The Impact of Strategic Management on Organizational Performance with the Mediating Role of Strategic Leadership: Evidence from Institutions Affiliated with Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education
Keywords:
Strategic management, Strategic leadership, Organizational performanceAbstract
This study aims to investigate the impact of strategic management on organizational performance through the mediating role of strategic leadership, using evidence from institutions affiliated with Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education. This applied, descriptive-correlational study involved a statistical population of 2,200 employees across Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education institutions. Based on Morgan’s table, 327 participants were randomly selected and surveyed using three standardized instruments: Hill and Jones' (2007) Strategic Management Questionnaire, Lear et al.'s (2012) Strategic Leadership Scale, and Hersey and Goldsmith’s Organizational Performance Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 and SmartPLS-3 software, employing both confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Structural modeling results revealed a significant and positive relationship between strategic management and organizational performance (t=12.32, p<0.01). Strategic management was also positively linked to strategic leadership (t=14.15, p<0.01), and strategic leadership significantly influenced organizational performance (t=9.63, p<0.01). The Sobel test confirmed that strategic leadership plays a mediating role in the relationship between strategic management and performance (Sobel=4.14, p<0.001). The findings demonstrate that enhancing both strategic management and strategic leadership can significantly improve organizational performance. The study underscores the strategic value of leadership in amplifying the effects of management initiatives, particularly within Iraq's higher education institutions.
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