EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTION OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS AT NAJRAN UNIVERSITY, SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Problem During the COVID-19 crisis, particularly in the context of Saudi education, the ability to physically attend schools and colleges was greatly hindered due to the widespread transmission of the virus and the resulting obstacles. The issues necessitated the use of crisis management strategies. Some Saudi universities are capable of implementing an organized plan both before to and during crisis management, whereas others lack this competence. This is a substantial problem. Several universities in Saudi Arabia effectively managed the COVID-19 epidemic, whereas others did not. Furthermore, prior studies on crisis management indicate that administrators exhibit diverse responses. By participating in conferences at that location, the researcher was able to definitively identify the underlying cause of the problem. This unequivocally demonstrated that certain educational institutions are still unable to independently manage a crisis and must depend on government assistance. The proposed research demonstrates a robust correlation between the COVID-19 situation and the administration of higher education institutions. Purpose of Study The purpose of this quantitative study is to ascertain the reality of administering the COVID-19 crisis at Najran University in Saudi Arabia as perceived by its employees. Furthermore, it demonstrates the minimum threshold within the category of COVID-19 crisis management at Najran University, located in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it aims to furnish updates on demographic characteristics and crisis management throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Method The research was conducted in Saudi Arabia at Najran University. The methodology employed is quantitative research employing a descriptive-analytical strategy. The instrument of study will be a descriptive questionnaire. The investigation was conducted by distributing online questionnaires. Regarding the population, the Najran Higher Education Institution has faculty members and administrators. The sample was selected at random from the categories of academic faculty and administrative personnel across all departments. The questionnaire used in this study was divided into five sections: Planning for Crisis Management (PCM), Communication in Crisis Management (CCM), Information in Crisis Management (INFO), Material and Human Resources in Crisis Management (MHR), and Involvement in Crisis Management (INV). To answer research questions 1 through 3 of the study, descriptive statistics were used to examine the data using SPSS. Findings The results indicate that all dimensions demonstrated elevated practice in Crisis Management, and the aggregate findings of the subscales indicate an average score of 3.69. Initially, the Communication in Crisis Management (CCM) dimension yielded an average score of 3.73. In line with the Involvement in Crisis Management (INV), it has the same mean as Communication in Crisis Management (CCM), which is 3.73. Moreover, the dimension of Planning for Crisis Management (PCM) had a mean score of 3.70. Then, the Information in Crisis Management (INFO) aspect received a mean rating of 3.65. Lastly, for the Material and Human Resources in Crisis Management (MHR), the mean rating was 3.61. The results indicate that there is one dimension that requires attention in order to enhance crisis management for higher education administrators and faculty, which is the Material and Human Resources in Crisis Management (MHR) aspect. The study also discovered significant differences in crisis management proficiency based on gender, namely in the area of information handling within the crisis management category. No significant statistical differences were observed depending on other factors, that include (job title and years of experience), in the categories of Planning for Crisis Management (PCM), Communication in Crisis Management (CCM), Information in Crisis Management (INFO), Material and Human Resources in Crisis Management (MHR), and Involvement in Crisis Management (INV).