English abstract
This study aimed to identify the strategic planning and its importance in improving administrative performance in sports organisations in the Sultanate of Oman from the point of view of their employees. It also aimed to detect any significant differences in the level of employees' practice of management performance in accordance with strategic planning depending on variables of qualification, years of experience, job title and type of organisation. This study also aimed to identify the obstacles that hinder the application of strategic planning in sports organization, as well as to identify suggested procedures to activate the application of strategic planning in sports in the Sultanate of Oman.
The researcher used a questionnaire and interview as tools for gathering data. The questionnaire consisted of (35) statements distributed into three domains, the first theme: the importance of strategic planning in improving management performance, and the second theme: the extent of employees' practice of management performance in accordance with strategic planning, and the third theme: obstacles to implementing strategic planning in sports organisations.
The study sample included (203) directors general, their deputies, directors of departments, heads of departments, staff from the Ministry of Sports Affairs and some members of the administrations' boards of sports associations that applied strategic plans (Oman Football Association, Oman Athletic Association, Oman Basketball Association, Oman Handball Association, Oman Tennis Association, Oman Swimming Association).
The researcher used a descriptive analytical method. Processing the data statistically by using statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) revealed the following results:
- Strategic planning is very important to improve management
performance according to the study sample. This is apparent by the extent of employees' agreement on the questionnaire's importance domain on the employees' awareness about strategic planning and its advantages) in general.
- Employees in sports organisations (study sample) practice management
performance according to strategic planning moderately.
- The most important obstacles to the application of strategic planning in
sports organisations (study sample) were in financial and human resources, capabilities and technology followed by management skills of workers.
- Statistical differences were found at level (0.05) in the study sample's
responses in the domain of participating in the preparation of the strategic plan between the two management levels (upper and middle) in favor of the upper management, and between the two levels (upper and Executive) in favor of the upper management as well. There were no differences between the two management levels (middle and Executive).
In light of the results of the study, the researcher recommended that more focus is needed on monitoring and evaluating elements when implementing strategic plans, and also to enroll employees in sports organisations in Oman in strategic planning training.
