The document analyzes strategic environmental scanning and crisis management at UNRWA in Gaza Strip, Palestine. A survey of 268 employees found that while UNRWA conducts environmental scanning, its relation to crisis management is weak and needs strengthening, especially during and after crises. The study recommends UNRWA conduct ongoing environmental scanning of external and internal factors to improve strategic planning and crisis preparedness. As a major humanitarian organization, UNRWA must enhance its crisis management system before, during and after crises through expanded environmental scanning.

1. Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-banay, Cabuyao, Laguna
Graduate School and Continuing Professional Education
NERICA BARRIENTOS-MANASAN
GS_MBA-01
Dr. Niño J. Viñas
Case Study #4
Strategic Environmental Scanning: an
Approach for Crises Management
Youssef M. Abu Amuna, Mazen J. Al Shobaki, Samy S.
Abu Naser
ABSTRACT
The study aims to analyze the relation between strategic Environmental Scanning and
crisis management in UNRWA- Gaza Strip field - Palestine. Several descriptive
analytical methods used for this purpose, and a survey as a tool for data collection.
Community population was (881), and the study sample was stratified random (268).
The overall findings of the current study show that strategic Environmental Scanning is
conducted in UNRWA and has a stoical relation with crises management. This relation
is weak and need to be strengthen especially during and after the crisis. The study
suggest that strategic Environmental Scanning must be conducted permanently for
external and internal environment to help UNRWA developing its strategic planning
and to be to prepared to deal with potential crises in the future.
Reference:
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01567731/document

2. Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-banay, Cabuyao, Laguna
Graduate School and Continuing Professional Education
DIGESTED CASE STUDY
Facts of the Study:
Complex political, social, economic, technological, and cultural changes are the
order of the day in today's organizational environment. Any organization that is not aware
of its surroundings is doomed to face crises as the environment in which it operates
becomes more complex. Environmental scanning is a tool used in environmental analysis,
and its effectiveness is dependent on a number of underlying factors.
Opportunities and threats are constantly changing, not only in the organization's
external environment, but also in its internal environment. This change has placed the
organization in a difficult mission that necessitates rapid adoption and dealing with the
external and internal environments in order to ensure survival and achieve their goals;
otherwise, the organization will be doomed to fail and disappear.
The need for a strategic environmental scanning process has grown as a result of
the rapid changes in the internal and external environments. The scanning process for the
internal and external environment is critical in light of the organization's vision, mission,
and clear objectives. The organization's strategic and operational plans are critical to its
success and survival.
Under this dynamic environment, crisis has also become a key feature of
contemporary organizations, and these crises threaten the organization's continuity,
survival, and ability to continue providing their services. Crisis also jeopardizes an
organization's reputation and image in the community if it is unable to deal with crises
through effective management of the various stages of the crisis, whether before, during,
or after the fact.
Issues:
The study raises the question:
1. Is strategic environmental scanning used as a crisis management approach by UNRWA?

3. Pamantasan ng Cabuyao
Katapatan Subdivision, Banay-banay, Cabuyao, Laguna
Graduate School and Continuing Professional Education
2. To what extent does UNRWA practice crisis management (before, during, and after a
crisis)?
Resolution:
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a multi-service
organization. Its role in the world is very active, not only in Palestine, but it also serves
millions of Palestinian refugees worldwide (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan). Human development
and humanitarian services provided by UNRWA include primary and vocational education,
primary health care, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement,
microfinance, and emergency response, including in armed conflict situations.
Strategic Environmental Scanning as a Framework for Crisis Management in
UNRWA must be improved and expanded. Because such organizations cannot halt services
as a result of crises, one of their top priorities is to create a solid system for managing crises
before, during, and after they occur. The current study reveals some weaknesses in crisis
prediction, which may be normal in other organizations, but for UNRWA, this issue must
be resolved as soon as possible.
Strategic environmental scanning is not the only solution for crisis management,
but it is the first step toward preparing for the impending storm. A dependable and effective
system that caters to such large organizations must conduct more Environmental Scanning,
as well as solid strategic planning based on the results of the Environmental Scanning.