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.
A study of the effects of the discharge (sputtering) currents (60-75 mA) and the thickness of copper target (0.037, 0.055 and 0.085 mm) on the prepared samples was performed. These samples were deposited with pure copper on a glass substrate using dc magnetron sputtering with a magnetic flux density of 150 gauss at the center. The effects of these two parameters were studied on the height, diameter, and size of the deposition copper grains as well as the roughness of surface samples using atomic force microscopy (AFM).The results of this study showed that it is possible to control the specifications of copper grains by changing the discharge currents and the thickness of the target material. The increase in discharge curre
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The research has conducted on shelterbelt of Al-Ashraf Najaf city to explore suitability of four Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. Forms and two other tree species; Casuarina equisetifolia and Olea europaea to the local dominant sever conditions. Development in growth was studied through the interval of five years. Growth parameters included height, DBH stem diameter, main stem height, crown diameter, and stem girth were investigated. Distance from water supply was inspected, too. Results showed superiority of E. camaldulensis upon other species. Investigations showed weakness in growth of C. equisetifolia where most of trees could not resist because of their position in oppos
... Show Moreervical cancer is one of the most frequently diag nosed malignancies representing the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in females’ worldwide, with approximately 500,000 new cases diagnosed and 280,000 deaths occurring each year. Mxi1, an antagonist of c-Myc, maps to human chromosome 10q24-q25, a region altered in a substantial fraction of prostate tumors, in prostate cancer, where a high frequency of loss and mutation of the MXI1 gene has been reported. The aim of present study was to find out the possible association of exon deletion of MXI1 gene with incidence of cervical abnormalities and cancers in some Iraqi married women. The present study include collection of 120 scraping cervical cells samples from women clinically di
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Pregnant women who have rubella may potentially pass the infection on to their unborn offspring. A congenital rubella infection can result in a miscarriage, stillbirth, and congenital rubella syndrome. The only member of the Togaviridae family’s Rubivirus genus, the Rubella virus (RV) is a positive-polarity, single-stranded RNA virus genome surrounded by a lipoprotein envelope with spike-like, hemagglutinin-containing surface projections.The objective: to determine the Rubella virus (1E genotype) in pregnant woman and its relation to spontaneous miscarriage.Materials and methods. A total of 174 women which visited Al-Elweya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, were screened according to the following criteria: women with a history of
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Ifosfamide (IFO), an alkylating chemotherapy agent, is known for its association with neurotoxicity and encephalopathy. This trial was designed to evaluate the protective action of daidzein (DZN) against IFO-induced neurotoxicity in male rats by determining the difference in certain inflammatory and apoptotic markers in the brain tissue of rats. Twenty-eight Wistar rats, weighing 120-150 g, were divided into four groups of seven rats: Group 1 (Control) received no treatment; Group 2 was orally administered DZN (100 mg/kg/day) for seven days; Group 3 received a single intraperitoneal (IP) dose of IFO (500 mg/kg); Group 4 received oral DZN (100 mg/kg/day) for one week prior to a single IP dose of IFO on the seventh day. Twenty-four hours post
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The present study investigates the characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Fusarium solani and their impact on tomato seed germination, plant growth, and disease resistance. A visible color change from yellow to dark smoky indicated the formation of AgNPs, while UV-visible spectrophotometry revealed an absorbance peak at 437 nm, confirming their presence. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that the AgNPs ranged from 0 to 39.27 nm in size, with an average height of 5.772 nm, while scanning electron microscopy highlighted their diverse surface morphology. The application of AgNPs and mycorrhizal fungi significantly improved tomato seed germination rates, plant height, and dry weight compared to untreate
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Aceclofenac (AC) is an orally active phenyl acetic acid derivative, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with exceptional anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties. It has low aqueous solubility, leading to slow dissolution, low permeability and inadequate bioavailability. The aim of the current study was to prepare and characterize AC-NS-based gel to enhance the dissolution rate and then percutaneous permeability. NS.s were prepared using solvent/antisovent precipitation method at different drug to polymer ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 1:3) using different polymers such as poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-K25), hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC-E5) and poloxamer® (388) as stabilizer
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Current research targeted: Recognizing the impact of the differentiated education strategy on the achievement of the students of the Institute of Fine Arts / Diyala, for the academic year (2018-2019).
The researcher used the experimental approach designed by two groups (control - experimental) and with a post-test to achieve the goal of the research, and the research sample was chosen from students of the fourth stage for the academic year (2018-2019).
The sample was distributed randomly into two groups, the first experimental consisting of (30) students who studied using the differentiated education strategy, and the second control group consisting of (30) students who studied using the traditional method.
The researcher pre
The experiment was conducted in Baghdad for study effect using mold board and disc plows as main factor , and second factor was three speeds 1.85 , 3.75 and 5.62 km / hr , and sub-second factor was three levels of soil moisture 21,18 and 14 % to determined data fuel consumption and economy costs machine unit in silt clay loam with depth 22cm. The experiment was a split – split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications and statistical analysis using Least Significant Design 0.05 was used to compare the means of treatments. Mold board recorded least fuel consumption and cast fixed and variable and management and total costs of tractor and plow costs and total cost. Increasing forward speeds of the t
... Show MoreDesigning Teaching Aids and Their Effects on Learning and Retaining Diving and Cartwheel on Floor Exercises in Women’s’ Artistic Gymnastics
The research aimed at designing teaching aids that develop and help retain diving and cartwheel for third year college of physical education and sport sciences students in women’s artistic gymnastics. In addition to that, the researchers aimed at identifying the effect of these aids on learning and retaining cartwheel and diving in floor exercises. The researchers used the experimental method. The subjects were (20) third year female students from the college of physical education and sport sciences/ university of Baghdad sections K and H. the main experiment lasted for
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