The problem of the research:

    The problem of this research can be crystallized in the following main question: is there any role and impact of strategic leader practices in risk and crisis management?

The researcher examined a group of available practices of strategic leader - represented by determining the strategic direction, investment of strategic capabilities, developing and improving human capital, supporting organizational culture with ethical practices, implementing balanced organizational control, continuous learning – when dealing with risks and crises. Further, the pilot study informed the researcher about the nature of sources of risks and crises that face the Palestinian governmental institutions and are represented by the external environment (political, legal, economical ….etc) and management problems in the internal environment. Consequently, the researcher will also address the following research questions:

• Is there any relationship between strategic leader practices and the different variables of external environment?
• Is there any relationship between strategic leader practices and the different variables of internal environment?

This, in turn, will enhance the identification of strategic leadership role in risk and crisis management.

The hypotheses of the research:

• The first main hypothesis: there is no statistically significant relationship between strategic leadership practices and risk and crisis management.
• The second main hypothesis: there is no statistically significant impact of strategic leadership practices on risk management.
• The third main hypothesis: there is no statistically significant impact of strategic leadership practices on crisis management
• The fourth main hypothesis: there is no statistically significant relationship between strategic leadership practices and the variables of external environment (legal and political, economical, social and cultural, direct environment, pressure group).
• The fifth main hypothesis: there is no statistically significant relationship between strategic leadership practices and the variables of organizational environment (organizational structure, organizational culture, organization's resources and capabilities).

The objectives of the research:

The objectives of this research are:

1. Identifying the nature of risks and crises through the Palestinian state lives and from which the Palestinian governmental institutions suffer. 
2. Identifying the practices of strategic leadership, its characteristics and qualities and the extent to which it helps supervisory functions in the Palestinian governmental institutions in managing risks and crises effectively.
3. Identifying the difference between current leadership practices and strategic leadership practices in facing risks and crises.
4. Identifying the barriers which fully or partially hinder the application of strategic leadership practices in the Palestinian governmental institutions in a way that affects on the effectiveness of risk and crisis management.
5. Presenting some recommendations which contribute to the effectiveness of risk and crisis management in a way that supports the performance of Palestinian governmental institutions.

Results of the research:

1. The study found that the strategic leadership practices are applied in moderate percentages by the leaders of Palestinian governmental institutions, where the relative arithmetic mean of their application was 70.04%.
2. Also, the study found that risk and crisis management is applied in Palestinian governmental institutions in quite moderate percentages, where the relative arithmetic mean was 67.68% and the curative method dominated the protective one.
3. Further, the study found that there is a relationship between strategic leadership practices and risk and crisis management, where the correlation coefficient was 0.825. This, in turn, supports the role of strategic leadership in risk and crisis management. Furthermore, the current study found that the practices which are most relevant to risk and crisis management were least applied by leaders of Palestinian governmental institutions. These practices were continuous learning and developing and improving human capital.
4. Moreover, the current study found that there is a relationship between strategic leadership practices and the external environment variables, where the correlation coefficient was 0.696. Also, the external environment variables together impacted on strategic leadership practices by a percentage of 51% (adjusted R² = 0.51). 
5. Finally, the study showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between strategic leadership practices and the organizational environment variables, where the correlation coefficient was 0.820. in addition, the organizational environment variables together impact on strategic leadership practices by a percentage of 45.6% (adjusted R² = 0.456).

Recommendations of the research:

1. It is necessary to monitor the indicators of different external environment variables with focusing on the economical, political and legal environment because it – according to the findings of study – represents most sources of external threats to the Palestinian governmental institutions.
2. Also, it is important to develop the different organizational environment variables - starting from the organizational structure, then organization's resources and finally the organizational culture - in order to represent strengths on which the institution is based when facing the external threats, instead of being weaknesses and a source of organizational crises.
3.  Further, it is necessary to support strategic leadership concept for the leaders of Palestinian governmental institutions through holding specializing seminars and conferences and paying more attention to applying its different practices through training courses. In addition, it is necessary to focus on applying strategic leadership practices which the current study showed that they are least applied and most relevant to risk and crisis management. These practices are;

• Continuous learning.
• Developing and improving human capital.

4. Finally, it is essential to follow the scientific method in risk and crisis management, which is represented by paying attention to all stages of risk and crisis management. Therefore, this method helps in transforming from the curative into the protective method in dealing with risks and crises.