Key findings:

The study found that adopting brainstorming strategy plays a significant role in achieving organizational excellence. Key findings include a positive correlation between brainstorming and organizational excellence, and that brainstorming exercises a moral influence in achieving excellence. 

What is known and what is new?

The study explores the role of brainstorming in achieving organizational excellence, focusing on the relationship between the two. Key findings include the positive correlation between brainstorming and organizational excellence, as well as the moral influence of brainstorming in achieving excellence. This study contributes to the understanding of brainstorming's impact on organizational performance.

What is the implication, and what should change now?

The study highlights the importance of brainstorming in achieving organizational excellence. The implication is that organizations should adopt brainstorming strategies to foster creativity, innovation, and employee engagement. This requires a shift from traditional problem-solving methods to more collaborative and open-ended approaches, encouraging diverse perspectives and ideas to drive organizational excellence.

Nowadays, our organizations live in an accelerated and continually changing age. It's forced the organizations to handle these accelerated changes to achieve their competitive positions in the work environments. The methods used by the organizations in determining the essential information the leaders need in decision making varied. The most prominent information is using brainstorming by management to communicate with the workers, extracting their opinions and ideas that help to achieve a response to the increasingly competitive work environments. In recent years organizational excellence patron was approved on a wide scale to improve performance. Through understanding and using criteria and concepts with a big attraction to many organizations. This helped the organizations to gain a big position among their competitors. All of the above prompted the necessity of studying brainstorming and the role it plays in achieving organizational excellence throughout the research axes. The first axis is the research methodology, the second is the theoretical framework of the research, the third is the application framework and the fourth axis holds the results, conclusions and recommendations that have been reached.

The First Axis: The Research Methodology.

First: The Study Problem:

Spotting the problem clarified by the study and empowering the researched organization ( Mosul University ) to carry out its goals, leveraging the opportunities presented by the environment, enhancing its capacity to confront changes and adaptability, thereby achieving excellence and attaining a strong competitive position among its competitors by achieving the highest levels of performance, the problem has been encapsulated as follows:

1. Does the researched organization have a clear awareness or idea about brainstorming and its role in achieving organizational excellence?.

2. What's the nature of relationship and Influence between brainstorming and organizational excellence in the researched organization?.

Second: Aims of the Study: 

The study aimed to determine the role of brainstorming and organizational excellence in a governmental University (Mosul University) by achieving the following goals:

1. Identifying the level of interest of the researched organization with the concept of brainstorming.

2. What's the nature of the relationship between brainstorming and organizational excellence?.

3. Does brainstorming exercise a moral influence in achieving organizational excellence?.

Third: The Importance of the Study:

The importance of the study comes from its search in the brainstorming variable as one of the latest methods, enabling good performance of the use of generating unique and new ideas effectively. Brainstorming is one of the terms that is sparingly introduced in the research. It is often replaced interchangeably with techniques of solving other problems and generating ideas. It became a part of the daily dictionary of business. But what is brainstorming? Why it is an important approach in business performance. The role it plays in organizational excellence. The organization’s continuous efforts to create an inner framework of a criteria and operations through them, it aims to achieve its excellence and involve and motivate both management and employees to provide products and services to meet customers’ requirements within work expectations. Consistently achieving outstanding performance. Introducing outputs that exceed meeting their customers’ targets, needs or expectations toward the services.

Fourth: The Theoretical Framework of The Study: 

To achieve the aims and hypotheses of the study, a patron that reflects its variables was designed; the following figure shows this pattern.

Figure (1) Hypothetical Study Plan

Correlation Effect            

Fifth: Study Hypotheses: 

The study was built on the following hypotheses:

1. The First Main Hypothesis: There is a relationship with the statistical significance between brainstorming and researched organizations and achieving organizational excellence.

2. The Second Main Hypothesis: There is an influence with the statistical significance of brainstorming and researching organizations and achieving organizational excellence.

Sixth: The Study Methodology:

The study relies on the descriptive analytical method to complete study requirements because it aligns with the aims and nature of the study.

Seventh: The Study Society:

The study chose department councils in Mosul University as a society to apply the study. The workers are a sample consisting of (855) respondents.

Eighth: Collecting Data Techniques:

In the theoretical side, it relied on the available Arabic and foreign resources related to the variables of the study. In the scientific side, the study relied on a questionnaire in collecting data and information as it is the most harmonious method with the nature of the study. The 3-point Likert Scale was used in determining the answers in the questionnaire. The (SPSS VER 26) statistical program was used to analyze collected data.

Ninth: The Limits of The Study: 

The spatial boundaries: Mosul University councils were chosen.

The temporal boundaries: from June, 20th,2023 to January,30th,2024.

The Second Axis: The Theoretical Framework of The Study.

First: The Concept of Brainstorming: The writers’ and authors' opinions varied in explaining brainstorming. Based on the basic idea that is a decision making method that can be used in any place in which participation is expected. It can also be used in Educational context. Brainstorming depends, in the first place, on the physical and intellectual existence in the organization and its group [1]. One of the advantages that brainstorming has is that it is considered a fun act to organizations, via helping team members to bond, where they solve problems in a positive environment. Although brainstorming could be effective, it is important to handle it with an open mind and rationality in making judgments. It's not doing so, people would secrete in boredom from using it. Also the number and quality of ideas that the organization could gain will decrease. This will affect their morale [2]. And there are those who see it as a collective and creative technique, through which efforts are made to collect groups of ideas to improve creative solutions for problems. The reason behind brainstorming efficiency is that it does not only come up with new ideas, rather it starts from connections with others' ideas via improving and refining them by a comfortable and unofficial method to solve problems. It asks people to create ideas that look a little unwise at first. These ideas can be formulated and used in innovative solutions for the problem that the organizations try to solve [3]. On the other side, brainstorming can help in eliminating methodological errors through disposal of errors early. There is no better way than brainstorming. Brainstorming process must not be long and arduous; rather, it can be enjoyable and innovative to help in solving problems. Brainstorming is often done at the beginning of the work but it can be repeated, most times, during implementation of the work [4].

Second: The Importance of Brainstorming [5-7].

1. Obtaining high quality ideas. As ideas are being refined, combined and developed in a bigger way.

2. Introducing new ideas away from routine methods in obtaining new ideas to solve problems.

3. Launching freedom of thinking and receiving all opinions, no matter how simple they are, that might be a solution to a problem. From another perspective, it motivates individuals to logical thinking and increases their trust in management.

4. Encouraging workers to form teams. Creating a creative climate for them in a way that helps organizations to reach the best solutions.

Third: Brainstorming Stages.

1. Determining a problem. It is a certain problem given by the chairman (teacher) to the participants (students). It is the least information about the subject needed to be solved to let them gather some, not all, details. Giving more details widely means limiting students' thinking. This is not required as we need to obtain the idea in others’ minds [8].

    

2. Formulating the Problem: In this stage the person responsible for formulating a real-life problem, which he wants to use and present to his students, presents it in a clear and educational way. Formulating a problem must be accurate and specific, including all the variables with accurate and easy words and Clarifying the relations among the problem elements in a simple, easy and understandable way [9].

    

3. Generating ideas which expresses problem solutions. Generating ideas depends on the participants' freedom of thinking and imagination to generate as many ideas as possible and combine them with their colleagues' ideas to improve them to reach the best solution. Giving the participants enough opportunities to ask and exchange questions, while avoiding criticism and evaluation of their ideas until they reach a solution to the given problem [10]. 

    

4. Evaluating the Ideas: It plays an essential role in the innovation process. The purpose of which is to determine the promising ideas and filter the ideas that don't provide value to the organization. Evaluating the ideas has historically been conceived as a decision portal, where experts evaluate the possibilities of the idea being successful in order to reduce uncertainty and risks related to the implementation of the idea. As a result, this gave the impression that evaluating the ideas can be improved. Seeking assistance from external sources and good ideas can be found while implementing certain criteria [11].

Fourth: Organizational Excellence.

It is hard to identify organizational excellence and more difficult to achieve. Weather excellence being identified as profitability, market share, customers and employees satisfaction, product innovation or seeking leaders, but they are rarely found. However, contemporary leaders continue to search for excellence, like ancient knights searching for the Holy Grail, and experience different changes for creating excellence during the last two decades. The leaders frequently used quality circles, self-directed work teams, total quality management, improving processes and re-engineering in their attempts to create excellence. Although all these interventions have values, it has not been proved that any of them is a direct path to excellence. Each one focuses on organization changing in terms of its people, operations or products. None of them Focuses on changing the way a leader exists and their view of the world [12]. Organizational excellence is identified as the continuous efforts to establish an inner framework for the criteria and operations aiming to include the employees and motivate them to provide products and services that meet customers’ requirements within business expectations. It is the organization's achievement of consistent superior performance, for example, outputs that exceed meeting aims, needs or expectations [13]. There are those who see organizational excellence as it is the direction and ability of an organization on entrepreneurship and achieving its aspirations and aims and start achieving it by taking advantage of the help of modern innovative technology in achieving products and providing high quality and sustainable services [14].

Second: Dimensions of Organizational Excellence: 

In this paragraph we will discuss the dimensions of organizational excellence that  will be based on writers’ and researchers' opinions. And as follows:

1. Leadership: Leadership is a main factor in today's organizations through which organizations can achieve their excellence. This kind of pioneer activity is the backbone of the total quality management, team operations and managing the organization's various activities. It requires merging comprehensive and systematic leadership development in organizational culture to produce leaders who have the ability to confront challenges properly. Leadership is a skill that motivates groups of people to work to achieve a common goal. It is a process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically towards goals. It is necessary because it establishes a clear vision and communicates effectively with its subordinates and colleagues [15]. According to (Bass,M,1990) he made progress in this field when he noticed that leadership was not the leader’s influence on others only, but also it is a reaction process that any concerned person can be affected by. For Bass `` leadership is a reaction among two or more members in the group which often involves structuring or restructuring the situation and members’ perceptions and expectations. Leadership happens when one group member modifies the motivation or competencies of others in the group. Any group member can show some level of leadership”. According to Adeer `` leadership is the ability to persuade others to enthusiastically pursue specific goals. It is the human factor that connects the group together, improves its performance and guides it toward goals. Leaders are a main resource of affection on organizational variables as well as productivity [16].

    

2. Human Resources: it is worth noting that people are not resources, but they have resources, or more precisely, the characteristics contained within them. The most prominent characteristics are knowledge skills, abilities, attitudes and values, health or motivation. The owners of the human resources are the individual employees, so it is up to them to determine the extent of their involvement in the work. This means that the organization has limited control over human resources which it benefits from in its various operations [17]. The rate of change confronted by organizations nowadays it's bigger than ever. The matter that compelled organizations to assimilate and manage change more quickly than in the past. To implement a successful work strategy to confront this challenge, organizations of all sizes, large or small, have to make sure they have the right people who are able to provide the strategy and implement it properly in an excellent manner [18]. The practices related to human resources, such as recruitment motivation and others, should be directed towards supporting the human resources strategy and targeting excellence within the organization. This requires the organization to develop its human resource capabilities towards excellence and meet the technological requirements for achieving excellence. Additionally, the organization needs to formulate a strategy for excellence and ensure alignment with human resources requirements to achieve it [19]. 

    

3. Strategy Within The Organization: the strategy determines the organization's direction and range in the long term. They say that the strategy must determine how to form the resources to meet the market’s and stakeholders’ needs. Porter emphasizes that the need of a strategy is to determine and deliver the unique position of the organization. It also determines merging resources skills and organizational competencies to create a competitive advantage. Planning to succeed in the market is an important thing to take full advantage of the available opportunities. Organizations need to expect the future and get ready for it at all levels. Despite that, a simple definition of the strategy on each level can be as follows: it is the determination of how the organization achieves excellence in the coming period [20]. Strategy is the way that determines the organization's long-term direction and range and determines how the organization gets the required resources to meet the market’s and stakeholders’ needs. Strategies must be within the organization as a business strategy that aims to succeed in individual markets and must be related to the organization's strategic goals. Strategies must be improved at the business level in analyzing the competitive market via collecting needed information about competitors in the market providing individuals with a high level of competence to meet customers' needs in the best possible way and exploring and developing market opportunities [21]. 

    

4. Organizational Culture: The culture of any organization goes a long way in determining its performance results. Increasing productivity and efficiency is achieved when a lot of people within the organization believe in the basic values of the organization as they commit to the organization's goals that reflect the way the talk and drag of the organization's special features. Therefore, organizational culture has a great influence on the organizational performance and members’ sense of identity [22]. Organizational culture affects when confronting the organization and learning how to handle internal and external changes. These concepts are kept, where the organization's way of doing business provides an effective adaptation with the environmental problems and maintains success. Organizational culture provides a foundation to communicate and understand a common framework for meanings [23].

    

5. Operation Management In The Organization: Nowadays surface companies are considered good sources of comparative advantage. Services became a large and increasingly important sector. It is necessary to develop and test proper theories especially related to the operational performance of these organizations. Traditional operations management activities developed to service industry through the development in the manufacturing sector. Operation management is the field of management that deals with the production process and redesigning business processes in the production of goods or services. It includes ensuring that business operations are efficient to use lesser resources as needed to meet customers’ needs [24].

The Practical Framework of The Study:

First: Description and Diagnosis of Study Variables: 

The variables of the study will be described and diagnosed as follows:

Descriptions and diagnosis of adopting brainstorming strategy: In the analysis results in table (1) we find that (56,25%) of sample members emphasized adopting the brainstorming strategy in the councils of Mosul University with an arithmetic mean of (2,385) and standard deviation (0,756). This rate needs to be increased to achieve the goals of adopting a brainstorming strategy. The reason for the low rate of adopting brainstorming strategy is the lack of adoption and interest of scientific departments councils in the dimensions of brainstorming strategy represented by (problem formulation, crystallizing the problem, generating the ideas expressing problems solutions, evaluating the ideas). The two dimensions of crystallizing the problem and evaluating the ideas come less in adopting than problem formulation and generating ideas expressing problem solutions dimensions. Therefore, these dimensions must be crystallized in work mechanisms and made them a priority for carrying out the scientific departments council's work.

Table (1) Responses of The People Surveyed  On Adopting Brainstorming Strategy Variable.

2.Description and Diagnosis of Organizational Excellence Variable.

In the analysis results in table (2) we find that (62,4%) of sample members agreed on the availability of organizational excellence in Mosul University department councils with an arithmetic mean of (2,426) and standard deviation (0,972). The reason these departments obtain this rate is due to the availability of indicators of the leadership dimension that are less than the indicators of other dimensions of organizational excellence in the councils of these departments. The indicator that most led to a decrease in the rate of the organizational excellence variable in department councils is (X1) which states (focus on involving the workers and taking their opinions in determining the solution). Therefore, the application of these dimensions of organizational excellence variables must be increased in the work mechanisms of these scientific departments. And increasing the availability of its indicators and implementing its work to ensure more effective organizational excellence.

Table (2) Responses of The People Surveyed On Organizational Excellence Variable.

Second: Testing The Hypotheses of the Study 

They are being tested as follows:

1. Testing The First Main Hypothesis: it states that there is a relation between adopting brainstorming strategy and achieving organizational excellence. We note in table (3) that there is a positive significant correlation between adopting brainstorming strategy and achieving organizational excellence in the researched organization with a correlation coefficient of (0,673**), which is a moral value at level (0.01). These results indicate the validity of this hypothesis, so this first main hypothesis is accepted.

Table (3) The Correlation Between Adopting Brainstorming Strategy and Achieving Organizational Excellence.

Source: prepared by the researchers based on the computer results.          P ≤ 0.01, N = 100

1. Testing The Second Main Hypothesis: It states that the adoption of brainstorming strategy has a moral impact on achieving organizational excellence. The results in table (4) shows that the adoption of brainstorming strategy has a moral impact  on achieving organizational excellence and the researched organization with coefficient of determination (R2) (0.453). This means that the independent variable adoption of brainstorming strategy contributes a percentage of (45.3%) in achieving organizational excellence as a dependent variable. The calculated (T) value of (9.01) and the calculated (F) value of (81.196) confirm this. They are two significant values at significance level (0.01). These results confirms the validity of this hypothesis, so this second main hypothesis is accepted.

Table (4) The Influence Relationship Between Adopting Brainstorming Strategy And Achieving Organizational Excellence.

Source: prepared by the researchers based on the computer results. P ≤ 0.01,  D.F = (1.99),  N = 100         

The Fourth Axis: Conclusions and Suggestions.

First: Conclusions: The study reached the following key conclusions:

1. Adopting a brainstorming strategy in organizations has an important role in achieving their organizational excellence.

2. The scientific councils of the researched organization need higher brainstorming strategy adoption rate especially in the shade of the environmental changes these scientific councils work in.

3. (62.4%) of the sample members agreed on the availability of indicators of organizational excellence in the scientific councils in the researched organization. One of the indicators that most weakened this percentage is involving the workers and taking their opinions in determining the solution for the problem.

4. There is a positive significant correlation between adopting brainstorming strategy and achieving organizational excellence and the researched organization.

5. Adopting brainstorming strategy in organizations has a significant moral impact in achieving organizational excellence in the researched organization.

6.  

Second: Suggestions: According to the conclusions, the study suggests the following:

1. The researched organization must increase activating the brainstorming strategy dimensions and approving them in achieving organizational excellence for their important role in finding solutions for the problems that hinder achieving organizational excellence for organizations.

2. Scientific councils of the researched organization must crystallize the brainstorming strategy dimensions, represented by (problem formulation, crystallizing the problem, generating the ideas expressing problems solutions and evaluating the ideas), into their work mechanisms and making them priority in its implementation.

3. The necessity of increasing the availability of the dimension of organizational excellence variable in the scientific departments in the researched organization, especially the leadership dimension that is less available than the dimensions of organizational excellence variable in these councils. Increasingly involving the workers and taking their opinions in determining the problem solution. Applying the organizational excellence dimensions in the strategies of these scientific departments to ensure a more effective organizational excellence.

4. Organizations must take advantage of the moral influence of relationships and correlation between adopting brainstorming strategy and achieving organizational excellence by adopting them in settings strategies and goals, and implementing plans for the success of the organization.

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