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The Impact of Strategic Planning on Crisis Management, an Applied Study in

Development Zones in Jordan

by

Student Name

A Project Prospectus Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Business Administration

International American University

2024

Faculty Mentor:
Committee Member:
Committee Member:
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SECTION 1: Statement of the Problem

The increase and diversity of disasters has led to increased awareness of the importance

of responding to crises through continuous preparation according to strategic plans that take into

account future changes in capabilities and needs. Therefore, we need to confront multiple, rapid

and sudden changes that differ in the causes and levels of their occurrence, the severity of its

impact and the frequency of its occurrence, so crisis management has become one of the modern

topics in which interest is increasing (Aljuhmani & Emeagwali, 2017).

During our practical and scientific lives, the many transformations witnessed in the

regulatory, economic and legislative environment and their reflection on the administrative

process prompted the need to strive diligently towards realizing, assimilating and introducing

advanced systems. Often times, some crises appeared that seemed more complex when the

administrative leader was unable to use the appropriate administrative style for the situation he

faces, which may affect the way crises are dealt with and managed when they occur (John-Eke &

Eke, 2020).

The cause of these crises attributed to the absence of effective strategic planning that

defines the vision, mission, values, strategic objectives, methods, means and critical skills to

increase the effectiveness of the administrative system. The ability to set strategic future

expectations for crisis management is to build the ability to overcome these crises quickly and

effectively (Alzoubi & Jaaffar, 2020).

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Crises are considered one of the most important phenomena in the life of sectors in

general and the sector and development areas in particular in Jordan, where these sectors have

begun to work seriously to deal with crises and increase the ability to confront them, due to the

presence of various crises on the ground to which sectors in general are exposed, such as crises

resulting from the global economic recession (Shrouf et al., 2020).

Which led to a real local crisis, in addition to the development areas suffering from a lack

of training programs to raise the level of administrative workers from an administrative

standpoint. The development areas in Jordan need to develop the skills of workers at different

levels, and prepare and qualify them professionally and technically through various programs

and courses, especially in the field of crisis management (Al-Qudah, Obeidat & Shrouf, 2020).

The crises facing the development zones in Jordan were related to bureaucratic

procedures and the stability of legislation regulating the work of development zones and

industrial cities from customs, tax, environmental, labor and industrial aspects, as well as the

need to simplify procedures related to licenses granted to investments. The volume of investment

in development zones in Jordan reached (2) billion. (485) million dinars, and the development

zones today embrace a wide range of industrial, agricultural and service investments, and are

distinguished by the diversity of their investments, most of which are foreign investments, as

products for international brands that work for the largest stores in the world carrying the slogan

“Made in Jordan” come out of the development zones.

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SECTION 2: Purpose of the Study

This study generally aims to identify the impact of strategic planning in its dimensions

(vision, mission, goals) in crisis management in its dimensions (prediction, analysis,

preparedness, prevention, containment, restoration) in the development regions in Jordan.

The following sub-purposes branch out from the main purpose:

1. Identify the level of strategic planning with its dimensions (vision, mission, goals) in the

development regions in Jordan.

2. Identify the level of crisis management in its dimensions (forecasting, analysis,

preparedness and prevention, containment, recovery) in the development regions in

Jordan.

3. Identify the impact of the strategic planning vision on crisis management in all its

dimensions (forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration)

in the development regions in Jordan.

4. Identify the impact of the strategic planning message on crisis management in all its

dimensions (forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration)

in the development regions in Jordan.

5. Identify the impact of strategic planning objectives on crisis management in all its

dimensions (forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration)

in the development regions in Jordan.

In order to identify the impact of strategic planning on crisis management, an applied study

in development areas in Jordan, the descriptive analytical method was used to collect data due to

its suitability to the nature of the study. The descriptive approach studies the phenomenon by
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describing it accurately and expresses it quantitatively and qualitatively

Quantitative expression based on the questionnaire to express the numerical description

of the phenomenon and determine the degree of its relationship with other variables. The

qualitative expression is to explain the phenomenon and provide a complete background about it

based on studies and literature related to the subject of the study.

SECTION 3: Research Questions

The Main question of the study is:

What is the impact of strategic planning in its dimensions (vision, mission, goals) in crisis
management in its dimensions (prediction, analysis, preparedness, prevention,
containment, restoration) in the development regions in Jordan?

The following sub-questions branch out from the main question:

Research Question 1

What is the level of strategic planning with its dimensions (vision, mission, goals) in the
development regions in Jordan?

Research Question 2

What is the level of crisis management in its dimensions (forecasting, analysis, preparedness and

prevention, containment, recovery) in the development regions in Jordan?

Research Question 3

What is the impact of the strategic planning vision on crisis management in all its dimensions

(forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration) in the development

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regions in Jordan?

Research Question 4

What is the impact of the strategic planning message on crisis management in all its dimensions

(forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration) in the development

regions in Jordan?

Research Question 5

What is the impact of strategic planning objectives on crisis management in all its dimensions

(forecasting, analysis, preparedness and prevention, containment, restoration) in the development

regions in Jordan?

SECTION 4: The Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

"Strategic planning" is one of the modern methodologies in crisis management, through

which it formulates a policy for future development areas to achieve their strategic goals

efficiently and effectively, in light of the rapid changes in the environment surrounding

development organizations and environments, and the limited resources in the internal

environment (Abu Zaid and Abu Aisha, 2022). “Strategic planning” supports the organization

with the ability to predict and plan for expected crises, by building its own scenarios, enabling

development areas to predict them, analyze them, prepare for them, and how to manage and deal

with them, by studying expected crises, developing appropriate measures to confront the crisis,

and building scenarios. The occasion (Jabr, 2022). Because crises negatively affect the

effectiveness and efficiency of crisis management, it is necessary to provide a set of innovative

crisis management strategies that are compatible with the development areas and the internal and

external variables surrounding them (Mohammad, & Naved, 2020). At the same time, relying on
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various measures (financial and non-financial) to measure performance for crisis management.

Global developments have led to increased interest in strategic planning, and it is

considered a means of identifying the most important external opportunities and threats

surrounding development areas, knowing their internal strengths and weaknesses, and

contributing to setting goals and predicting future events, and the ability to deal with change and

identify the organization’s resources and capabilities (Al-Baz, 2020). . It represents the vision of

future development areas, and a methodology for anticipating the future by setting goals and

working to achieve them in a specific period of time. Development areas seek to gain a

competitive advantage that enables them to add value to customers through excellence in service

quality, and seek to develop their services provided to customers by relying on technology.

Advanced, based on strategic planning, (Abusal and Al-Azzam, 2018).

In order for the development zones to be able to achieve their goals continuously, and

keep pace with developments and threats, it was necessary to compare the study of strategic

planning to crisis management, so that the management of the development zones can develop

based on clear and correct foundations, confront crises and threats, and develop a future plan

according to the available capabilities (Thabet, 2022).

At the Jordanian level, there are many internal and external crises that disrupt the work of

institutions, which requires the need for unity and interconnection to deepen awareness and

understanding of the importance of crisis management and how to deal with them and strategic

planning in depth.

Rather, mobilizing all the human and material capabilities required to secure the control

needs of the confrontation in order to control institutions in the development areas in Jordan,

protect the country, and mitigate the effects of these crises.

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Strategic planning

The planning process is an ancient process as it arose since man began to organize into groups;

these primitive groups practiced the planning process in a random and irregular manner that was

not based on a scientific method, and was out of necessity in the face of natural disasters and

various challenges (Rice & Mars, 2023).

Studies indicate the need for the state to adopt careful and scientific planning to bring about

progress in various fields, this means that planning is a modern science that did not appear

effectively until after the outbreak of the industrial revolution and the profound transformations

it brought about that required several preparations and procedures to control the course of things

and the developments they require in the future; which led to the transition of planning and

strategic thought to the focus of attention as it is an urgent economic and social requirement for

the coming civilizational renaissance (George, Walker & Monster, 2019).

Therefore, strategic planning expresses the steps that lead the organization’s members to develop

a vision or vision for the future of their organization and take the necessary steps and processes

to achieve this future.

Crisis Management

It should be recognized that the world today is a world of crises for reasons related to the many

changes that have occurred in the areas of political, economic, demographic and environmental

life, which have affected human life within the social and organizational entity (Brecher &

Wilkenfeld, 2022). It has become known that the major challenge facing individuals,

organizations, banking sectors, and countries is determined by a series of crises that differ in

nature and size, which lead to creating difficulties, problems and causing collapses in values,

beliefs, and property (Churchill, 2020).

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Therefore, confronting crises and being aware of them through strategic planning for all

businesses is necessary to avoid further material and moral losses.

Crisis management considered one of the modern branches in the field of management, it

includes many activities, the most important of which is forecasting potential crises, planning to

deal with them and getting out of them with the least possible losses, crisis management provides

a high awareness of the nature of change and volatility that have become the dominant feature of

most work environments around the world (Wut, Xu & Wong, 2021).

Development Zones

Development zones are considered a new and advanced concept and differ from industrial cities

in that they include various economic activities (Gao, Wang & Sun, 2021). Special economic

zones are areas that are established with the aim of enhancing the economic capacity in the

Kingdom by attracting various economic activities and attracting investments to them

(Samdershi, Gupta & Dharwal, 2020).

As for development areas, they are any area located within the customs jurisdiction of the

Kingdom whose borders are declared and whose boundaries determined by the Council of

Ministers in accordance with the provisions of the law; these areas aim to attract investments and

create job opportunities in a way that will hopefully create an acceleration in comprehensive

growth (Eun, 2019).

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SECTION 5: Methodology

This study use the descriptive approach, after defining the problem of the study, which is

revealing the impact of strategic planning on crisis management, an applied study in

development zones in Jordan.

After reviewing previous studies, research, and reviewing many research approaches, was

relied on the descriptive approach and quantitative methods as a narration method, which is the

method or approach followed by the scientific researcher in his investigation of scientific facts.

Based on the fact that the appropriate method for the current study is the descriptive approach,

due to its suitability in answering the study’s questions. Also, use the quantitative methods to get

answers for the research questions.

Areas that must be specifically addressed (use subheadings as best for your study):

Data Collection Instrument(s)

This study relied on secondary and primary sources to collect data as follows:

Secondary sources: By collecting data and information related to the impact of strategic

planning on crisis management, an applied study conducted in development zones in Jordan

through a review of the most important literature and previous studies to build the theoretical

background (John-Eke & Eke, 2020).

In addition to reviewing the references and scientific research specialized in this subject, which

cover the subject of this study, in order to find out the modern scientific principles and

foundations related to aspects of the study, as well as using the Internet to obtain some

information related to the study.

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Primary sources: It conducted by relying on a field study by distributing the

questionnaire to members of the study sample after presenting it to arbitrators with expertise and

experience in order to benefit from their observations and opinions in this field (Al-Qudah,

Obeidat & Shrouf, 2020).

The data subsequently collected and analyzed using specialized statistical programs

included in the statistical package (SPSS), which is appropriate to the nature of this study.

Population

The study population consisted of five development zones in Jordan, where the number

of employees in them reached (1200) employees. The following table shows this:

Table 1: Study Population

Num Name of Development Zones in Jordan Number of employee

1. Dead Sea Development Zone 250

2. Irbid Development Area 275

3. King Hussein bin Talal Development Zone 225

4. King Abdullah II Development Zone/Sahab 200

5. Zarqa Development Zone 250

Total 1200
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Sample

A simple random sample was taken from the study population, which numbered (1200)

employees, and thus the sample size reached (291) employees. The following table shows the

number of study sample members

Table 2: Sample

Num Name of Development Zones in Jordan Number of employee

1. Dead Sea Development Zone 70

2. Irbid Development Area 51

3. King Hussein bin Talal Development Zone 40

4. King Abdullah II Development Zone/Sahab 40

5. Zarqa Development Zone 90

Total 291

Sampling Method

There are many methods for selecting a sample in scientific research, and it is necessary

to determine the appropriate method for the study.

In this study, were use the simple random samples, as all individuals in the study

population are equal (Bhardwaj, 2019). Random number tables are used (numbers the members

of the study population, then chooses numbers randomly, until the required sample size is

reached). For example can be used the lottery method.

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Research Analytics

To demonstrate the most important results related to the fields of study, statistical treatments

related to the main questions of the study were calculated, which are:

- To answer the study questions were used the arithmetic means and standard deviations.

- To verify the validity of the study hypotheses were used a simple linear regression

analysis and t-test for the study variables, and the use of one-way analysis of variance

(ANOVA) to identify statistically significant variables.

- Were calculated the Percentages for the study sample members which distributed

according to their demographic variables

Planned data analysis:

The study procedures carried out as follows:

1. Obtained an official letter from the university to address the concerned authorities in the

development areas in Jordan, in order to facilitate the task of distributing the tool to

members of the study sample.

2. The study tool was distributed to members of the study sample, including employees in

the development areas in Jordan, which are (Dead Sea Development Zone, Irbid

Development Area, King Hussein bin Talal Development Zone, King Abdullah II

Development Zone/Sahab , and Zarqa Development Zone).

3. They numbered 600 employees from the study population, which numbered (4200)

employees. The sample members asked to place a sign (X) in front of each paragraph that

expresses their point of view, regarding the extent of the impact of strategic planning on

crisis management an applied study in development areas in Jordan.

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4. The study based on two tools for statistical analysis, where the questionnaire was

designed according to the five-point Likert scale, to estimate the level of impact of

strategic planning on crisis management an applied study in development areas in Jordan.

5. Entered the data into the computer and analyzed according to the statistical methods

appropriate for the study.

SECTION 6: Significance of the Study

Strategic planning considered one of the most important functions of management, and

the most appropriate method for activating management.

No organization can carry out its activities and work without prior planning of its goals,

vision, mission and values, so the randomness and reliance on strategic planning makes the

organization vulnerable to crises, to avoiding and managing these crises necessitates the need for

strategic planning (Aljuhmani & Emeagwali, 2017).

Given that strategic planning ensures defining future long-term goals and means of

achieving them, preparing and allocating resources, and determining work priorities.

The study aimed to demonstrate the impact of Strategic Planning on Crisis Management,

an Applied Study in Development Zones in Jordan. The importance of the study includes two

basic aspects, which are theoretical Significance and practical Significance.

Theoretical Significance

The theoretical importance of this study highlighted by the fact that it will provide

libraries with new information that constitutes an important reference for academics, researchers

and practitioners about impact of strategic planning on crisis management. It considered a

starting point for other studies in strategic planning as a modern administrative method followed

by development regions in Jordan to confront and manage the crises that they may experience. In
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addition, it considered one of the few studies that examine strategic planning and its impact on

crisis management from the point of view of the study sample.

The importance of the study will highlights the modernity and positivity of the subject

of strategic planning in confronting crises by identifying the concepts of strategic planning,

preparing effective strategic plans that support operations to resist crises, and are concerned with

quickly containing them, restoring stability, and removing negative effects (Bhardwaj, 2019).

The study will contributes to identifying the positive effects of strategic planning in

development zones in Jordan to confront environmental crises and reduce their damage. It will

help solve problems and confront future crises facing development areas by identifying internal

capabilities, their strengths, weaknesses, and threats, and how to deal with them.

Practical Significance

The practical significance of the study includes the following:

- This study will seek to motivate officials in development zones in Jordan about the

significance of following the strategic planning method in facing crises expected to

occur.

- This study will seek to know the extent to which employees in development zones are

familiar with the dimensions of strategic planning in reducing the damage of crises.

- This study will seek to determine the availability of strategic planning requirements

necessary to reduce the damage of crises from the point of view of a sample of employees

in development zones (Al-Qudah, Obeidat & Shrouf, 2020).

- This study will seek to know the obstacles that limit the role of strategic planning in

confronting the damages of crises and ways to overcome them.

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- This study will attempt to come up with proposals that can be applied in development

zones in accordance with the reality of Jordanian society and its circumstances, namely

alleviating the number of crises facing workers in development zones.

- This study will attempt to develop work methods and a sense of responsibility towards

development zones to confront crises, which leads to a decrease in the rate of work

turnover, increases the ability to confront crises, and creates the appropriate conditions

for them to perform the tasks assigned to them.

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SECTION 7: References

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planning on the organizational performance of public shareholding companies in Jordan.

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Bhardwaj, P. (2019). Types of sampling in research. Journal of Primary Care Specialties, 5(3),

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Gao, S., Wang, S., & Sun, D. (2021). Development zones and their surrounding host cities in

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Al-Azzam, A,A,N. (2018), The Impact of Strategic Planning on Service Quality in the

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Al-Baz, M, M, A .(2020), The Impact of Strategic Planning in Creating Sustainable Human

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First Pan IIT International Management Conference–2018.

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Wut, T. M., Xu, J. B., & Wong, S. M. (2021). Crisis management research (1985–2020) in the

hospitality and tourism industry: A review and research agenda. Tourism Management,

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