Analysis of the Engineering Philosophical Foundation of Annual Strategic Planning at the Polyethylene Plant in Ras Lanuf Company
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21706790Keywords:
Engineering philosophy, strategic planning, polyethylene plant, systems thinking, reliability engineering, petrochemical industry, Ras LanufAbstract
This study examines the integration of engineering philosophical principles into annual strategic planning at the Ras Lanuf Polyethylene Plant in Libya. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design with 150 technical and managerial participants across five operating departments, the research operationalized engineering philosophy across eight dimensions: Engineering Philosophy Awareness, Systems & Operational Foundations, Reliability & Risk Awareness, Decision & Governance Philosophy, Strategic & Operational Alignment, Continuous Improvement & Learning, Human Factors & Socio-Technical Integration, and Measurement, Digitalization & Data Philosophy. Scale reliability analysis confirmed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.906). Descriptive findings revealed moderate-to-high overall agreement (M = 3.4448, SD = 0.58253), with Engineering Philosophy Awareness scoring highest (M = 3.4978) and Digitalization & Data Philosophy scoring lowest (M = 3.4100). Inferential testing using one-way ANOVA demonstrated no statistically significant differences across job positions (p = 0.459), years of experience (p = 0.842), or operating departments (p = 0.137), indicating a homogeneous engineering culture. Pearson correlation analysis established significant positive associations across all eight dimensions (r = 0.420 to 0.603, p < 0.001), with the strongest relationship between Continuous Improvement and Digitalization (r = 0.603). The findings validate Socio-Technical Systems Theory, Systems Thinking, and Reliability Engineering as an integrated paradigm for petrochemical strategic planning. This research provides actionable guidance for plant management to enhance digital infrastructure, institutionalize cross-functional planning workshops, and formalize engineering philosophy guidelines within strategic planning policies, ultimately contributing to optimized operational performance and long-term industrial sustainability in Libya's petrochemical sector.
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