The Role of Strategic Planning as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Organizational Factors and the Sustainability of Institutional Excellence: An Empirical Study in Yemeni Private Universities

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of strategic planning as a mediating variable in the relationship between organizational factors and the achievement of sustainable institutional excellence in Yemeni private universities. A quantitative approach, specifically a descriptive-analytical method, was employed, and a questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument. The study population comprised ten Yemeni private universities, established more than ten years prior, with their main branches located in the capital, Sana'a. These universities represent more than half of the total study population of eighteen universities. These universities were selected using simple random sampling. The study targeted 321 employees from these universities, randomly selected from a total study population of 660 employees. Main Findings: The study demonstrated a high level of effectiveness of organizational factors and strategic planning practices, as well as a distinguished level of achievement in sustainable institutional excellence within Yemeni private universities. Furthermore, the results revealed that organizational factors directly and indirectly influence sustainable institutional excellence, with strategic planning acting as a key mediating variable that strengthens this relationship. Recommendations: To enhance the sustainability of the effectiveness of organizational factors (administrative leadership, organizational culture, and human resources) and to research other factors that lead to the enhancement of strategic planning practices with its components (environmental analysis, strategy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) in order to achieve sustainable institutional excellence in Yemeni private universities, given its great importance in providing added value in its main functions: education, scientific research, community service and ensuring long-term continuity.