THE ROLE OF STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLANNING IN DEVELOPING THE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF ACADEMICS AND IMPROVING INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Strategic business planning has become an essential managerial practice for higher education institutions seeking to improve leadership effectiveness and institutional performance. This study aimed to examine the role of strategic business planning in developing the leadership competencies of academics and improving institutional performance in higher education institutions. A descriptive analytical approach was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 250 academic leaders and faculty members. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Cronbach's Alpha, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that strategic business planning has a statistically significant positive effect on both leadership competencies and institutional performance. Furthermore, the results indicated strong positive relationships among the study variables, confirming that institutions with well-developed strategic planning practices are more likely to enhance the intellectual, managerial, emotional, and social competencies of academic leaders while achieving higher levels of institutional performance. The study concludes that strategic business planning is a critical managerial tool for promoting leadership development and organizational effectiveness in higher education institutions. The study recommends strengthening strategic planning practices, investing in leadership development programs, and integrating performance evaluation systems to ensure sustainable institutional excellence.