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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ABSTRACTBackground: cochlear implants are electronic devices that convert sound energy into electrical signals to stimulate ganglion cells and cochlear nerve fibers. These devices are indicated for patients with severe to profound sensorineural hearing losses who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids. The implant basically takes over the function of the cochlear hair cells. The implant consists of external components (microphone, speech processor and transmitting coil) and internal components (receiver stimulator and electrode array). The implant is inserted via a trans mastoid facial recess approach to the round window and scala tympani.Objectives: to determine the effectiveness and safety of non fixation method in cochlear imp
... Show Morethe sera levels of luteninizing hormone were investgaited prior tq surgery in 10 postmenopaisal women with benign and 10 postmenopausal women with maliganant healthy
The present research focuses on the study of the effect of mass transfer resistance on the rate of heat transfer in pool boiling. The nucleate pool boiling heat transfer coefficients for binary mixtures (ethanol-n-butanol, acetone-n-butanol, acetone-ethanol, hexane-benzene, hexane-heptane, and methanol-water) were measured at different concentrations of the more volatile components. The systems chosen covered a wide range of mixture behaviors.
The experimental set up for the present investigation includes electric heating element submerged in the test liquid mounted vertically. Thermocouple and a digital indictor measured the temperature of the heater surface. The actual heat transfer rate being obtained by multiplying the voltme
... Show MoreSimple and sensitive spectrophotometric method is described based on the coupling reaction of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC. HCl) with diazotized 4-aminopyridine in bulk and pharmaceutical forms. Colored azo dye formed during this reaction is measured at 433 nm as a function of time. Factors affecting the reaction yield were studied and the conditions were optimized. The kinetic study involves initial rate and fixed time (10 minutes) procedures for constructing the calibration graphs to determine the concentration of (TC. HCl). The graphs were linear for both methods in concentration range of 10.0 to 100.0 μg.mL-1. The recommended procedure was applied successfully in the determination of (TC. HCl) in its commercial formulations.
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Algae are photosynthetic microorganisms that play important role in aquatic ecosystems as they are the primary producers in aquatic food webs. Several groups of algae are capable of producing toxins that impact aquatic ecosystems, especially managed systems. Cyanobacteria are the most important algae in freshwaters, and many species produce cyanotoxins including hepatotoxins and neurotoxins. The potent cyano-neurotoxins β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), 2, 4-diaminobutyric acid dihydrochloride (DABA), and anatoxin-a are especially critical with regards to public and animal health problems.
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A potentiostatic study of the behaviour of Inconel (600) in molar sulphuric acid has been carried out over the temperature range 293-313 K. Values have been established for the potentials and current densities of the corrosion, active-passive transition, passivity and transpassive states. For corrosion, the current density (ic) and potential (Ec) have been determined from well-defined Tafel lines. The potential and current density prior to the commencement of passivity have been obtained corresponding respectively to the critical potential (Ecr( and to the current density (icr) for the active-passive transition state. The passive range was defined by the respective potentials and current densities for passive film formation and dissolutio
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Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method is described based on the coupling reaction of tetracycline hydrochloride(TC. HCl) with diazotized 4-aminopyridine in bulk and pharmaceutical forms. Colored azo dye formed during this reaction is measured at 433 nm as a function of time. Factors affecting the reaction yield were studied and the conditions were optimized. The kinetic study involves initial rate and fixed time (10 minutes) procedures for constructing the calibration graphs to determine the concentration of (TC. HCl). The graphs were linear for both methods in concentration range of 10.0 to 100.0 µg.mL-1. The recommended procedure was applied successfully in the determination of (TC. HCl) in itscommercial formulations.
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