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.
This study explored the use of industrial acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) for biodiesel production, facing a significant obstacle due to its high free fatty acid (FFA) content, which complicates the biodiesel production process. Typically, esterification is employed to convert FFAs into fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). Herein, the effectiveness of tungstosilicic acid hydrate (TSAH) as an unsupported heteropoly acid (HPA) catalyst for FFA esterification in ACPO was investigated. The FFA content was reduced from 8.43% to 0.95% under optimum conditions (4 wt% catalyst dosage, a methanol to oil molar ratio of 10:1, 150 min and a temperature of 60°C). Noteworthy, the TSAH catalyst showed stability over 7
The goal of current research is to identify the difficulties in the application of modern physics in the middle schools of the province of Baghdad schools from the perspective of teachers of physics trends, sample search of (127) teachers, Karkh Third Directorate, and use Researcher questionnaire data collection tool after applying it to teachers who have experience (5) years and more after confirmation of the validity and reliability of the scale (the tool) researcher has used the averages for the purpose of interpreting the results. the results showed that the difficulties have been in the order following: (difficulties related educational environment of modern trends of teaching, curriculum-related dif
... Show MoreBackground: Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign salivary gland tumor and shows a pronounced morphological complexity and diversity; for this The immunoprofiles and clinical course of PA differed according to cellular differentiation. Therefore, it is important to assess potential biomarkers in diagnostic and therapeutic trials. This study evaluates the immunohistochemical expression of D2-40, VEGF and PCNA as markers of lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis and proliferation of PA and their correlation with clinicpathological parameters and with each other. Materials and Methods: Twenty five formalin – fixed, paraffin – embedded tissue blocks were included in this study. After histopathological reassessment of haematoxylin & eosin
... Show MoreThis study aimed to improve the microencapsulation technique using a type coating the encapsulation Layer by Layer, which provide the best protection for life Lactobacillus casei in the extrusion method and use the microencapsulation of materials of the protein concentrated by protein 80% and the coating with alginate and chitosan have the results showed the variation in the difference of the binding process encapsulation yield among the types of coating through. by studying of these the effect o stability of the bio probiotic free cell and the three types coated towards three different concentrations from bile salts 0, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7% when the periods of time different of zero and two and three hours at incubation the recorded
... Show Morethe Current research aims to identify the psychological stressors coping strategies and their relationship to the cognitive motivation among Al-Anbar University students through the following hypotheses: 1) no statistically significant differences at a level (0.05) among the sample according to the instrumental support strategy depending on the variable type and specialization, 2) No statistically significant differences at a level (0.05) among the sample in regard of coping avoiding strategy depending on the variable type and specialization, 3) There is no statistically significant difference at a level (0.05) in cognitive motivation level among Al-Anbar University students, 4) No statistically significant differences at a level (0.05)
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The study aimed to identify the awareness degree of teacher students in the department of Arabic language and their supervisors at Al-aqsa University for their future roles in the age of knowledge. To achieve this objective, descriptive- analytical approach was used. The instruments of this study were two questionnaires: first one consist of (20) item for teacher students, and the second consist of (27) item for educational supervisors which covered three roles: professional, technological, and humanitarian. The sample was (120) student selected randomly, and (39) supervisors of Arabic language. The result revealed that the mean of degree awareness of teacher students and their supervisors of future role are (3.857), (3.472) respectively
... Show MoreThe plant licorice is considered important plants as nutritionally and medically and economically, as a rich in phytochemical, vitamins and minerals, and being widely available, Research indicated the presence of many nutrients such as (proteins, Carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) as well as presence of Glycyrrhizin which responsible of sweet taste, that allowing the possibility to use it as natural intensity sweetener with few calories in Sweetening of many food. This research is aimed to study the Stability of Glycyrrhizin toward the various manufacturing conditions such as (thermal treatment, pH of foods and microwaves), so three factorial experiments was implemented to find out the Stability as following: 100C° - 121C° - Microwa
... Show MoreThis study focused on a fundamental issue which was represented by ability of Iraqi central bank in facing the difficulty of determining the optimal ratio of liquidity in the Iraqi banks in terms of the balancing between its obligations to the depositors and borrowers, and liquidate their funds on one hand and the risks on the other hand.the search aimed for achieving the goals which represented by identifying the possibility of Iraqi banks to apply the regulations rules and instructions issued by central bank of Iraq in determining ratio of liquidity and its appropriate with Iraqi banks action to implement a reasonable profit to&
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