Globalisation and rapid environmental change have created many challenges for public and private organisations across Iraq as a developing country, particularly in the higher education sector. This includes, for example, decreases in government funding; increased demand for higher education; a need for economic transformation, and related competitiveness of organizations. Such challenges require exceptional leaders and strategic planning in order to take action to improve. In Iraq, the higher education sector is still one of the main foundations in progressing the knowledge economy. Studies into leadership style, strategic planning processes, and the importance of leadership and organisational culture to an organisation’s success have been used to assist both public and private Iraqi colleges in responding to the challenges they face. Although, some studies have examined the interaction between leadership and strategic planning, and leadership and organisational success, there has been no empirical study that has investigated how these three variables interact together. Thus, this study aimed, firstly, to identify the current leadership styles and strategic planning processes in the colleges and the challenges they faced, and to gain an understanding from the perspective of the senior leaders themselves as to how they might best respond to the current situation. Secondly, based on the participants’ experiences, knowledge and perceptions, the study aimed to identify implications for both practice and policy to help improve the colleges’ outcomes. The study involved a mixed-methods approach and was conducted in two stages. During the first stage, the researcher gathered quantitative data by administering a survey package to 129 leaders (deans, associate deans, and heads of departments) across both public and private colleges in the capital city of Baghdad. During the second stage, the researcher gathered qualitative data to more deeply explore the survey results by conducting individual interviews with a sub-sample of 21 leaders from both college types (ten public and 11 private). In the data analyses stages, both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied to compiling tables and charts, and to test hypotheses, by employing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Microsoft Excel, and NVivo. The results of study showed that both transformational and transactional leadership styles played a varied and vital role in the colleges’ strategic planning processes, and in turn their success. The fact that private colleges were ‘for profit’ and public colleges were ‘not for profit’, as well as their contrasting funding models, highlighted key differences between the two college types’ leadership and general modus operandi. While it was found that both transformative leadership and transactional leadership styles were necessary to address the challenges colleges faced in the Iraqi educational context, the impetus for change extended far beyond the need for professional development of leaders. The embracing of information communication technologies, and reliable Internet was seen as necessary in all aspects of the colleges’ work and provision for teaching and learning, and students’ success. This applied to both college types along with the need for closer adherence to government regulations and more focused government coordination of colleges’ administrative functions. Furthermore, implications for making successful improvements to practice also identified the need to manage the challenge of sociocultural influences on the appointments and promotions of leaders. It was concluded that a greater emphasis on teamwork and provision of incentives for staff, along with a ‘boost’ to pedagogy and practice, which could be provided through the adoption of information communication technologies and appropriate professional development strategies, would enhance the colleges’ ranks and the status of their qualifications. Also, theoretically, the study offers a value-add to leadership, strategic planning process, and organisational success literature in the form of a conceptual model that links these variables in the context of Iraqi higher education sector.
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In this paper the effect of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of Antimony Selenide (Sb2Se3) is investigated. Sb2Se3 powder is evaporated on clean amorphous glass substrates at room temperature under high vacuum pressure (4.5×10-6 mbar) to form thin films. The structural investigation was done with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The amorphous to polycrystalline transformation of these thin films was shown by X-ray diffraction analysis after thermal annealing. These films' morphology is explained. (UV-Vis ) spectra in ranges from 300 to 1100 nm was used to examine the optical properties of the films .The absorption coefficient and optical energy gap of the investigated films are
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Coriandrum Sativum is a native of Mediterranean region and is grown in North Africa, central Europe, and Asia as culinary herb and medicament. In addition to the other health-supporting reputation, coriander has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and aphrodisiac effects. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Coriandrum Sativum on process of spermatogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coriandrum sativum was given daily to mature male rats in a dose of 50mg/ 100g body weight for 14 days. 10% formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections were performed for histological and morphometrical studies. RESULTS: Histological study showed wider seminiferous tubules & increased spermatocytes population with an increased sperm density
... Show MoreA field experiment was conducted at the field of the Dept. of Field Crop Sci. / College of Agriculture / University of Baghdad . The objective was to determine the values of relative constant of three – way and double crosses of maize . Ten inbreds were used and crossed during spring and fall seasons of 2009 to produce three - way and double crosses , and ten hybrids were taken from each group . The ten hybrids were grown and selfed during spring 2010 to produce 2 seed . Three way and double crosses were sown with their parents and 2 seed during fall 2010 in RCBD with four replicates . Leaf area , total dry matter , row/ear , grain/ear , grain weight and grain weight/plant of hybrids , parents and 2 plants were taken . Results showed that
... Show MoreThis study aimed to investigate the effect of water treated with a magnetic field with different induction on the histological structure of the kidney and testicular tissue of albino rats. For this purpose, fifty albino rats were divided into five equal groups, the first of which was used as a control group, drank clean tap water for four weeks, the other groups were given daily water treated with a magnetic field with an induction of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 gauss. Then the animals were sacrificed and histological changes in the kidneys and testicles were examined. Histopathological examination of the kidneys of animals that were given water treated with a magnetic field with an induction of 500, 1000 and 1500 gauss revealed n
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Researchers need to understand the differences between parametric and nonparametric regression models and how they work with available information about the relationship between response and explanatory variables and the distribution of random errors. This paper proposes a new nonparametric regression function for the kernel and employs it with the Nadaraya-Watson kernel estimator method and the Gaussian kernel function. The proposed kernel function (AMS) is then compared to the Gaussian kernel and the traditional parametric method, the ordinary least squares method (OLS). The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of nonparametric regression and identify the best-performing model when employing the Nadaraya-Watson
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The aim of this paper is to describe an epidemic model when two SI-Type of diseases are transmitted vertically as well as horizontally through one population. The population contains two subclasses: susceptible and infectious, while the infectious are divided into three subgroups: Those infected by AIDS disease, HCV disease, and by both diseases. A nonlinear mathematical model for AIDS and HCV diseases is Suggested and analyzed. Both local and global stability for each feasible equilibrium point are determined theoretically by using the stability theory of differential equations, Routh-Hurwitz and Gershgorin theorem. Moreover, the numerical simulation was carried out on the model parameters in order to determine their impact on the disease
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Influence of metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms upon soil-borne microscopic fungus Aspergillus terreus K-8 was studied. It was established that the metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms affect the enzymatic activity of the studied culture. Silver nanoparticles lead to a decrease in cellulase activity and completely suppress the amylase activity of the fungus, while copper nanoparticles completely inhibit the activity of both the cellulase complex and amylase. The obtained results imply that the large-scale use of silver and copper nanoparticles may disrupt biological processes in the soil and cause change in the physiological and biochemical state of soil-borne microorganisms as well.
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The study was aimed to determine the coordinates of the points were measured by different ways and different instruments, the most precise way using the differential global positioning system (DGPS) that will be the reference measurements in comparison, less precise way using navigator GPS. Google earth (pro.), and the other applications of GPS mobile ( Samsung and I-phone). In this research (8 points) were chosen that are occasional in location. The comparison of the different observations can give us an idea of the extent to which the accuracy of the observations differs from the different devices used in the observing, as well as through the knowledge of the best device and the best way to measure coordinates accurately t
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The study aims to investigate the relationship between the gender diversity of board director, the accounting conservatism and firm value in Iraqi firms. The sample was represented by 30 Iraqi firms listed on the Iraqi market over the period 2017. The research was based on the main hypothesis that gender diversity has a positive relationship with conservatism and firm value, that conservatism as an intermediate variable will enhance the positive relationship between gender diversity and firm value. The study reached results that support the research hypotheses. The appointment of females to the board helps improve the provision of conservative accounting information and avoids overstate when reporting earnings. Based on these res
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