Strategic Leadership Practices and their Role in Achieving Organizational Excellence: A Case Study of Al-Istiqlal University

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi; Sari Shaqour

doi:10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.17

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi ⁽¹⁾ , Sari Shaqour ⁽²⁾

(1) Al-Istiqlal University, Palestine, State of,

(2) istiqlal universty, Palestine, State of

https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.17

Issue
Vol. 1 (2026): Early View - 2026

Submitted
December 25, 2025

Accepted
February 3, 2026

Published
February 15, 2026

Keywords:

Strategic leadership, organizational excellence, Al-Istiqlal University

PDF XML

Abstract

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.

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Abdul Hussein, M. J. (2022). The role of strategic leadership in enhancing organizational performance. Journal of the College of Administration and Economics for Economic, Administrative and Financial Studies, University of Babylon, 14 (4), 140-162.

Abdul Rahim, A. R. M. (2019). The role of strategic leadership in achieving institutional maturity in public organizations: A proposed vision. Arab Journal of Administration, 39 (1), 145-164.

Abboud, M. B. (2020). The role of strategic leadership in achieving organizational excellence at Al-Zaytoonah University. Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education, 40 (1), 193-210.

Al-Anzi, S. (2024). Leadership (The comprehensive guide): Definition, concept, types, characteristics, and successful leadership skills. https://salemalanzi.sa/leadership/

AL Ayoubi, M. M., Al Shobaki, M. J., & Abu-Naser, S. S. (2020). Strategic leadership practices and their relationship to improving the quality of educational service in Palestinian universities. International Journal of Business Marketing and Management, 5 (3), 11–26.

Allaoua, S., Shaqour, S., & Amari, S. E. S. (2024). The practice of transformational leadership and its role in achieving leadership excellence: A case study of Al-Istiqlal University. International Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18 (11), 2620-2644.

Al-Zahrani, A. B. A. (2023). The role of strategic leadership in achieving institutional excellence: A field study of employees of the National Center for Meteorology in Jeddah. International Journal for Research Publication and Studies, 4 (47), 411-444. https://www.ijrsp.com/pdf/issue-47/13.pdf

Butama, N. M., Mathenge, P., & Mungai, C. (2019). Strategic leadership and organizational performance: A case of Juhudi Kilimo Limited, Kenya. International Journal of Research in Management.

Khalaf, A. K. (2021). The role of strategic leadership in achieving organizational superiority: A field study of a sample of Iraqi private banks. Anbar University Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 13 (4), 124-144.

Obadha, T. W., & Deya, J. (2020). The impact of strategic leadership on managing change in the African Union. International Academic Journal of Human Resource and Business Administration, 3 (9), 166-177.

Otieno, V. O., & Lewa, E. (2020). Strategic leadership and organizational performance in the maritime sector in Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7 (3), 1244-1263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v7i3.1739

Sekaran, U. (2009). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach. 5th ed. John Wiley & Sons.

Sweis, M. I., & Al-Qabaj, I. S. (2021). The role of strategic leadership in enhancing institutional performance in commercial banks in West Bank. Arab Journal of Administration, 41 (4), 87-106.

Samr Al-Din, R., & Al-Qurashi, S. M. (2020). The impact of strategic leadership on achieving institutional excellence: A field study of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment in Jeddah Governorate. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 4 (7), 1-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26389/AJSRP.C241219

Authors

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi

Al-Istiqlal University, Palestine, State of

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0393-418X

mohammad.qawasmi@pass.ps (Primary Contact)

Sari Shaqour

istiqlal universty , Palestine, State of

Author Biography

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi, Al-Istiqlal University

Al-Istiqlal University

Al-Qawasmi, M. A., & Shaqour, S. (2026). Strategic Leadership Practices and their Role in Achieving Organizational Excellence: A Case Study of Al-Istiqlal University. Arado Business Journal, 1, 127–144. https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.2.2026.17

Download Citation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Introduction

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.

Literature Review

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.

Distinctive aspects of the present study in comparison with previous studies:Through reviewing previous studies that examined strategic leadership and organizational excellence across different universities and organizational settings, it became evident that most earlier research focused primarily on measuring relationships between variables from a structural or managerial perspective. While these studies provided valuable insights, they often gave limited attention to how leadership practices are actually experienced by employees in their daily work environment. Rather than treating leadership practices as abstract managerial mechanisms, this study explores how academic and administrative staff perceive strategic leadership behaviors and how these perceptions shape their sense of organizational excellence. By giving voice to employees’ experiences, the study captures the lived reality of leadership within the university. In addition, the study is situated within a unique institutional and national context. Al-Istiqlal University operates in a complex environment that presents continuous organizational and societal challenges. Examining strategic leadership practices within this context provides deeper insight into how leadership can support stability, motivation, and institutional excellence under demanding conditions. Furthermore, the present study builds on previous research by translating empirical findings into practical, human-oriented recommendations. These recommendations are not limited to improving systems and procedures but focus on enhancing employee development, empowerment, trust, and engagement. In doing so, the study contributes to the literature by highlighting that organizational excellence is ultimately achieved through people, their experiences, and their commitment to the institution.

Strategic Leadership Practices and their Role in Achieving Organizational Excellence: A Case Study of Al-Istiqlal University

Abstract

Full text article

References

Authors

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi, Al-Istiqlal University

Similar Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Related Articles based on the article keywords

Address

Contact

Article Sidebar

Abstract

Full text article

References

Authors

Mohammed Ayman Al-Qawasmi, Al-Istiqlal University

Article Details

Similar Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Related Articles based on the article keywords

Address

Contact