Introduction

In today’s fast-changing and highly competitive business world, profitability is no longer the sole objective of organizations; rather, strategic performance has become the true measure of their long-term success and sustainability. Strategic performance is not limited to financial outcomes but extends to evaluating the organization’s ability to achieve its goals, utilize its resources efficiently, and adapt to environmental challenges. It serves as a compass guiding the organization toward its future vision, ensuring that all its activities move in the right direction.

To gain a deeper understanding of strategic performance, it must be viewed from a multi-dimensional perspective. Performance measurement tools have evolved from focusing solely on financial data to more comprehensive models. This study, for example, focuses on three main dimensions: customers, internal processes, and learning and growth. Measuring such performance is not merely a routine process; it is a highly important managerial tool that enables top management to identify strengths and weaknesses, make well-informed decisions, motivate employees, and ensure business sustainability.

Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries stands as a prominent institution in this sector, with its success relying on its ability to assess and enhance its strategic performance. Hence, there is a pressing need to study the reality of strategic performance in this particular company. This study is based on the perspectives of managers who serve as the link between top management and operational processes and are most aware of the realities of implementation and challenges.

Accordingly, this study aims to analyze the current state of strategic performance in Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries. By applying these comprehensive dimensions, it seeks to present an accurate picture of the company’s effectiveness in achieving its goals and to identify the key challenges and opportunities for performance improvement.

To achieve these objectives, the structure of this study consists of four main sections: the first section addresses the methodological framework of the study; the second focuses on the theoretical framework of strategic performance; the third presents the field framework of the study; and the fourth outlines the key conclusions and recommendations derived from the research.

Chapter One Study Methodology and Procedures

First: Research Problem

The research problem lies in the challenge faced by Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries in achieving its set strategic objectives despite the efforts made in planning. The gap between strategic planning and actual implementation represents one of the most significant obstacles companies encounter.

Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a systematic and organized assessment of the company’s strategic performance, especially from the viewpoint of managers who form the core link in the implementation process. This leads to the central research question:

What is the current state of strategic performance in Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries in its various dimensions (customers, internal processes, learning, and growth) from the managers’ perspective?

Second: Importance of the Study

1.Scientific (Theoretical) Importance:

- Enriching the literature: This study will contribute scientifically by providing an applied case study in a local environment (Iraq) and a specific sector (food industries). While most studies may be general in nature, this research will offer specific insights and findings that other researchers can build upon.

- Identifying performance metrics: The study will help determine the dimensions and metrics managers consider important in assessing strategic performance within the local context, which may differ from foreign theories.

2.Practical (Applied) Importance:

- For company management: The findings will serve as a diagnostic tool for top management, helping them determine whether strategic plans are well understood and properly implemented. They will also reveal weaknesses that need to be addressed, such as poor strategic communication or inefficient monitoring systems.

- For managers: The study will give managers the opportunity to express their perceptions and challenges, thereby enhancing their sense of belonging and involvement in decision-making. The recommendations may also help them improve both their individual and team performance.

- For the industrial sector: The study could serve as a model for other companies in the sector to evaluate their strategic performance, contributing to the enhancement of strategic management practices on a wider scale.

Third: Study Objectives

The study aims to:

1.Identify the current state of strategic performance and how it is achieved by analyzing managers’ perceptions of its various dimensions.

2.Determine the extent to which the strategic vision and mission are clear to managers.

3.Evaluate the efficiency of strategic plan implementation processes.

4.Measure the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation systems for strategic performance.

5.Assess the impact of strategic performance on the company’s financial and operational indicators from the managers’ perspective.

6.Provide recommendations based on statistical results to improve the company’s strategic performance, ensuring they are practical, applicable, and of real value.

Fourth: Research Hypotheses

- Main Hypothesis: There is good strategic performance in Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries.

Sub-hypotheses:

1.There is good performance in the customer dimension.

2.There is good performance in the internal processes dimension.

3.There is good performance in the learning and growth dimension.

Fifth: Research Methodology

Given the components of this research, the study adopts a descriptive analytical method, which significantly contributes to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. This method helps in framing both the theoretical and practical aspects of the study and facilitates the achievement of research objectives.

Sixth: Study Boundaries

1.Time Frame: From 30/06/2025 to 02/08/2025.

2.Human Boundaries: A random sample of managers at Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries in Babylon Governorate.

3.Geographical Boundaries: Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries, Babylon Governorate.

4.Scientific Boundaries: Strategic performance.

Seventh: Study Population and Sample

The study population comprises Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries in Babylon Governorate. The sample consists of the managers working in the company. A total of 199 questionnaires were distributed; after reviewing the returned questionnaires, two were excluded for being invalid, resulting in 197 valid questionnaires for analysis.

Eighth: Data Collection Methods

The data collection process was conducted in two main stages:

1.Theoretical Aspect: Based on contributions from researchers and authors, drawing from various Arabic and foreign scientific references, including books, academic papers, journals, theses, and dissertations related to the study’s topic, in addition to the use of Internet resources.

2.Practical Aspect: In the applied part of the research, the questionnaire was used as the primary tool for data collection from managers in Etihad Food Industries Company for Food Industries. The collected data was then processed and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS v.26 to derive results and indicators supporting the study’s subject. The questionnaire was designed to cover the study variable (strategic performance with its dimensions).

Ninth: Statistical Analysis Tools

The study relied on AMOS v.26 to determine the levels of influence between the explanatory and dependent variables under study, using both simple and multiple linear regression analysis. This approach aimed to assess the acceptance or rejection of the hypotheses and to reach conclusions that could be compared with the study’s recommendations.

Chapter Two Theoretical Framework Strategic Performance

First: The Concept of Strategic Performance

Strategic performance refers to an organization’s ability to achieve the objectives it has planned and set within the timeframe of its strategic plan. It is thus considered a distinguishing feature of organizations that succeed in meeting their goals. The higher the level of performance, the more the organization stands out from others.

A review of researchers’ efforts in this field reveals multiple definitions of strategic performance. For example, Betto et al. (2022: 2) defined it as a phenomenon that can distinguish high-performing organizations from those with low performance. Similarly, Oewarno and Tjahjadi (1) described it as the path to achieving sustainable competitive advantage, which in turn leads to exceptional financial returns for the organization through superior performance.

Therefore, researchers’ contributions in this domain have not been limited to a single perspective or dimension. A careful review of several of these efforts can provide us with a comprehensive understanding of strategic performance, as illustrated in the table below.

It can be stated here that concepts may represent the full statement of what the study applies to in any field. Therefore, studies typically start with the concept because it expresses what the study encompasses. From this standpoint, the researcher can clarify the following:

1.Strategic performance represents the sustainable competitive advantage; through this performance, organizations can advance in their work and achieve significant and effective results.

2.The success of industrial, commercial, and economic organizations clearly indicates that their employees implement long-term strategic plans. This is an indicator of relying on competencies and readiness to face challenges by reducing costs, which signals success in achieving goals.

3.Rapid response to threats and full readiness to face environmental changes affirm the organization's ability to achieve objectives and confirm its survival and competitive success.

4.Strategic performance expresses the empowerment of employees, which is a pivotal action by leaders who instill the spirit of work and the pursuit of overcoming obstacles on the path to achieving goals.

5.Strategic performance is embodied in plans, policies, laws, and regulations that lead to achieving results for the organization among all stakeholders.

6.Strategic performance is considered a process of translating the organization's capabilities, including motivation, training, development, and continuous support from the leader, so that the results provided by the organization—whether products, processes, or systems—are clearly defined.

Based on the above, the researcher operationally defines the concept of strategic performance as: an integrated process resulting from employing capabilities, policies, modern methods, and developing and training employees to achieve innovative production and meet objectives by being able to confront challenges and obstacles that prevent achieving long-term strategies. If the capabilities are available, performance is advanced and developed in all areas of the organization, including creativity and innovation, with strategic leadership playing a role in guiding and directing it.

Second: Dimensions of Measuring Strategic Performance

In modern business environments, organizational success is no longer measured only by traditional indicators but depends on sustainable strategic performance that enables the organization to compete and adapt. Strategic performance goes beyond short-term financial results to include dimensions reflecting the organization's efficiency and effectiveness in achieving long-term objectives. These dimensions provide an integrated system to evaluate strategies and guide decisions toward institutional excellence, confirming the interconnection of these dimensions to balance operational efficiency and innovation, and profitability and sustainability.

To measure strategic performance, the researcher relied on the Balanced Scorecard, introduced by Kaplan and Norton in 1992. This tool resembles an airplane's dashboard, enabling performance tracking across four main axes: customers, internal processes, learning and growth, and financial performance. This measure integrates various indicators into a unified report, providing a comprehensive vision and preventing any imbalance in performance improvement. It has proven effective in various sectors.

The researcher believes in the effectiveness of the Balanced Scorecard in linking strategic goals to operational results. Despite its comprehensiveness, the researcher excluded the financial dimension from the current study for several reasons: difficulty in obtaining financial data from the studied organization, inability to express this dimension with descriptive indicators, and to avoid duplication of quantitative and qualitative measures within the same tool. This adjustment aims to tailor the measure to the nature of the Iraqi industrial environment and the reality of the studied organization, focusing on the remaining three dimensions: customers, internal processes, and learning and growth. This is also indicated by Kaplan & Norton, (7).

(Huang, 2009:210) emphasized that this measure helps to track financial and non-financial metrics integratively. Many global and Arab studies have confirmed the importance and wide use of the Balanced Scorecard in various work environments, such as Neely (8), Hoque (9), (Nafari & Rezaei (10), as well as Arab studies like (Nasif, 2023), (Nattah & Qaroush, 2025), and (Abu Al-Ata, 2025), which cover (customers, internal processes, learning and growth, financial performance).

The researcher selected these dimensions because they are the most appropriate and compatible with the study's independent variable and other dimensions and consistent with the study environment. However, the researcher chose to assign the financial dimension within the strategic performance measure in this study for several reasons: the sensitivity of financial aspects, inability to obtain financial performance results and indicators from the studied organization, and the inability to express the financial dimension with descriptive indicators as with other dimensions. It should be noted that even if financial data were available, the researcher would have to rely on quantitative measures to express strategic performance financially, and on descriptive measures for the other dimensions, which cannot be adopted due to dual measures within the same tool.

The researcher limited the financial dimension by adjusting the measure to suit the Iraqi industrial environment, allowing its application to the studied organization. Each dimension used by the researcher will be described as follows:

1.Customer Dimension: Focusing on customer satisfaction is a fundamental pillar for any successful organization, as customer satisfaction is a factor in the organization's continuity and market survival. When customer expectations are not met, they quickly turn to other producers or suppliers who better fulfill their needs. Poor performance in this dimension signals a potential decline in future performance. When developing metrics for this dimension, customers should be analyzed according to several considerations such as the sector they belong to, common organizational characteristics, and the type of processes through which products or services are delivered to customers (Gawankar et al., 2015:13). This dimension is a qualitative, non-financial measure of strategic performance and can be described as the degree of alignment between perceived product performance and customer expectations. It also reflects the rate of increase in customer dealings with the organization. Organizations seek to provide distinguished services to attract the largest possible number of customers to ensure survival. The organization's responsiveness to customer requirements indicates their satisfaction with the quality of services provided and can be measured by evaluating their purchase and consumption experiences.

Several factors affect customer satisfaction to gain loyalty, which is essential for organizational continuity in global markets (Supriyanto et al., 2021:2). This dimension focuses on methods and approaches that help deliver value to customers, understanding the value that achieves satisfaction and supportive environments for the strategy. It also focuses on intangible indicators of the organization's future success, such as human capital, organizational capital, and informational capital Saghir & Al-Marhadi(11).

All organizations strive to maximize profit to ensure continuity in a competitive environment, where meeting customer needs and desires is essential for profit and rapid growth. Customer satisfaction is central to contemporary marketing strategies. Many organizations have started focusing on precisely meeting the expectations of targeted customers amidst available multiple options. One key driver for achieving this is developing creative and innovative ideas based on improvements in products, thus enhancing customer loyalty (Naini et al., 2022:36). This dimension concerns achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty by influencing their attitudes towards the organization's products, as the value provided to customers is the essence of survival and success. Transforming the customer into a partner—from satisfaction to loyalty and belonging—is one of this dimension's goals (Mohammed, 2024:156).

As a dimension of strategic performance, the customer dimension requires organizing organizational work in terms of time, quality, performance, and cost. Therefore, renewing and improving the organization's image before customers and continuously delivering value and excellence from their perspective is necessary (Al-Qahtani, 2025:104). The customer dimension reflects the advantages and services offered by the organization, including continuous product development, introduction of new products, price reductions, and other services and options. The customer satisfaction measure provides an indicator of organizational efficiency and success in achieving customer satisfaction, which can lead to repeated purchases (Al-Faqih, 2025:1236).

Many researchers have emphasized the importance of this dimension in achieving strategic performance. (Amira & Khadija, 2020:58), (Ayman, 2020:77), (Ahlam & Khawla, 2017:49), (Mushari, 2024:27), and (Al-Sharbatly, 2025:536) stated that successful implementation of the Balanced Scorecard depends on understanding customer expectations and delivering distinctive value through product quality, accurate delivery, appropriate pricing, and superior services. These indicators contribute to evaluating performance from the customers' perspective, as customers are the primary source of the organization's revenues, and their satisfaction is the key to success, sustainability, and growth in a competitive environment.

To understand the impact of customers on the studied organization's achievement of desired strategic performance, the researcher believes organizational leadership must place the customer at the center of its actions and behaviors, committing to encouraging and leading organizational innovation to ensure delivering all that is new and fulfilling their evolving needs and desires.

2.Learning and Growth Dimension: This dimension focuses on indicators reflecting the organization's ability to develop employee skills and enhance their capabilities through empowerment, quality of information systems, and efficiency of administrative and technical resources used to support organizational goals Hakkak & Ghodsi, 2015:302 (12). The learning and growth perspective consists of employee skills, training, and management of routine operations. It focuses on internal skills and capabilities to align them with the organization's strategic objectives Kalenderc & Vayvay(13).

Abdelraheem & Hussien, (19)This dimension defines employee goals and organizational systems working to improve organizational performance and build long-term growth through employee capabilities, skills, technology, and organizational integration Al-Zwyalif(14). It enables the organization to continuously develop and innovate, thereby building higher value compared to other organizations Al-Rawadiya(15). It guarantees the organization's ability to renew itself, which is a fundamental condition for long-term survival.

This dimension also aims to direct employees towards continuous development and improvement necessary for survival. It examines what organizations must do to retain the technical knowledge required to understand and meet customer needs and to develop that knowledge, alongside studying how to retain efficiency and productivity necessary for value-creating operations (Taha Badr, 2024:704).

Based on the above views, the researcher believes this dimension is a process linked to behaviors, policies, and leadership systems that support learning and growth. Learning is considered an encyclopedic knowledge and scientific resource that mirrors environmental and technological changes and the global modernity that has always been the basis for survival and growth. Therefore, it provides greater opportunities for growth, expansion, and progress, facing challenges with creative products that anticipate customer tastes and needs. Hence, the organization must embed training, development, and meeting employee learning needs within its culture. This indicates that organizational leadership is influential and innovative and focuses on educating individuals and guiding them towards innovation.

3.Internal Processes Dimension: Generally, this dimension identifies more effective processes for organizations to achieve high efficiency in meeting their goals, including short- and long-term objectives, as well as integrating innovative processes to stimulate improvement. Organizations must identify and organize internal leadership processes that are important concerning customer and stakeholder goals Hakkak & Ghodsi(12).

The internal processes dimension focuses on improving core tasks, managing customer relationships, innovation, and organizational and social processes where the organization must excel to meet customer needs, improve organizational performance, and achieve profitability (Kalender & Vayvay (13).

Ben Ghazal(16) states that when an organization has a clear picture of financial and customer perspectives, it determines activities enabling it to improve customer value and productivity to achieve financial objectives. These organizational activities manifest in three processes as follows:

a. Stimulating innovation to develop new products, penetrate new markets, and attract customers.

b. Increasing customer value by expanding and deepening existing relationships.

c. Achieving operational excellence by improving supply chain management, internal processes, resource management, capabilities, and other operations.

Business processes within this dimension measure all activities executed by the organization, requiring managers and the organization to create products that provide an adequate level of satisfaction (Abidin, 2023:12).

The internal processes dimension is critically important for organizational performance, focusing on internal operational processes that meet customer expectations, reflecting positively on the financial dimension by increasing stock value and the customer dimension by creating customer value. It includes several key measures such as production cycle efficiency, production lead time quality, on-time delivery, new product introduction time, continuous process improvement, inventory turnover, planning accuracy, product defect rates, customer order response rate, number of ideas and suggestions for improvement, time wastage rate, and employee participation (Saghir & Al-Marhadi(10).

Therefore, this dimension measures the organization's future performance by presenting the internal activities and processes it implements to achieve its objectives and employee goals through provision, innovation, and development Melhem, 18)).

The internal processes dimension also refers to the organization's role in managing and organizing all aspects of its activities—administrative, organizational, or operational—to achieve distinguished performance focusing efforts on cost reduction, economies of scale, sales growth, and achieving a low-risk margin. It measures the organization's future performance by examining the vision of internal operations and activities to achieve financial goals and meet current and future customer needs. This context also focuses on human resource investment, research and development level, and training costs.

The organization's infrastructure in this context depends on advanced technology and the effectiveness of systems that help the organization achieve its goals and objectives (Rashid(17). Since the internal processes dimension includes all internal operational processes that distinguish the organization from competitors, it must impact customer satisfaction.

From the above, it is clear that the internal processes dimension means the organization must focus on internal processes that help it excel and efficiently and effectively meet customer desires (Al-Qahtani, 2025:104). It also targets identifying and improving critical processes that contribute to creating customer value and achieving the organization's strategic objectives.

Accordingly, the researcher believes that the internal processes dimension requires active leadership to lead and manage a set of internal activities and procedures to produce products efficiently and with high quality. This includes everything that happens inside the organization that customers do not see directly. Therefore, appropriate focus and leadership on internal processes can facilitate organizational innovation and renewal.

Chapter Three Field Framework

First: Description of the Researched Field:

Researchers should strive to select the research field as a fundamental step since it strengthens cognitive efforts and field contributions aligned with the nature, directions, and intellectual and field pathways of the study. The researcher chose the closest and most suitable field for the current study, selecting the industrial sector in the Iraqi environment, represented by (Etihad Food Industries Company) as the study field.

Therefore, a brief definition of the research field is necessary by benefiting from personal interviews conducted by the researcher with company managers. The individuals researched are described based on the information provided in the first part of the questionnaire tool, related to individuals in the studied company. The researcher used purposive sampling to select respondents, represented by managers of Etihad Food Industries Company in Babil Governorate. The researcher conducted a field visit to the company.

Etihad Food Industries Company Ltd. was established in 2012 in the Al-Mudhathiya area in Babil Governorate, Iraq. The company began actual production of refined white sugar at the beginning of 2015. Later, in 2016, it established a vegetable oil refining factory that started production at the beginning of 2017. The company produces approximately 2,000 tons of vegetable oil daily and about 4,000 tons of refined white sugar. The company aims to be one of the leading food companies in providing high-quality products to its customers.

The company owns 200 trucks specialized in transporting raw sugar, as well as 100 tankers for transporting oil from Umm Qasr port to the company site. It employs up to 2,000 employees. The company started producing refined vegetable oil for the first time in early 2017. It keeps pace with modern developments and continuously develops its work to expand its product range to meet consumer desires. Etihad aspires to reach the level of global companies and top local companies by committing to manufacturing high-quality products with global specifications.

Etihad is known as a successful project contributing to national economic development by providing high-specification local products. The company established Al-Rayan Company specialized in extracting vegetable oils and feed in 2021. It produces about 3,600 tons of soybean seeds daily and around 2,400 tons of sunflower seeds. The Al-Rayan project requires a fleet of 300 trucks. ([email protected])

Second: Description of the Respondents in the Studied Company:

The current study sample is characterized based on data provided by respondents concerning the first axis of the study tool (questionnaire form). Some characteristics of the respondents can be identified as follows:

1.Distribution by Gender: Table (9) shows that the entire sample consists of males (100%), while females represent 0%. This indicates that the study population is exclusively male, reflecting the company's heavy reliance on males, which may largely relate to Iraqi social life and clearly indicates that the company's culture aligns with the prevailing societal culture.

2.Distribution by Age: Table data show that the highest responding age group is between 40-49 years (30%), followed by 30-39 years (26%). Other age groups (under 30, 50-59, 60 and above) account for 17%, 23%, and 4%, respectively. This means that 56% of respondents are aged between 30-49 years.

3.Distribution by Educational Qualification: Table (10) indicates that 54% hold a bachelor's degree, followed by a technical diploma at 16%. The high school certificate accounts for 14%, while master's and doctorate degrees represent 11% and 5%, respectively. It can be concluded that 84% have university degrees, indicating that they possess the experience, skills, and educational levels enabling them to handle organizational work requirements and respond to questionnaire items, contributing to reflecting the study variables' reality in the company.

4.Distribution by Years of Service: Table (10) shows that 41% have 10-13 years of service, followed by 34% with 5-10 years of service. Those with less than 5 years account for 25%, the lowest percentage. This means 75% of respondents have service years exceeding 13 years, which is since the company's establishment in 2012 until now, indicating most respondents have the level of experience, knowledge, and skills needed to perform required tasks and achieve multiple organizational goals.

Third: Description and Diagnosis of the Dimensions of the Strategic Performance Variable (Customers, Internal Processes, Learning and Growth)

The strategic performance variable was considered a dependent variable and measured through the dimensions (customers, internal processes, learning and growth). The number of items related to this variable in the questionnaire was (16) items, denoted as (X1–X16), as follows:

1.Customers: Items (X1–X5) in the questionnaire represent the customer dimension. Data from Table (3) indicate that respondents’ answers regarding this dimension showed a positive agreement rate of (80.1%), with neutral responses at (17.9%), while disagreement rates accounted for (2.0%). This was supported by a mean value of (4.07) and a standard deviation of (0.737). The coefficient of variation was (18.138) and the response rate was (81.388%). Item (X1) contributed the highest agreement degree, reaching (37.8%) with a mean of (4.22) and a standard deviation of (0.720), which reflects the statement: “Continuously following a strategy to achieve the highest added value for beneficiaries.” The item with the lowest contribution was (X5), with an agreement rate of (22.4%), a mean of (3.91), and a standard deviation of (0.790), which refers to “Developing customer retention capabilities and continuously adding new beneficiaries.”

2. Internal Processes:

The questionnaire items (X6–X11) were dedicated to assessing the respondents’ perceptions of this dimension. The data in Table (4) indicate that the respondents’ answers regarding this dimension’s indicators showed a positive agreement rate of (82.9%), with a neutrality rate of (15.1%), while disagreement rates accounted for (2.0%). This was supported by a mean value of (4.16) and a standard deviation of (0.758). The coefficient of variation was (18.247), with a response rate of (83.122). Item (X8) contributed the highest agreement level of (44.9%), with a mean of (4.27) and a standard deviation of (0.790), referring to (offering products and delivering them fairly to beneficiaries). The item with the lowest contribution was (X11), with an agreement rate of (29.6%), a mean of (4.06), and a standard deviation of (0.816), indicating (accelerating internal processes by eliminating redundant steps in organizational procedures).

3.Learning and Growth:

To identify the respondents’ opinions regarding this dimension, items (X12–X16) in the questionnaire were designated for its measurement. The data in Table (5) show that the respondents’ answers regarding this dimension’s indicators reflected a positive agreement rate of (79.2%), with neutrality at (18.0%), while disagreement rates accounted for (2.9%). This is supported by a mean value of (4.11) and a standard deviation of (0.816). The coefficient of variation was (19.835), with a response rate of (82.286). Item (X14) contributed the highest agreement level of (39.3%), with a mean of (4.15) and a standard deviation of (0.861), stating that (the dominance of a climate encouraging continuous learning culture). The item with the lowest contribution was (X15), with an agreement rate of (31.1%), a mean of (4.10), and a standard deviation of (0.735), referring to (making substantial modifications continuously in the adopted production methods).

4. Summary of Description and Diagnosis of the Strategic Performance Variable and Its Dimensions:

It is evident from the data in Table (6) that the overall agreement rate of the sample individuals on all items and dimensions of the strategic performance variable reached (80.73%), with a mean of (4.11), a standard deviation of (0.77), a coefficient of variation of (18.794), and a response rate of (80.775%). The dimension of Internal Processes achieved the highest level of agreement, ranking first compared to the other sub-dimensions with an agreement rate of (82.9%). The lowest agreement was for the Learning and Growth dimension at (79.2%). It is also noticeable that the dimensions of the strategic performance variable recorded varying agreement rates for each dimension; however, the Internal Processes dimension led with the highest agreement rate of (82.9%), followed by the Customers dimension at (80.1%), and finally the Learning and Growth dimension with (79.2%).

Based on the above, the ranking of the dimensions by agreement rate is as follows: the Internal Processes dimension comes first, followed by the Customers dimension, and lastly the Learning and Growth dimension, which had the lowest agreement compared to the other dimensions.

Chapter Four Conclusions and Recommendations

First: Conclusions:

This chapter aims to present the conclusions derived from the theoretical and field frameworks of the study, which identify a set of positive and negative foundations that contribute to assisting the management of the studied company (Al-Ittihad Food Industries Company) in enhancing some aspects and addressing others as much as possible, as follows:

1.The study revealed that strategic performance is a key driver for sustainable competitive advantage, enabling organizations to achieve effective outcomes and leadership in their sector. This is accomplished by translating long-term strategic plans into tangible actions and results.

2.The study clarified that strategic performance forms a link between internal operational efficiency and external customer satisfaction. It ensures that operational processes (such as cost reduction and increased efficiency) are directly directed toward achieving the organization’s objectives, which enhances its ability to respond swiftly to environmental changes and challenges.

3.The study confirmed that strategic performance largely depends on the organization's capacity for learning and growth. This includes empowering employees, motivating them to innovate, continuously developing their skills, and ongoing support from leaders. Together, these factors ensure that the achieved outcomes (whether products or services) are of high quality and clearly defined.

4.The study found that strategic performance is not limited to financial goals only but is an integrated system of plans, policies, and systems that guarantee achieving objectives for all stakeholders. It represents a comprehensive process for translating the organization's capabilities into real and sustainable results.

5.The field study results indicated that the overall strategic performance of the company received a strong positive evaluation from the sample members, with an average agreement rate of (80.73%) and an arithmetic mean of (4.11). This reflects a high awareness and appreciation of the company's overall strategic performance. Regarding the sub-dimensions of strategic performance, it is evident that the "internal processes" dimension represents a main strength point, achieving the highest agreement rate of (82.9%). This indicates the company’s high efficiency in its internal operations and that individuals perceive the processes as well-defined and effectively contributing to achieving strategic goals. The next important dimension is "customers," with an agreement rate of (80.1%), reflecting good customer satisfaction and the company’s ability to meet their needs. However, the "learning and growth" dimension ranked last in terms of agreement percentage, recording (79.2%). Although this percentage is generally good, it is the lowest compared to other dimensions. This suggests that the company may need to focus more on enhancing its capabilities for continuous learning, skill development, and internal innovation to ensure sustainable long-term growth and adaptability to future challenges. Based on the statistical analysis results for the strategic performance variable, it can be stated that the company demonstrates strong strategic performance supported by effective internal processes and good customer relations. However, the company may benefit from increased investment in the learning and growth dimensions to strengthen its future capabilities for innovation and continuous adaptation.

Second: Recommendations:

Based on the obtained results, several recommendations can be diagnosed as follows:

1.The researched company should provide ongoing training and development programs for employees, especially those that enhance innovation skills and problem-solving abilities.

2.The company must adopt an organizational culture that encourages knowledge and experience sharing among different departments.

3.Al-Ittihad Company should provide clear mechanisms to motivate creative initiatives and new proposals from employees.

4.The company’s management should ensure that all main performance dimensions (customers, internal processes, learning and growth) operate harmoniously and integrally. Focusing on one dimension without the others is insufficient; balance among them creates sustainable competitive advantage.

5.The researched company should invest in a culture of continuous learning: It must continue investing in employee training and development, especially managers. This is not limited to technical skills but also includes developing leadership and analytical capabilities that enable them to translate strategic plans into tangible actions and results.

6.The company should develop a comprehensive strategic performance measurement system that is not limited to financial indicators. This system must include clear and measurable indicators for each performance dimension (e.g., customer satisfaction rate, operational efficiency, employee turnover rate).

7.Senior management should activate the role of managers and employees in the strategic decision-making process. Empowering employees instills in them a spirit of initiative and responsibility and makes them more committed to achieving the company’s strategic goals.

8.The company should adopt a flexible methodology to regularly review and update its strategic plans. This ensures its ability to respond effectively to changes in the business environment and market challenges, turning strategic performance into a dynamic process rather than a fixed plan.

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