The Impact of Strategic Intelligence on Organizational Performance: Evidence from Private Universities in Sana’a, Yemen

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of strategic intelligence on organizational performance in private universities in Sana’a, Yemen. A quantitative descriptive approach was adopted, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed to all 328 supervisory-level employees across 11 accredited universities. Out of 323 questionnaires successfully delivered, 280 were returned and deemed valid, yielding an effective response rate of 85.4%. Data were analyzed using SPSS v28. The results reveal a high overall presence of strategic intelligence across its five dimensions—foresight, future vision, systems thinking, partnership, and motivation—with foresight showing the highest level of implementation and motivation the lowest. Organizational performance, measured through effectiveness and efficiency, also scored significantly high. Regression analysis indicates a strong, positive relationship between strategic intelligence and organizational performance, with foresight emerging as the most influential predictor, followed by partnership, motivation, future vision, and systems thinking. The study concludes that strategic intelligence is a critical enabler of improved performance in higher education institutions, particularly in challenging environments. It recommends that private universities in Sana’a strengthen motivation through structured reward systems and foster participatory decision-making to better align employee contributions with institutional objectives. Future research should explore complementary variables such as leadership styles, technological integration, and student satisfaction to deepen understanding of performance drivers in academic contexts.