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.
Abstract
Experimental work from Magnetic Abrasive Finishing (MAF) tests was carried out design parameters (amplitude, and number of cycle which are formed the shape of electromagnetic pole), and technological parameters (current, cutting speed, working gap, and finishing time) all have an influence on the mechanical properties of the surface layer in MAF process. This research has made to study the effect of design and technological parameters on the surface roughness (Ra), micro hardness (Hv) and material removal (MR) in working zone. A set of experimental tests has been planned using response surface methodology according to Taguchi matrix (36) with three levels and six factors
... Show MoreOrganizations of various activities strive to excel and continue in light of the challenges they face, so they seek to have leaders and workers in them for the ingenuity that is reflected in their excellence in work and achievement that is achieved through the adoption of the best modern technological technologies to reach Organizations to the best levels and thus achieve their goals easily and successfully. The research aims are to know the correlation and impact between organizational proficiency and the dimensions of Organizations excellence (leadership excellence, and distinguish subordinates and excellence in organizational structure) at the Cotton Industries Company through the adoption of a unit of measurement which
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The current research aims to identify: 1. The level of mathematical construct among the Department of Mathematics students in the colleges of education and basic education. 2. The level of effective mathematical operations in both sides of the brain at the Department of Mathematics students in the colleges of education and basic education. 3. The strength and direction of the correlation between the mathematical construct and effective mathematical operations on both sides of the brain at the Department of Mathematics students in the colleges of Education and Basic Education. To investigate the research objectives, the researcher formulated zero-main hypothesis for each aim and from the same hypothesis, three sub-zero hypotheses are deri
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The study aimed to identify the treatment of the press image of the Great Return Marches in the French international news agency AFP by knowing the most important issues, their direction and the degree of interest in them. The study belongs to the descriptive research, and used the survey method, within the context of the content analysis method, and the researcher relied on the content analysis form tool and the interview tool to collect data. The study population is represented in the photos published by the French News Agency about the Great Return Marches during the period (end of March / 2018 until the end of November / 2019. The researcher chose an intentional sample using the Complete Census method. The study material represented
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In this paper, wireless network is planned; the network is predicated on the IEEE 802.16e standardization by WIMAX. The targets of this paper are coverage maximizing, service and low operational fees. WIMAX is planning through three approaches. In approach one; the WIMAX network coverage is major for extension of cell coverage, the best sites (with Band Width (BW) of 5MHz, 20MHZ per sector and four sectors per each cell). In approach two, Interference analysis in CNIR mode. In approach three of the planning, Quality of Services (QoS) is tested and evaluated. ATDI ICS software (Interference Cancellation System) using to perform styling. it shows results in planning area covered 90.49% of the Baghdad City and used 1000 mob
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Based on the theoretical review of researches and studies concerned with virtual teams in organizations, it was found that the role of virtual teams varies from case to another, and it may be positive or opposite. The purpose of the current research is to examine the role of virtual teams in the impact of cultural intelligence on the strategic excellence of Zain worldwide Group. An electronic questionnaire was designed through the (Google) and (Microsoft) forms, and distributed then on a sample of (146) participants with a high organizational level of the HRM departments within the group. The results showed that there was a positive moderator role of virtual teams in the relationship of cultural intelligence and strategic excellence
... Show MorePoverty is defined as a low standard of living in the sense that a poor person can not afford a minimum standard of living. The phenomenon of poverty is one of the most serious problems that must be dealt with seriously. This phenomenon has persisted in Iraq for decades because of the harsh economic conditions and unstable security conditions due to the crises it has faced since 2013. This study requires much study and analysis. And rural areas as a special case. In this study, the researcher examined the poverty line as a criterion in estimating the poverty indicators, which include (poverty percentage H, poverty gap PG, poverty intensity PS), based on the continuous social and economic survey data for households in 2014. The ma
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The international business environment faces many challenges, including the intensity of competition, the speed of expansion, and control of the market. This leads to its shadow on the local business environment, which prompted many economic units to adopt modern strategies, including mergers and acquisitions, for expansion and prosperity. The research was conducted to verify the role of internal audit in the governance of strategy operations (Mergers and acquisitions) and its reflection on management decisions and making them efficient and effective. Internal auditing is the independent variable related to the other variable, the governance of strategic operations and its impact on management decisions for strategic operations as a depende
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The importance of the current study lies in the importance of the Tax policy that being considered one of the most important tools working on fulfilling the social, financial and economic goals and improving the investment environment in the country to become having the ability to activate the national economy. The current study has referred that ( Has the tax planning practiced by the Iraqi contribution companies led to increase the far-term tax outcome through getting benefit of the monetary funds and expansion in&nbs
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