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.
Background: There is plenty of evidence
suggesting that involvement of several groups of
viruses in the development and / or acceleration of
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM).
Objective: To analyze the T- cell proliferation in
the presence of Coxsackie virus B5 (CVB5), Polio
and Adenovirus antigens in addition to assessment
of Interferon- gamma (IFN-γ), Interleukins (IL-10
and IL-6).
Methods: In 60 Iraqi T1DM children with recent
onset of T1DM, Lymphocyte proliferation was
analyzed using Methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT)
assay by culturing Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes
(PBLs) with Coxsackie Virus B5 (CVB5),
Adenovirus, and Polio vaccine. Serum Interferon-γ,
IL-10 and IL-6 were quantified by sandw
Obesity is an escalating health problem in developing countries. One to ten children worldwide are overweight in a report showed by the International Obesity Task Force. Ghrelin, orexigenic peptide, has 28 amino acids, it is considered the greatest remarkable promotion in the last two decades for understanding the physiological changes of action regulating food intake and hunger. Obestatin is a 23-amino acid peptide nearly connected to ghrelin that secures from substitutio
... Show MoreThe formation of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II)-complexes (C1-C5) respectively was studied with new Schiff base ligand [benzyl(2-hydroxy-1-naphthalidene) hydrazine carbodithioate derived from reaction of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and benzyl hydrazine carbodithioate. The suggested structures of the ligand and its complexes have been determined by using C.H.N.S analyzer, thermal analysis, FT-IR, U.V-Visible, 1HNMR, 13CNMR , conductivity measurement , magnetic susceptibility and atomic absorption. According to these studies, the ligand coordinates as a tridentate with metal ions through nitrogen atom of azomethane , oxygen atom of hydroxyl, and sulfur atom of thione
... Show MoreFour complexes of Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II) and Zn(II) with the azo ligand (4-chloro-N-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-5-((2-hydroxy- 4,6-dimethylphenol)diazenyl)-2-methoxybenzamide) L. The structure of ligand and complexes were confirmed on the basis of their analytical and spectral data, these dyes were tested as dyeing in cotton fabric, and also testing in light and cleaner firmness. Also, antimicrobial and antifungal activities of ligand and their complexes were evaluated and the results showed that the ZnL compound showed the higher antibacterial activity with inhibition zone of 13mm against Staphyloco-ccus epidermidis, Steptococcus sp. and Escherichia coli compared with ligand and other metal complexes .In case of ZnL compound the antifungal acti
... Show MoreThe Co (II), Ni (II) ,Cu(II), Zn(II) ,Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes of mixed of amino acid (L-Alanine ) and Trimethoprim antibiotic were synthesized. The complexes were characterized using melting point, conductivity measurement and determination the percentage of the metal in the complexes by flame (AAS). Magnetic susceptibility, Spectroscopic Method [FT-IR and UV-Vis]. The general formula have been given for the prepared mixed ligand complexes [M(Ala)2(TMP)(H2O)] where L- alanine (abbreviated as (Ala ) = (C5H9NO2) deprotonated primary ligand, L- Alanine ion .= (C5H8NO2-) Trimethoprim (abbreviated as (TMP ) = C10H11N3O3S M(II) = Co (II),Ni(II) ,Cu(II), Zn(II) ,Cd(II) and Hg(II). The results showed that the deprotonated L- Alanine b
... Show MoreCoupling reaction of 2-amino benzoic acid with the 8-hydroxy quinoline gave the azo ligand (H2L): 5-(2-benzoic acid azo )-8-hydroxy quinoline.Treatment of this ligand with some metal ions (CoII, NiII and CuII ) in ethanolic medium with a (1:2) (M:L) ratio yielded a series of neutral complexes with general Formula[M(HL)2],where: M=Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II), HL=anion azo ligand (-1).The prepared complexes were characterized using flame atomic absorption,FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic methods as well as magnetic susceptibility and conductivity measurements.
Four complexes of Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II) and Zn(II) with the azo ligand (4-chloro-N-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-5-((2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylphenol)diazenyl)-2-methoxybenzamide) L. The structure of ligand and complexes were confirmed on the basis of their analytical and spectral data, these dyes were tested as dyeing in cotton fabric, and also testing in light and cleaner firmness. Also, antimicrobial and antifungal activities of ligand and their complexes were evaluated and the results showed that the ZnL compound showed the higher antibacterial activity with inhibition zone of 13mm against Staphyloco-ccus epidermidis, Steptococcus sp. and Escherichia coli compared with ligand and other metal complexes .In case of ZnL compound the antifungal activ
... Show MoreMore than 450 distinct types of human papilloma virus recognized via recent molecular techniques. The low and high oncogenic risk-HPV genotypes have an association with a variety of benign and malignant tumors in the oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal localizations. This study aimed to determine the rate of DNA detection of HPV genotype 6/11 in non-oncologic nasopharyngeal and palatine tonsillar tissues from pediatric patients subjected to adeno-tonsillectomies. A total number of 64 tissue specimens enrolled; 44 non-oncologic nasopharyngeal and palatine hypertrophied tissue specimens from 22 pediatric patients sustained combined adeno-tonsillectomies and compared to 20 nasal trimmed tissues with unremarkable pathological changes (in
... Show MoreDiabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder categorized hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups from ATP to the tyrosine residues of many important proteins resulting in proteins phosphorylation. The aim of current study was to evaluate serum levels of protein tyrosine kinase enzyme and thyroid hormone (T3, T4and TSH) and to find the correlation between them in type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy Iraqi patients. Methods: This study was conducted at The National Diabetes Center, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq and included 150 patients divided into three groups the first group included 50
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