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.
Both traditional and novel techniques were employed in this work for magnetic shielding evaluation to shed new light on the magnetic and aromaticity properties of benzene and 12 [n]paracyclophanes with n = 3–14. Density functional theory (DFT) with the B3LYP functional and all-electron Jorge-ATZP and x2c-TZVPPall-s basis sets was utilized for geometry optimization and magnetic shielding calculations, respectively. Additionally, the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set was incorporated for the purpose of comparing the magnetic shielding results. In addition to traditional evaluations such as NICS/NICSzz-Scan, and 2D-3D σiso(r)/σzz(r) maps, two new techniques were implemented: bendable grids (BGs) and cylindrical grids (CGs) of ghost atoms (Bqs). BGs a
... Show More
(5)
(5)
Laser shock peening (LSP) is deemed as a deep-rooted technology for stimulating compressive residual stresses below the surface of metallic elements. As a result, fatigue lifespan is improved, and the substance properties become further resistant to wear and corrosion. The LSP provides more unfailing surface treatment and a potential decrease in microstructural damage. Laser shock peening is a well-organized method measured up to the mechanical shoot peening. This kind of surface handling can be fulfilled via an intense laser pulse focused on a substantial surface in extremely shorter intervals. In this work, Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) and pure water as a coating layer were utilized as a new technique to improve the properti
... Show MoreIntroduction: Different surgical techniques used for closure of various oral defects. While each one of these techniques has its limitation; the buccal pad of fat used in last quarter of last century as pedicle or free graft in reconstruction of small to medium, congenital and acquired defects showed good potentials for success. The present study used the BPF as pedicled flap to reconstruct intra oral defects. The study aimed to evaluate of the success of buccal pad of fat pedicled flap in the reconstruction of intra oral defects. Outlining its indications, limitations and complications. Materials and Methods: The study included 19 patients (17 males and 2 females) with age range between (1- 70 years), all patients were treated with pedic
... Show More
Background: Wound healing is a complex dynamical interaction between various cell types, the extracellular matrix, cytokines, and growth factors. osteoponetin is a substance that acts as an anti-inflammatory. Aims of study: The study was designed to identify the role of local exogenous applications of osteopontin on wound healing (in cheek skin). Materials and methods: Thirty adult male albino rats weighting an average of (250-300gm) used in this study, incisional wounds were made in the skin of the cheek of rat and they were divided into the following groups: A-Control group: 15 rats treated with 1µ l of normal saline B-Experimental groups: 15 rats treated with topical application of 1µl osteopontin. The scarification of animals we
... Show More
(1)
Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that postâ€transcriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting specific mRNAs. The main objective of this study was measure the level of salivary (hsa-miR-200a, hsa-miR-125a and hsa- miR-93) in both oral squamous cell carcinoma and healthy controls to asses the association of them with age, gender and tumor grade materials and methods The level of three salivary microRNAs namely hsa-miR-200a, hsa-miR-125a and hsa- miR-93 were measured in saliva of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and healthy controls by using reveres transcription, preamplification and quantitative PCR also the general information from each patient including the age, sex and tumor grade were record
... Show MoreBackground: Recent studies suggest that chronic periodontitis (CP) and type2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are bidirectionally associated. Analysis of saliva as a mirror of oral and systemic health could allow identification of α amylase (α-Am) and albumin (A1) antioxidant system markers to assist in the diagnosis and monitoring of both diseases. The present study aims at comparing the clinical periodontal parameters in chronic periodontitis patients with poorly or well controlled Type 2Diabetes Mellitus, salivary α-Am, A1, flow rate (FR) and pH then correlate between biochemical, physical and clinical periodontal parameters of each study and control groups. Materials and Methods: 80 males, with an age range of (35-50) years were divide
... Show More
(1)
Type 2 daibetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global concern boosted by both population growth and ageing, the majority of affected people are aged between (40- 59 year). The objective of this research was to estimate the impact of age and gender on glycaemic control parameters: Fasting blood glucose (FBC), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), insulin, insulin resistance (IR) and insulin sensitivity (IS), renal function parameters: urea, creatinine and oxidative stress parameters: total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Eighty-one random samples of T2DM patients (35 men and 46 women) were included in this study, their average age was 52.75±9.63 year. Current study found that FBG, HbA1C and IR were highly significant (P<0.01) inc
... Show More
(5)
A biostimulant is any microorganism or substance used to enhance the efficiency of nutrition, tolerance to abiotic stress and/or quality traits of crops, depending on its contents from nutrients. Plant biostimulants like honey bee (HB) and silymarin (Sm) are a strategic trend for managing stressed crops by promoting nutritional and hormonal balance, regulating osmotic protectors, antioxidants, and genetic potential, reflecting plant growth and productivity. We applied diluted honey bee (HB) and silymarin-enriched honey bee (HB- Sm) as foliar nourishment to investigate their improving influences on growth, yield, nutritional and hormonal balance, various osmoprotectant levels, different components of antioxidant system, and genetic p
... Show More
(49)
(45)
(1)
(1)