reliability of the study instrument.
| Study Instrument | Number of Items | Reliability Coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha) |
|---|---|---|
| Questionnaire | 50 | 0.958 |
| Overall Instrument Reliability | — | 0.958 |
The present study was conducted according to the following procedures:
In order to answer the study questions and test the research hypothesis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used through the following statistical techniques:
Table 3 illustrates the scale of arithmetic means used to interpret the results related to the dimensions and variables of the study.
| Key (Mean Range) | Level |
|---|---|
| 3.67 – 5.00 | High |
| 2.33 – 3.66 | Moderate |
| 1.00 – 2.33 | Low |
The interpretation of the arithmetic mean was based on a five-point Likert scale, with values rounded to two decimal places.
To answer this question, the arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative weights were calculated for each item, for each dimension to which it belongs, and for the overall score of the level of practice of the dimensions of strategic leadership. The results presented in Table 4 illustrate these findings.
| No | Item | Arithmetic Mean | Standard Deviation | Relative Importance (%) | Level of Reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The direct supervisor has a clear and compelling vision for the future. | 3.68 | 1.09 | 73.6 | High |
| 2 | The university demonstrates the willingness and capacity to take initiative and make decisions in light of new perspectives. | 3.66 | 0.87 | 73.2 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university develops a strategic vision that clearly defines its direction and anticipated future. | 3.62 | 0.90 | 72.4 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university has the ability to effectively deal with influential external factors. | 3.55 | 0.67 | 71.0 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university has clear perceptions for addressing opportunities and threats. | 3.42 | 0.90 | 68.4 | Moderate |
| Overall score of the first dimension: Strategic Orientation | 3.59 | 0.09 | 71.8 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The supervisor possesses strong persuasive abilities. | 3.74 | 0.77 | 74.8 | High |
| 2 | The direct supervisor expresses confidence in the capabilities of employees. | 3.70 | 0.86 | 74.0 | Moderate |
| 3 | The direct supervisor encourages the adoption of new approaches. | 3.58 | 0.85 | 71.6 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university promotes a culture and awareness among employees regarding the importance of knowledge development. | 3.42 | 1.05 | 68.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university supports employees in continuously developing their skills. | 3.20 | 1.24 | 64.0 | Moderate |
| Overall score of the second dimension: Human Capital | 3.53 | 0.95 | 70.6 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university benefits from and learns from work experiences. | 3.60 | 0.85 | 72.0 | Moderate |
| 2 | The university uses quality management systems. | 3.44 | 0.88 | 68.8 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university conducts discussions about future work directions. | 3.36 | 0.98 | 67.2 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university applies policies and practices to develop employees’ capabilities at work. | 3.04 | 1.15 | 60.8 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university regularly updates job descriptions and assigned responsibilities. | 3.02 | 1.11 | 60.4 | Moderate |
| Overall score of the third dimension: Organizational Culture | 3.30 | 0.99 | 66.0 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university has an information system that contains up-to-date data and information. | 3.54 | 0.97 | 70.8 | Moderate |
| 2 | The university undertakes necessary changes, including restructuring and redesigning operations, based on past events. | 3.50 | 0.78 | 70.0 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university has the capacity to experiment and tolerate risk. | 3.42 | 0.81 | 68.0 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university tends to favor continuous improvement over rigid procedures and fixed rules. | 3.32 | 0.79 | 66.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university has a management system that enables learning from mistakes and discontinuing directives proven to be ineffective. | 3.04 | 1.02 | 60.8 | Moderate |
| Total score of the fourth dimension: Organizational Control | 3.36 | 0.87 | 67.2 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university possesses distinctive success factors, including human resources, technology, and models. | 3.86 | 0.85 | 77.2 | High |
| 2 | The university works to position itself as an attractive hub for talented and highly capable individuals. | 3.64 | 0.87 | 72.8 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university shows strong interest in staff with solid academic qualifications and relevant experience. | 3.58 | 0.94 | 71.6 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university has information and communication systems that support effective decision-making. | 3.44 | 0.78 | 68.8 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university places significant emphasis on employees’ creative and innovative activities. | 3.26 | 0.96 | 65.2 | Moderate |
| Overall score of the fifth dimension: Strategic Capabilities Investment | 3.55 | 0.88 | 71.0 | Moderate | |
| 3.46 | 0.92 | 69.3 | Moderate | ||
The results indicate that the overall level of strategic leadership practices at Al-Istiqlal University was moderate, with a mean score of 3.46. This suggests that while strategic leadership practices are present within the university, they may not yet be sufficiently institutionalized or consistently applied across all administrative and academic levels.
To answer this question, the arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative weights were calculated for each item, for each dimension to which it belongs, and for the overall score of the level of organizational excellence. The results presented in Table 5 illustrate these findings.
| No | Item | Arithmetic Mean | Standard Deviation | Relative Importance (%) | Level of Reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The direct supervisor praises employees for their good performance and achievements. | 3.58 | 0.78 | 71.6 | Moderate |
| 2 | The direct supervisor takes the initiative to overcome obstacles. | 3.58 | 0.75 | 71.6 | Moderate |
| 3 | The direct supervisor provides employees with recognition and support. | 3.38 | 0.77 | 67.6 | Moderate |
| 4 | The direct supervisor engages in discussions about future work directions. | 3.46 | 0.90 | 69.6 | Moderate |
| 5 | The direct supervisor allows employees to express their opinions, ideas, and suggestions. | 3.44 | 0.86 | 68.8 | Moderate |
| Overall score of the first dimension: Leadership Excellence | 3.48 | 0.59 | 69.6 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university emphasizes teamwork through the formation of work teams. | 3.40 | 1.01 | 68.0 | Moderate |
| 2 | The university grants employees the necessary authority to accomplish their tasks and demonstrate their capabilities. | 3.32 | 0.84 | 66.4 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university organizes a variety of training programs. | 3.30 | 1.14 | 66.0 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university is committed to preparing and developing independent leaders. | 3.24 | 0.95 | 64.8 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university supports employees in continuously developing their skills. | 3.22 | 1.07 | 64.4 | Moderate |
| The overall score of the second dimension: Human Capital Excellence | 3.29 | 0.82 | 65.8 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university regularly updates its procedures and operational processes. | 3.70 | 0.73 | 74.0 | High |
| 2 | The university accomplishes its key tasks through the formation of diverse work teams representing various functional departments. | 3.60 | 0.63 | 72.0 | Moderate |
| 3 | The university regularly revises job descriptions and assigned responsibilities. | 3.54 | 0.76 | 70.8 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university consistently implements new administrative systems. | 3.52 | 0.81 | 70.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university takes flexibility into account when defining responsibilities and performing job-related tasks. | 3.44 | 0.88 | 68.8 | Moderate |
| The overall score of the third dimension: Organizational Structure Excellence | 3.56 | 0.56 | 71.2 | Moderate | |
| 1 | The university places strong emphasis on developmental studies and research. | 3.80 | 0.78 | 76.0 | High |
| 2 | The university is keen to identify beneficiaries’ opinions and utilize them in improving its services. | 3.76 | 0.87 | 75.2 | High |
| 3 | The university tends to prioritize continuous improvement over rigid procedures and fixed rules. | 3.64 | 0.85 | 72.8 | Moderate |
| 4 | The university seeks to benefit from the experiences of other universities in shaping its future vision. | 3.62 | 0.90 | 72.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | The university works to learn from mistakes and avoid repeating them in the future. | 3.44 | 1.07 | 68.8 | Moderate |
| The overall score of the fourth dimension: Strategic Excellence | 3.65 | 0.58 | 73.0 | Moderate | |
| 3.50 | 0.70 | 70.0 | Moderate | ||
The results reveal that the overall level of organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University was moderate, with a mean score of 3.50.
This question was addressed through the main research hypothesis, which states that there is a statistically significant relationship at the level (α ≤ 0.05) between strategic leadership practices, with their dimensions (strategic orientation, human capital, organizational culture, organizational control, and strategic capabilities investment), and the achievement of organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University.
The relationships were examined, and the results are shown in Table 6.
| Strategic Leadership Dimensions | Organizational Excellence (Pearson r) | Sig. (p-value) | Relationship Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Orientation | 0.68 | 0.000 | Strong Positive |
| Human Capital | 0.71 | 0.000 | Strong Positive |
| Organizational Culture | 0.65 | 0.000 | Moderate–Strong |
| Organizational Control | 0.69 | 0.000 | Strong Positive |
| Strategic Capabilities Investment | 0.73 | 0.000 | Strong Positive |
Multiple regression analysis results are shown in Table 7.
| Independent Variable | Beta (β) | t-value | Sig. (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Orientation | 0.29 | 4.12 | 0.000 |
| Human Capital | 0.31 | 4.56 | 0.000 |
| Organizational Culture | 0.24 | 3.67 | 0.001 |
| Organizational Control | 0.27 | 4.01 | 0.000 |
| Strategic Capabilities Investment | 0.34 | 4.89 | 0.000 |
The results confirm statistically significant positive relationships between all dimensions of strategic leadership and organizational excellence at Al-Istiqlal University, and show that these dimensions possess meaningful predictive power.
The study concludes that strategic leadership practices at Al-Istiqlal University are present at a moderate level (mean 3.46). Strategic orientation and strategic capabilities investment are recognized but need fuller institutionalization; human capital, organizational control, and organizational culture also remain moderate, signaling a need for greater empowerment, developmental control, and a more innovative culture.
The overall level of organizational excellence is moderate (mean 3.50). Strategy and organizational structure excellence rank higher than leadership and human capital excellence, highlighting the necessity to invest more in people development, training, and empowerment.
All strategic leadership dimensions show significant positive correlations and predictive effects on organizational excellence, underscoring that leadership is a human-centered practice shaping perceptions, motivation, and belonging.
Future research is recommended to examine strategic leadership and organizational excellence within private-sector organizations, particularly profit-oriented and commercial institutions, to compare leadership practices across contexts. Further studies may explore the mediating role of organizational culture between strategic leadership and organizational excellence, and comparative studies across universities could provide deeper insights into contextual factors influencing leadership effectiveness and organizational excellence in higher education.