Introduction
National strategies are among the most important tools used by states to determine their future path and build their capacities to confront internal and external challenges. The process of building national strategies begins with a comprehensive analysis of the various environmental factors affecting the state, whether internally or externally. This analysis helps in formulating a clear vision and an integrated strategic plan to achieve the state’s objectives. In this article, we will discuss the key stages of building a national strategy, starting with strategic exploration, and focusing on the eight pillars that form the backbone of this analysis.
Phase One: Strategic Exploration
The first step in building a national strategy is conducting a thorough analysis of both the internal and external environmental factors in the country. After reviewing various literature on environmental factor analysis in national strategic planning, such as Professor Dr. Mohammed Hussein Abu Saleh’s book “National Strategic Planning,” it was found that the internal and external environmental analysis should consist of twelve key components: scientific and technical environment, social and cultural environment, military and security environment, political and foreign relations environment, economic and environmental factors, and the information and media environment. Dr. Abu Saleh later summarized these into seven elements, with a strong recommendation to consider the regional and international environment during the analysis. Some political studies also referred to this concept as the comprehensive power of the state.
Building on these studies, I have expanded and refined the framework, adding new components and merging others. Consequently, the internal and external environmental analysis of national strategies can now be understood through eight key components:
Geopolitical, Political, Military, Economic, Knowledge, Social, Health, and Media.
Based on this eight-factor analysis, the current and future states of the nation will be assessed. By comparing the present situation with future goals, we can identify the capability gap that must be addressed in the new national strategy across its various stages. This study will detail these eight components as follows:
(A) Economic Component:
In this component, the main elements of the economy such as agriculture, industry, services, and technology are analyzed. We assess what the country possesses in terms of capabilities, what is missing, and what can be developed. The maturity level of each of these aspects is measured in comparison with developed nations or using internationally recognized benchmarks for ranking countries economically. Other methods include comparing the availability of economic enablers on a horizontal axis with their utilization on a vertical axis. Based on this, the country’s economic maturity is classified on a scale of 1 to 5.
(B) Political Component:
This component involves analyzing the political system and the institutional framework within the country. It assesses the level of integration, coordination, and independence among state institutions, as well as internal political stability. Additionally, it examines foreign relations and the nation’s influence at regional and international levels.
(C) Military Component:
Here, we analyze the nation’s military capabilities based on international standards for measuring military power, as well as the internal security situation. This includes assessing the state’s control over internal affairs, such as combating crime, drugs, terrorism, riots, and other internal security challenges that any state faces.
(D) Knowledge Component:
This component involves evaluating the state of general, technical, and higher education, as well as postgraduate studies and research development. It assesses the number of researchers, the availability of research infrastructure, and the state’s support for research and development. It also examines the link between education and the labor market, the availability of research centers and universities, and the extent to which research and development are aligned with vital national sectors and companies.
(E) Geopolitical Component:
This component analyzes the country’s geographic position, including its natural resources, geographic terrain (such as plains, mountains, rivers, seas, and oceans), and its control over vital international trade routes. Additionally, it evaluates the country’s proximity to conflict zones and assesses its relationships with neighboring states, considering any hostilities or alliances. The analysis also covers population structure, religious diversity, and other important factors to consider when planning on a national scale.
(F) Health Component:
This component analyzes the overall health system in the country, including the availability of medical services such as doctors, nurses, hospitals, medicines, equipment, and medical supplies. It assesses whether the state provides a suitable healthcare system for its citizens based on internationally recognized standards. It also examines the state’s ability to handle national health crises and build resilience against large-scale health emergencies.
(G) Social Component:
In this component, we analyze social cohesion, religious composition, and the integration of minorities within society. It assesses racial and sectarian issues and the level of harmony between different ethnicities. The analysis also covers national unity, the collective pursuit of a shared national vision, social balance issues, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. It evaluates the availability of social safety nets, the provision of decent living conditions for citizens, the level of environmental civilization people live in, and societal maturity in dealing with contemporary issues. The empowerment of civil society organizations is also assessed.
(H) Media Component:
Here, we analyze the country’s media capabilities in leading public opinion both domestically and internationally. This includes assessing the credibility of national media and the public’s trust in it, as well as its ability to counter external media attacks. We also evaluate the availability of local media alternatives that meet societal needs and the state’s influence on foreign populations. This includes assessing the country’s ability to promote its culture and values to other countries.
Conclusion:
The analysis of internal and external environmental factors is a fundamental step in building the national strategy for any state. Through the eight pillars that have been explained, the state can determine its current position and expected level of development, which helps in formulating a clear strategic vision for its future.
In the upcoming articles, we will provide a detailed explanation of each pillar, along with practical examples of how to build the national strategy across its different stages.
Dr. Nabil Zohair Albabaly
CEO of the Consulting Group
