Examining The Relationship Between External Factors and Strategic Management Practices in Commercial Banks: A Case Study of Palestine رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

The study sought to determine the influence of external environmental factors, specifically economic, political, social, organizational, and technological factors, on strategic management practices within commercial banks in Palestine. This was examined through the lens of strategic planning, strategic decision-making, strategic implementation, and strategic evaluation and control practices. The study utilized a descriptive analytical approach, focusing on the community of employees within commercial banks in Palestine. According to data from the Palestinian Banks Association, the estimated number of male and female employees is (7579). A random sample was chosen from the study population including staff, department heads, and department managers, utilizing Stephen Thompson's sampling method. The research comprised a sample size of 365 items, with data collection conducted through a questionnaire administered to the study sample. A total of 302 questionnaires were retrieved for analysis, yielding a response rate of (82.7%), which is considered statistically acceptable. The key findings of the study are: The results showed that the external factors affecting strategic management practices in commercial banks in Palestine came with a high degree of importance, as the arithmetic average of the total score of these factors was (3.74), which indicates the high level of importance of these factors and their reflection on their strategic management practices, and the results showed that economic factors were the most important in their impact on strategic management practices, which reflects the importance of Follow-up of the local and international economic conditions of the management of commercial banks, and highlights the importance of political factors as well, which means that the existence of political instability and the efficiency of government policies have an important role in strategic management practices and the orientations of commercial banks in Palestine, with the importance of social, cultural, technological and organizational factors in the directions of strategic management in commercial banks in Palestine, and the results showed that external environmental factors explain the variation in strategic management practices by no less than (20.3%). The study presented several key recommendations, including adopting flexible and adaptable strategies to address rapid changes in the economic and political landscape in V Palestine, such as adopting a resilience-enhancing strategy based on diversifying banking products and services to meet customer needs in light of market fluctuations, as well as adopting strategies based on designing proactive scenarios and alternative plans to deal with potential crises. It also stressed the importance of integrating strategic resilience into the operations of commercial banks in the region. In addition, the study highlighted the need for continuous and periodic monitoring of local and international economic developments through written reports to enhance banks’ ability to make informed and strategic decisions