The Influence of Strategic Planning Methods on Crisis Management: A Case Study of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society Employees in Hebron

: This study aims to examine the influence of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron. The explanatory sequential design was used, where unstructured interviews were conducted with experts and specialists to prepare a questionnaire, followed by structured interviews to interpret the results. A simple random sample was selected targeting all employees, totaling 339 employees, and 181 valid questionnaires were retrieved for analysis. The results showed that there was a statistically significant effect of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees, and the level of practicing strategic planning methods was moderate. The field of work area analysis ranked first in terms of the level of practicing strategic planning methods. The level of crisis management among employees was also moderate, with the field of learning ranking first in terms of the level of crisis management. The study concluded that the practice of strategic planning methods is important in enhancing the institution's ability to manage crises effectively. It also recommended that the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron focus on improving the level of practicing strategic planning and crisis management among its employees. In the context of the recommendations, the study pointed to the need to organize training programs for employees on how to practice strategic planning methods in crisis management, provide the necessary resources to improve the level of crisis management among employees, and conduct more studies on the influence of strategic planning methods on crisis management in various institutions.


Introduction
Many humanitarian institutions and organizations, particularly Red Crescent Societies, face significant challenges in dealing with the escalating crises and ongoing transformations.Strategic planning is considered a key tool that can contribute to enhancing the capacity of these institutions to effectively manage crises.The Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron serves as a cornerstone in providing humanitarian and medical services to the local community.With the increasing challenges and emergencies, it becomes imperative to examine how the implementation of strategic planning methods influences crisis management within this association.
The field of crisis management is considered one of the modern administrative disciplines.The foundations, concepts, dimensions, and various aspects of this field have developed and flourished notably in recent decades.This may be attributed to the prevalence of crises that countries and institutions alike face.Researchers in this field continue to actively explore the foundations, methods, strategies, procedures, and tactics suitable for crisis management.This has transformed the field of crisis management into both a science and an art, aimed at developing concepts capable of confronting crises in their diverse forms and types (Abu Fara, 2018).
Here, the organization's ability to comprehend any crisis, regardless of its size or impact, is highlighted through its understanding of the rapidly changing variables in its external environment.Whether these variables are associated with the economy, politics, or technological advancements, it is essential for any organization to identify the elements of the external environment that require special attention.This, in turn, depends on the nature of the organization and the field in which it operates.Regarding the organization's internal environment and its significance in facing crises, each organization must develop strategies that necessitate an analysis of the internal environment based on criteria that thoroughly examine all elements of this environment.This is crucial to assess the readiness of its human and material elements to confront crises of various types and their impacts (Hashlamon, 2023).
Strategic planning is a type of planning that supports managers in executing work more effectively.It enhances managers' awareness of their goals and the means to achieve them, helping organizations prioritize and adapt to environmental changes.It assists managers in directing the work process for smooth and timely accomplishment.Strategic planning also creates a conducive environment for goal attainment.Given the rapid advancements in the field of medical services and the effort to keep pace with these developments to ensure business continuity, medical institutions, particularly hospitals and medical associations, have sought to use strategic planning to resist challenges and avoid crises (Masharqa, 2022).
Since strategic planning is considered one of the modern approaches that helps educational institutions confront challenges by preparing qualified and skilled leadership, many researchers have directed their efforts towards studying the environmental factors that institutions, especially medical service institutions, should consider and analyze when engaging in the planning process through the application of strategic planning methodologies.The field of medical services has become a fertile ground for study and development, receiving widespread attention in scientific research across various domains, particularly in enhancing administrative performance within medical service institutions.The professional growth of senior management must be a significant consideration for decision-makers when formulating plans, as planning has become one of the most scrutinized areas, especially in the leadership domain, with a particular emphasis on strategic planning as a vital means to define and formulate fundamental strategic directions and issues (Abo Osba, 2017).
Based on the need for innovative solutions in preparing for crises, the urgent need for strategic planning emerges, as it works to assist organizations in adopting a scientific approach to determine their options and future objectives.Additionally, it directly contributes to predicting and preparing for events, taking all necessary measures to face them.Moreover, strategic planning aims to enhance organizational performance by identifying fundamental issues, anticipating challenges efficiently under emergency conditions, and adapting to developments in the surrounding environment.Therefore, the medical services sector in Palestine is in critical need of utilizing the creative solutions offered by strategic planning and its methodologies in dealing with crises.Recognizing the importance of strategic planning methods and their impact on crisis management, this study seeks to understand the concept of strategic planning, its methodologies, obstacles that may hinder its use, and its impact on crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, along with proposing ways to address these obstacles.

Research Problem
Humanitarian institutions, particularly Red Crescent societies, face increasing challenges in dealing with diverse crises and emergencies, requiring effective strategies to address them.The Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron is a key organization contributing to humanitarian services in emergency conditions.The adoption of strategic planning practices is crucial to enhance preparedness and effective response for staff during crisis management.However, it remains unclear how the adoption of these practices influences crisis management in the context of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Hebron.This study stands at a crossroads that needs exploration, aiming to examine the potential influence of implementing strategic planning practices on the capacity and readiness of staff in crisis management.The goal is to enhance organizational capabilities, improve effectiveness in addressing emergency challenges, and enhance the delivery of humanitarian services under exceptional circumstances.The primary question driving the study is the influence of implementing strategic planning practices on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, along with identifying obstacles and proposing ways to overcome them.

Research Questions
Based on the foregoing, the research aims to answer the following questions: 1. Is there a statistically significant influence of implementing strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron? 2. What is the level of implementation of strategic planning methods among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron? 3. What is the level of crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron?

Significance of the Study
The significance of this study lies in the following aspects: -Practical Significance: This study holds great importance due to the increasing challenges faced by humanitarian institutions, especially the Red Crescent Societies, in dealing with a variety of crises and emergencies.The pressure on these institutions to adapt quickly to changing scenarios is growing, requiring enhanced capabilities and preparedness to handle exceptional circumstances.In this context, the significance of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron is highlighted.These methods reflect the continuous strategic efforts of the association to improve its response effectiveness and enhance crisis management, contributing to organizational capacity and effective response by employees to emergent challenges.Through analyzing the impact of strategic planning practices, the study can contribute significantly to improving preparedness and crisis response, thereby providing valuable recommendations for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to enhance its effectiveness in crisis management.
-Scientific Significance: This study addresses the influence of strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron.This topic is central in the context of scientific research due to the continuous shifts in the humanitarian environment and the increasing challenges faced by humanitarian institutions in dealing with humanitarian crises.The study seeks to understand the effective influence of these methods on employees' capacity and preparedness to manage crises efficiently.Focusing on these scientific aspects allows the development of new theories and valuable research contributions in the field of crisis management and the enhancement of organizational capacity for humanitarian associations.
Additionally, the study provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between strategic planning and crisis management in the context of an effective humanitarian organization like the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.The research findings and resulting recommendations can form the basis for advancing a sophisticated scientific approach to enhancing the preparedness and effectiveness of humanitarian institutions in facing emergent challenges and crisis management more effectively.

Research Terminology
Strategic Planning: It is the process of defining the main objectives for an institution or organization and identifying effective means and methods to sustainably achieve those objectives.Strategic planning includes analyzing the internal and external environment of the institution, identifying opportunities and challenges, and formulating the institution's vision and mission.During this process, major goals and key actions are determined to assist in achieving those objectives (David, 2015).
Researchers define strategic planning operationally as the process of using tools and techniques in a practical way to develop well-defined plans and strategies that aim to enhance employee ability to deal with crises, utilize long-term goal setting processes, analyze the external and internal environment and formulate detailed plans to achieve those goals.It is considered an integrated process that includes analyzing the environmental conditions that the association deals with and identifying the expected challenges and opportunities in the field of crisis management.Strategic planning methods: refer to the approaches and techniques used to develop and implement strategic plans within organizations.These methods vary and include several elements, such as environmental analysis, goal setting, strategy identification, and implementation planning.Strategic planning methods can involve the use of tools and techniques such as SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), PESTEL analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors), and techniques such as core competency analysis and strategic mapping (Wheelen et al., 2017).
Operationally, researchers define strategic planning methods as a set of tools and techniques that organizations follow to identify their strategic goals and formulate effective plans that impact the achievement of these goals.This includes interaction with the internal and external environment of the organization, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, and identifying opportunities and challenges.It also includes the use of techniques such as SWOT analysis to identify internal capabilities and strategic opportunities, and mapping out the long-term vision and goals that they aim to achieve in the context of crisis management.Crisis management: refers to the processes and strategies adopted by organizations and institutions to deal with emergency events and crises, whether natural or resulting from human or technological events.Crisis management aims to minimize the negative impact of these events on the organization or society and includes analysis, preparedness, response, and recovery processes (Coppola , 2015).
Operationally, researchers define crisis management as the strategic and tactical process followed by leaders and managers in an organization to understand, assess, and respond to crises.This includes the plans, procedures, and organization necessary to address various emergencies and crises.Crisis management involves activating emergency plans, analyzing the situation, coordinating the response, assessing damage, and making critical decisions to effectively deal with emergencies.The operational aspect includes details of implementing these plans and ensuring effective coordination of teams and resources to address the challenges.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron (PRCS-Hebron): is a leading humanitarian organization that provides humanitarian and relief services in the city of Hebron in Palestine.Its role focuses on providing support to vulnerable groups, providing healthcare, and contributing to local development.Its mission is to improve the living conditions of individuals and communities affected by economic circumstances or humanitarian crises.The Red Crescent focuses on providing relief and support to the local community, whether through emergency response or through sustainable projects to support the most vulnerable groups.The medical team and volunteers provide healthcare and relief in emergencies and disasters.

Research Framework
The vital relationship between strategic planning methods and crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron in enhancing the organization's ability to adapt and respond to emerging challenges is a significant topic.It is essential to understand how strategic planning methods can serve as a powerful catalyst for strengthening employees' capabilities to effectively deal with emergency situations.The influence of practicing strategic planning lies in identifying long-term goals and developing detailed plans that enhance preparedness and response to crises.Under these methods, potential threats are analyzed, and strategic opportunities are identified to strengthen preparedness and response.Integrating and effectively implementing these processes allows for increased employee awareness of emergency scenarios and enhances their ability to make quick and informed decisions.Furthermore, the research demonstrates how strategic planning methods can contribute to activating humanitarian teams and integrating resources to enhance the overall effectiveness of the society in dealing with emergency situations.This effective integration between strategic planning and crisis management allows for enhanced employee response and improves their ability to address emergency situations in an integrated and coordinated manner.

Strategic Planning
Humanitarian and relief service organizations now operate in a rapidly changing environment characterized by a high degree of complexity.They provide their services in a political, social, economic, technological, and cultural environment that is becoming increasingly complex daily, and the available opportunities change completely.Humanitarian and relief organizations are also affected by the tremendous and rapid development in today's world, which complicates their ability to achieve their goals and necessitates their adaptation to their internal and external environment to continue and grow.Here, the need for strategic planning becomes more evident and urgent, as it is the method that enables officials to guide the organization from merely routine administrative operations and crisis response to a different vision of the internal and external dynamic factors capable of achieving change in the surrounding environment, ultimately leading to better effective management of the organization.
The concept of strategic planning was introduced during World War II, where it was first used in a military context, then applied in the business world, and then applied to other levels of life.Strategic planning essentially contains a set of tools, processes, and concepts arranged to help managers, leaders, and planners think and act strategically.At the same time, it contributes to the development of the organization and the development of an effective strategy for it.Therefore, strategic planning is very important for service organizations to develop.Strategic planning is one of the most important, prominent, and renewed topics in management science recently.It is an ongoing process related to the future and is based on expectations of the external and internal environment, performance levels in the past, present, and future, and evaluating opportunities and risks by developing goals, strategies, and policies.This is despite the decline in the popularity of strategic planning and its impact in the eighties of the last century, but during the nineties, strategic planning regained the reputation it had lost in the past, as analyzes showed that the overall relationship between planning and formal performance is significantly positive.The availability of a clear and sound understanding of the importance of strategic planning by decision-makers in service organizations has become a necessity for the success of the administrative process of any work, activity, or skill.This is so that these organizations can remain steadfast in the face of change currents in a sound scientific way to practice the different administrative processes as planned beforehand.Strategic planning has become a necessity that must be done and worked within its scope in service organizations (Marzouq, 2020).
Strategic planning is a vital and ever-evolving topic in management science.Large organizations and institutions show remarkable interest in this field by incorporating the concept of strategic planning with its flexible and sophisticated tools and methods to develop what was known as long-term planning systems.Perhaps the most important reasons that prompted organizations to move in this direction are the indications that the failure rate in organizations that use strategic planning is much lower than those that do not.Strategic planning is a systematic effort to reach fundamental decisions and activities that focus on the future of the organization (Qaralah, 2015).
Strategic planning is defined as the process by which long-term goals are identified, followed by the derivation of medium-and short-term goals, and then their conversion into policies, procedures, rules, programs, activities, and implementation plans.The organization analyzes local and global conditions, studies external variables represented by opportunities and threats that may affect its work, and diagnoses its internal environment and evaluates its capabilities to identify its strengths and weaknesses.It then develops strategies that the organization seeks to adapt to the previous data, such as exploiting opportunities and overcoming potential threats to maintain its continuity (Moshref & Towej, 2017).
Amesh and Nasri )2020 ( define strategic planning as the decision-making process related to determining the organization's mission, forming policies, and setting goals that define its approach, personality, and distinguish it from other organizations.While (Masharqa, 2022) defines it as identifying future goals and setting the organization's mission.
Researchers define strategic planning as the process of using tools and techniques practically to develop sound plans and strategies that aim to enhance employees' ability to deal with crises.It involves using long-term goal setting, analyzing the external and internal environment, and formulating detailed plans to achieve those goals.It is an integrated process that includes analyzing the environmental conditions the organization deals with, identifying the expected challenges and opportunities in crisis management.
Strategic planning is characterized by several features that can be summarized as, First, longterm effects.Strategic planning seeks to make major changes in the organization, and for the results of these changes to appear, it requires significant costs, efforts, and a long time period.Second, broad participation.The practice of strategic planning requires the participation of all departments in the organization at all levels, taking into account the needs, desires, and aspirations of stakeholders.Third, flexibility.Strategic planning must be flexible enough to cope with any expected or surprise changes.Fourth, harnessing latent energies and resources.Strategic planning seeks to achieve the organization's goals by harnessing all the organization's energies and resources, both internal and external.Fifth, futurism.Strategic planning starts as a futuristic approach to setting the organization's future goals, despite relying on past indicators and present data to understand the organization's reality.Sixth, prioritizing options.Strategic planning works to set the options that the organization adopts in its implementation plan, in addition to prioritizing and prioritizing the implementation programs (Karkhi, 2014).
Given the circumstances and changes that organizations face in their internal and external environments, the need for strategic planning has become urgent and decisive.The focus on economic freedom, the opening up of global markets to each other, the rapid changes in the environment in which the organization operates, and the entry of large organizations with their financial and technological weight into the markets, all increase the burden on the organization's management to find an effective solution (Hasab Nabi, 2018).
The importance of strategic planning lies in its allowance for organizational employees to participate in decision-making, which grants them a sense of accomplishment as a result of their influence on leadership and effectiveness.It also enables the evaluation of the impact of external environmental factors on management, the identification of imposed constraints and accessibility possibilities that contribute to the organization's effectiveness, and provides a framework for guiding management in decision-making (Abd AlMalek, 2019).
Several factors drive organizations to consider strategic planning.These can be summarized as, First, the continuous change in the environment surrounding organizations and the increasing and overlapping factors affecting the organization's external environment.Second, the rapid technological advancement that has led and continues to lead to noticeable changes in the work environment of organizations and determines the nature of their work.Third, the expansion of markets and the diversity of their characteristics have led to the necessity for organizations to adopt comprehensive strategic planning for all factors affecting the markets they target.Fourth, the scarcity of resources and the need to distribute them according to importance and priorities.This requires strategic planning that enables organizations to use their available resources rationally to meet their needs and achieve their goals.Fifth, the increasing intensity of competition at all local, regional, and global levels, and the emergence of new competitors, which has necessitated the preparation and development of strategic plans to face future challenges.Finally, the existence of a noticeable weakness in institutional performance, which occurs when the actual results are far from the expected results, and the gap is wide between what was achieved in the current year compared to what was achieved in previous years (Manasra, 2019).
The goals of strategic planning can be summed up in defining the mission and vision that work to provide the organization with its main idea, in addition to setting the strategic goals and anticipating its accompanying strategic issues.As well as achieving the maximum possible utilization of the resources available in the organization, with the need to work on directing and integrating the various administrative and executive activities, in addition to contributing to the preparation of the important cadres in the senior management, and enhancing the effectiveness of communication with the various groups in the organization's environment, both internally and externally (Abd Al Hamed, 2020).
There is a diverse range of methods used in constructing and preparing strategies within an organization.These can be summarized as, Firstly, the critical question analysis approach is a strategic planning method used to identify the organization's purposes and goals, as well as how to achieve these objectives effectively.It involves understanding the organization's current position and assessing the nature of the environment it operates in.The second approach is the SWOT analysis method, serving as a strategic planning tool that aligns the organization's internal capabilities with environmental conditions by analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.The third approach is the analysis of business domains, which focuses on identifying the areas the organization chooses for its activities.This involves determining and studying the organization's competitive potential in various business fields, exploring ways to enhance its competitive position, and assessing the possibility of entering other fields for future gains and benefits.The fourth approach is the scenario planning method, where scenarios are important strategic tools.Scenarios are built on the assumption of limited predictive ability, developing a set of possible possibilities and the appropriate actions for each.This method provides a comprehensive view of the organization's future and is a fundamental aspect of studying the organizational environment in strategic planning.The fifth approach is the emergency method, which becomes necessary when uncertainty prevails in the external environment.It involves continuously preparing alternative plans to cope with unexpected or exceptional circumstances.Here, plans are entirely based on changing conditions (Mutiri, 2021).
Since the strategic planning process is the essence of strategic management, it faces several obstacles.The most significant include limited available resources, a considerable amount of time required for strategic planning preparation, and high costs associated with implementation.Additionally, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the steps of strategic planning among various individuals responsible for it.In the same context, the absence of effective supervision during the execution of the strategic planning process in the organization can be attributed to unclear responsibilities or weaknesses in the organizational structure.Furthermore, continuous technological changes in the business field where organizations conduct their various activities contribute to the complexity of the strategic environment.This complexity arises from the lack of necessary alignment between the organization's internal and external environment amid increasing competition from other organizations (Salem, 2015).

Crisis Management
It is undeniable that we live in a world of crises.This is due to the numerous changes that have taken place in the political, economic, demographic, and environmental spheres, which have impacted human life within social and organizational entities.It is now widely acknowledged that the major challenge facing individuals, organizations, and nations is a series of crises that vary in nature and magnitude.These crises can lead to difficulties, problems, and collapses in values, beliefs, and assets.Therefore, confronting crises and raising awareness about them through strategic planning for all businesses is essential to avoid further material and moral losses (Mutiri, 2021).
Crisis management literature indicates that the concept of crisis originated in the field of medical science.It refers to a critical moment in a patient's illness characterized by difficulty, danger, and anxiety.A decisive decision must be taken at this point, which can lead to either an improvement or a deterioration in the patient's condition within a relatively short period of time.The use of the concept of crisis has since spread to the social, political, economic, psychological, and administrative sciences.This is due to the increasing frequency and variety of crises around the world.The concept of crisis has different meanings and implications in each of these fields.Crisis management has been a topic of interest for researchers in the field of administrative sciences.Some have focused on the concept of crisis itself, its dimensions, characteristics, and stages.Others have specialized in crisis strategic planning, crisis decision-making, crisis communication and information, crisis information systems, and crisis leadership, among other topics.This all points to the importance of this topic from an administrative perspective, which of course has social, behavioral, and psychological implications.Administratively, the concept of crisis refers to a turning point in the life of an administrative entity, for better or worse.It creates a state of instability and causes a decisive change in the course of work.It is accompanied by desired or undesired results (Jabari, 2017).
Crisis management is defined as a technique for dealing with emergencies and planning for situations that cannot be avoided or for which predictable preparations can be made.This administrative technique is applied to deal with these situations when they occur or before they occur in order to control the results and the consequential damages that may result from the failure that leads to that result, damage, or loss (Lami & Isawi, 2015).Batrash and Masrof (2020) define crisis management as a set of steps and procedures for resolving a crisis that deals with an unstable and abnormal situation.It includes many planning and decision-making processes aimed at minimizing damage to the greatest extent possible.
Researchers define crisis management as the strategic and tactical process that leaders and managers in an organization follow to understand, assess, and respond to crises.This includes the plans, procedures, and organization necessary to deal with emergencies and various crises.Crisis management includes activating emergency plans, analyzing the situation, coordinating the response, assessing the damage, and making decisive decisions to effectively deal with emergencies.The operational aspect includes details of implementing these plans and ensuring effective coordination of teams and resources to address the challenges.
The crisis situation is characterized by various features and attributes that may vary from one organization to another.It can be summarized as a problematic situation, where events are marked by uncertainty and surprise in their timing, threatening the organization's normal course, and the type of resulting impacts may not be precisely discernible.In addition to information scarcity, which refers to the unavailability of necessary and essential information when a crisis occurs, hindering proper crisis management and impeding the ability to make informed decisions.In the same context, capturing public attention and working under numerous pressures are noteworthy aspects.Facing crises requires making a series of decisions in a short time frame amid a work environment characterized by internal and external pressures.Speed in decision-making is essential in conditions of uncertainty where there is insufficient time for crisis analysis and study, ensuring successful crisis management.Moreover, crises typically have multiple and multidimensional impacts on all levels within the organization, potentially increasing the extent of damage, requiring extended time and increased effort for recovery from the crisis's effects (Agwa & Farid, 2018).
The emergence of a crisis is attributed to the interaction of a group of factors and conditions that may intertwine and interact in a complex manner, leading to a state of instability or tension.The reasons for the emergence of a crisis can be summarized as follows: firstly, economic factors, as there may be a deterioration in the economy resulting in decreased economic growth, increased unemployment rates, fluctuations in labor and price markets, and a decline in income for individuals and companies.Secondly, social factors, where social transformations such as discrimination or tensions between specific groups, or the absence of social justice, play a role in exacerbating situations and forming crises.Thirdly, political factors, the impact of political decisions and political instability can significantly contribute to the emergence of crises, whether at the domestic or international level.Fourthly, natural conditions, natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, can be major causes of crises, leading to massive losses in human life and property.These factors may intertwine and interact with each other to create a context that fosters the conditions for the occurrence of crises (Deeb, 2014).
The objectives of crisis management are diverse and can be summarized into two main goals.Firstly, to emphasize the elimination of crisis causes and the reduction of its destructive effects by mobilizing the organization's forces and utilizing all available methods and techniques, along with implementing appropriate precautions.Secondly, to work on designing a new effective organizational model within the organization to address the crisis when it occurs in a way that minimizes its effects and helps restore balance and activity (Abd Al Hamed, 2020).
Crisis management encompasses various strategies, including both traditional and contemporary approaches.These strategies adopted by management in dealing with crises at different stages can be classified into reactive strategies and proactive strategies.In modern management, there is a recognized need for proactive preparation and effective readiness for crises before they occur.Reactive strategies, solely focused on dealing with a crisis after it has occurred and its consequences have manifested, are no longer considered the sole strategic option.Instead, there is a necessity to anticipate crises and contemporary challenges by adopting methods and plans primarily based on foreseeing their occurrence and sensing warning signals.This proactive approach aids in crisis management and minimizing its negative impacts to the greatest extent possible (Jabari, 2017).
The success factors in crisis management are condensed into managing the importance of time, establishing a comprehensive database of information about organizational activities, and having efficient and capable early warning systems for crises.These systems should be able to recognize danger indicators, clarify them, and convey them to decision-makers within the organization.Permanent readiness to face crises, along with the ability to mobilize and allocate available resources, is crucial.Additionally, an effective and efficient communication system is essential (House of University Education, 2014).
Despite the efforts made in crisis management, there are obstacles hindering the concept of crisis management itself.These include neglecting the necessity of having crisis management, rejecting learning from others' experiences and relying on current success, believing that the size of the organization alone is sufficient to protect it from crises.Additionally, relying on external entities when a crisis occurs without addressing the root causes, and thinking that the primary goal is to protect the organization's reputation and products, with little importance given to subsequent considerations (Nieroukh, 2020).

Literature Reviews
The study by Karaki (2023) aimed to examine the role of major companies in the Hebron Governorate in crisis management, using the COVID-19 crisis as a model.Specifically, the study sought to identify the role of these companies in facing the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken in this regard.The study encompassed all major companies operating in the Hebron Governorate with a workforce exceeding one hundred employees, totaling 27 companies.The study results revealed a significant role played by major companies in the Hebron Governorate in crisis management, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.The study recommended enhancing collaboration with the public sector in crisis management and targeting institutions from both the public and private sectors for similar studies.
The study conducted by Hashlamon (2023) aimed to identify the prominent crises experienced by the Palestinian Cellular Communications Company since its establishment in the pre-crisis, during, and post-crisis stages.Additionally, the study sought to assess the company's effectiveness in analyzing internal and external environmental elements in dealing with crises, as well as the strategies adopted by the company to handle these crises.The study yielded several key findings, notably that the Palestinian Cellular Communications Company faced varying crises in terms of intensity, type, and causation.The results indicated a satisfactory capacity of the company to deal with these crises, despite the existence of several drawbacks that served as motivation for increased focus on crisis management in the future.The findings related to the effectiveness of the company's use of internal and external environmental elements were high, while the results associated with the company's adherence to clear crisis management strategies were moderate.
While the Masharqa study ( 2022) aimed to assess the degree of strategic planning implementation at Yarmouk University, the study's target population consisted of employees in Jordanian universities, with Yarmouk University chosen as a case study.The study found that the level of strategic planning implementation at Yarmouk University was moderate.It recommended several key suggestions, including the importance of focusing on training teams in the strategic planning process and working on more accurately and detailed identification of weaknesses.
Marzouq's study (2020) aimed to elucidate the key features of strategic planning, including its concept, significance, characteristics, justifications, approaches, and obstacles.Additionally, the research sought to highlight essential models of strategic planning, along with the key techniques employed in this process.Furthermore, the study aimed to delineate the current state of public education in Egypt, elucidating the Egyptian experience in strategic planning, particularly in preuniversity education.Ultimately, the research concluded by presenting a forward-looking vision for leveraging strategic planning techniques in public education in Egypt.
Nieroukh's study (2020) aimed to investigate the practice of school crisis management among principals of government schools in the Hebron Governorate from the perspective of teachers.The tool was applied to 203 teachers working in the Central Hebron Directorate.The study found that the degree of practicing school crisis management by principals of government schools in the Hebron Governorate was high.School principals demonstrated proactive preparedness for any emergency crisis.Additionally, the research revealed that the ability of principals to deal with a crisis before its occurrence was significantly greater than their ability to handle it after its conclusion.The study indicated that school principals engage the local community in finding solutions to crises, emphasizing the role of the local community in overcoming challenges in schools and assisting in managing school crises.Moreover, the research highlighted the significant role of official entities, such as the Education Directorates, in assisting schools in managing school crises.Principals were shown to have a forward-looking vision for potential crises they might face.
Abd Al Hamed's study (2020) aimed to assess the extent of implementing strategic planning methods in the Brega Oil Marketing Company in the city of Benghazi, measure its crisis management capability, and highlight the relationship between strategic planning and crisis management while demonstrating the impact of strategic planning practices on crisis management.The study revealed that the company's strategic planning is implemented to a moderate extent, while its crisis management capability is relatively low.The research established a moderate positive correlation between strategic planning and crisis management, with a significant and meaningful impact of strategic planning on crisis management.The study recommended a deeper understanding of the strategic planning process and its methods within the company, emphasizing the adoption of a participatory approach involving various stakeholders in strategic planning.Additionally, it suggested establishing an independent crisis management unit within the company to develop programs for continuous assessment and analysis of potential crises and risks.
Manasra's study (2019) aimed to examine the reality of strategic planning in non-profit organizations in the Hebron governorate.The study focused on local non-profit organizations in the Hebron governorate, and the results indicated that the primary purpose of developing strategic plans in these organizations is for effective and efficient management and distribution of resources, with secondary consideration for obtaining funding.The study also revealed a very high level of awareness among these organizations regarding the importance of strategic planning.One of the prominent challenges hindering the strategic planning process includes the lack of experienced professionals in the field of strategic planning within these organizations, along with the continuously changing political and economic conditions that impact organizational operations.The researcher recommended the widespread adoption of a strategic planning culture and raising awareness about its significance as a crucial managerial tool in non-profit organizations, facilitated by responsible authorities.
Jabari's study (2017) aimed to explore the reality of crisis management in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the West Bank from the perspective of employees in supervisory positions.The study investigated how the organization manages crises, identified the main causes leading to crises, revealed indicators signaling the potential occurrence of future crises, examined the organization's readiness level to manage crises, identified obstacles hindering crisis management, and explored the key strategies employed to deal with these crises.The results indicated that the readiness level of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the West Bank for crisis management is average.
These studies have revealed numerous results and recommendations in various fields.They have highlighted the influence of strategic planning methods on crisis management and have also highlighted the many problems and obstacles facing the strategic planning process and its relationship to crisis management.These studies have helped researchers enrich their own research, identify the research problem and its importance, and design the questionnaire and formulate its phrases.Previous studies have varied in their approach to the topic of the study.Each researcher approached their study according to their own research vision, and each study started from a different main problem than the other.Through each study, the researcher tried to reach the results of their study.This difference was an advantage, as it gave researchers a wealth of knowledge and ideas about the topic of the study and enriched it from a theoretical perspective.

Study Design
In this study, the researchers employed the Explanatory Sequential Design (Creswell, 2016).Unstructured interviews were conducted as a qualitative tool with a group of experts and specialists to assist in the preparation of the questionnaire.The researchers then conducted structured interviews to interpret the results.

Population and Sampling
The study's population included all employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, totaling 339 male and female employees, according to the statistics of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.A simple random sample was selected, targeting all employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron during the academic year 2023/2024.A total of 181 valid surveys were retrieved, representing a retrieval rate of 53.4% from the study population.The following table shows the distribution of study sample members according to demographic variables.

Study Tools
To achieve the study's objectives, the researchers conducted unstructured interviews with a group of experts and specialists to seek their input in preparing the questionnaire.Subsequently, the researchers developed the questionnaire, constructed and refined through the use of unstructured interviews, theoretical literature, and previous studies.The questionnaire comprised 46 items distributed across the following dimensions: (Strategic Planning Methods, Crisis Management).The strategic planning methods were further divided into the following areas: (Critical Question Analysis, Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis, Areas of Operation Analysis, Scenario Analysis, Emergency Response).Crisis management encompassed the following areas: (Alarm Signals Detection, Preparedness and Prevention, Damage Containment, Activity Recovery, Learning).The researchers conducted structured interviews to interpret the results.

Inter-Rater Reliability
The study instruments were presented to six experts, and modifications, additions, and deletions were made based on their feedback.The reliability of the instrument was also statistically verified by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficient for the study items in each item with its total score, as shown in the following table:   The data presented in Table (3) indicate that the value of the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for all areas of the scale and for the total score of the scale was high, as the Cronbach reliability coefficient values for the strategic planning methods dimension ranged from (0.966), while for crisis management it reached (0.973), and the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient reached (0.973).The total score is (0.982), which indicates that the scale has a high degree of reliability, and this indicates that the scale is valid for application and achieving the objectives of the study.

Statistical Processing
The researchers analyzed the study data after applying the tools to the sample individuals using the statistical software package for social sciences.This involved extracting frequencies and relative weights, calculating means, standard deviations, Cronbach's alpha test, Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance.

Results of the first question
Is there a statistically significant influence of strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron?
To answer the first question, use the Liner Regression equation to find the effect of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, as is clear from Table (4).

Critical question analysis method
The process of asking a set of questions contributes to getting to know the current reality of the association.

0.78 High
The process of asking a set questions contributes to determining the type of information and data that the association deals with.

0.46 High
The process of asking a set of questions contributes to clarifying the association's objectives.

0.92 Medium
The process of asking a set of questions contributes to identifying the means to ensure the achievement of all the association's objectives.

0.66 Medium
Composite Score for the Domain 3.55 0.66 Medium

Method of analyzing strengths and weaknesses
The process of studying the association's internal environment leads to identifying its strengths and distinctions.

0.75 High
The process of analyzing the external environment leads to exploiting and investing in the opportunities available to the association.

0.65 High
The process of studying the association's internal environment leads to identifying its weak points.

0.91 High
The process of analyzing the external environment leads to taking caution and caution about the threats facing the association.
3 The scenario approach identifies key issues related to the association.

0.80 Medium
The scenario method works on developing several possible possibilities and corresponding to their proper behavior in the association.

0.80 Medium
The scenario method works to put suggestions for alternative plans in front of decision makers in the association.

0.78 Medium
The scenario approach addresses uncertainty in the association's external environment.
3 The data shown in Table ( 5) indicate that the level of practice of strategic planning methods among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron was average, as the arithmetic average of the total score was (3.59) with a relative weight of (71.8%).
It is clear from Table (5) that the field of method of analyzing areas of work occupied first place with an arithmetic average of (3.85) with a relative weight of (77.0%), and the field of method of analyzing aspects of strengths and weaknesses came in second place with an arithmetic average of (3.70) with a relative weight of (74.0).%), and the field of critical question sequencing method came in third place with an arithmetic average of (3.55) with a relative weight of (71.0%), and the field of scenarios method came in fourth place with an arithmetic average of (3.46) and a percentage of (69.2%), and it came in fourth place.The fifth area is the emergency method, with a mean of (3.40) and a percentage of (68.0%).This result is consistent with Masharqa (2022), Marzouq (2020) studies and contradicts Manasra (2019) study.

Results of the third question
To answer the third question, arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative weights were extracted for the level of crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, as shown in Table (6).The association identifies signs of a crisis by analyzing the signs of a crisis.

1.03 Medium
The association is trying to find evidence of a defect before the crisis occurs.

Medium
The association provides appropriate support to the work team until it analyzes the signs of a crisis.

1.19 Medium
The association is cooperating with some other parties in order to collect and analyze evidence of the crisis occurring.

Medium
Composite Score for the Domain 3.34 0.96 Medium

Preparedness and prevention
The association inspects and maintains all its sites and equipment on a regular basis.

Medium
The association develops various programmers, plans and preventive measures to prevent the crisis from occurring.

Medium
The association has a trained staff capable of dealing with the crisis as soon as it occurs.
3.61 0.92 Medium There are clear administrative instructions in the association that determine how to deal with a potential crisis.

Medium
The organizational structure defines responsibilities and powers accurately in the event of a crisis in the association.

Medium
Composite Score for the Domain 3.52 0.73 Medium

Damage containment
The association uses emergency procedures efficiently to limit the damage associated with the crisis.

0.79 High
The association deals with the crisis when it occurs in a manner consistent with its nature.

0.91 High
The association is trying to provide an operating room equipped with the latest technology to contribute to containing the crisis.

Medium
The association has a good communications system that enables it to know the damage caused by the crisis.The association has the ability to intervene to bring about a change in the way the crisis is addressed if it reaches a dead end.

0.75 High
The association provides all locations affected by the crisis with various resources necessary to restore normal activity.
3.71 0.65 High The association takes all measures to ensure that the crisis continues.
3.60 0.49 Medium The association works to identify the various needs necessary to restore normal activity.

Medium
The association usually collects detailed data in locations affected by crises.

0.49 Medium
Composite Score for the Domain 3.60 0.51 Medium

Learning
The association evaluates previous crisis management plans and programs with the aim of developing and improving them.

0.88 High
The association draws lessons and lessons from crises in an attempt to benefit from them in the future.

0.91 High
The association trains managers and employees to deal with crises through internal and external courses.

Medium
The association disseminates lessons learned from previous crises for the purposes of learning and training.

Medium
The association is working to review all procedures related to crisis management that it has encountered.The data shown in Table ( 6) indicate that the level of crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron was average, as the arithmetic average of the total score was (3.52) with a relative weight of (70.4%).This result is consistent with Jabari (2017) study and contradicts Karaki (2023), Hashlamon (2023) and Nieroukh (2020) studies.
It is clear from Table (6) that the field of learning ranked first with an arithmetical average of (3.61) with a relative weight of (72.2%), and the field of activity recovery came in second place with a arithmetical average of (3.60) with a relative weight of (72.0%).The third place was the field of damage containment, with an arithmetic average of (3.54) with a relative weight of (70.8%).The field of preparedness and prevention came in fourth place, with an arithmetic average of (3.52) and a percentage of (70.4%).The field of detecting warning signals came in fifth place, with an arithmetic average of (70.4%).(3.34) and a percentage of (66.8%).

Conclusion
The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of strategic planning methods on crisis management among employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron.The results showed that there is a positive and statistically significant influence of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management among the employees of the society.The level of practicing strategic planning methods among employees was generally at a moderate level.The dimensions related to analyzing work areas, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, and critical questions were the most common practices.As for crisis management, the level of practice was moderate, with the areas of learning, recovery, and containment of damage ranking first in terms of their level of management.

Recommendations
-There is a need to raise awareness among employees about the importance of practicing strategic planning methods on crisis management.
-There is a need to organize training programs for employees on how to practice strategic planning methods on crisis management.
-There is a need to provide the necessary resources to improve the level of crisis management among employees.
occurs, the association quickly controls the factors causing it.

Table 1 :
Distribution of sample members according to demographic variables (gender, age, years of experience, educational qualification, specialization, job title)

Table 2 :
Results of the Pearson Correlation Coefficient between each item of the study and the total score

Table ( 2
) indicates that all values of the correlation matrix of the domain items with the total score of the domain are statistically significant, which indicates the strength of the internal consistency of the scale items, and this therefore expresses the validity of the tool items in measuring what it was formulated to measure.

Table 4 :
shows the results of the regression equation for the effect of practicing strategic planning methods in crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron. **

Table 5 :
Arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative weights for practicing strategic planning methods among employees at the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Hebron, arranged in descending order: (n=181)

Table 6 :
Arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative weights for the level of crisis management among employees at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Hebron, arranged in descending order: (n=181)