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.
Resilient polymeric materials such as silicone elastomers are currently used for maxillofacial prostheses construction but the strength of these materials and their clinical performance need to be optimized with the addition of reinforcing fillers. This study investigates the effect of zirconia nanopowder addition on tear strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, Shore A hardness, surface roughness and cytotoxicity of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. Silicone base was mixed with different amounts (1%, 2% and 3%) of zirconia nanopowder using a vacuum mixer. Silicone without filler was used as control for comparison. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were utilized to assess the efficiency of high-shear vacuum mixin
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The nanocomposite on the base of synthesis Copper iodide
nanoparticles and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/CuI) with different
concentration of CuI were obtained using casting technique.
PVA/CuI polymer composite samples have been prepared and
subjected to characterizations using FTIR spectroscopy, The FTIR
spectral analysis shows remarkable variation of the absorption peak
positions with increasing CuI concentration. The obtained results by
X-ray diffraction indicated the formation of cubic CuI particles. The
effects of CuI concentrations on the optical properties of the PVA
films were studied in the region of wavelength, (190-1100) nm.
From the derivation of Tauc's relation it was found that the direct
allowed t
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To synthesize new hydrazone derivatives of naproxen with enhanced anti-inflammatory activity and devoid the ulcerogenic side effects. Hydrazones were synthesized by conjugation of naproxen hydrazide with seven natural and synthetic aldehyde and ketone by using glacial acetic acid as catalyst. The synthesis has been carried out following simple methodology in excellent isolated yields.The structure of the synthesized derivatives has been characterized by elemental microanalysis (CHN), FTIR Spectroscopy, and other physicochemical properties.The anti- inflammatory activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated in vivo using the egg-white induced edema model in rats, and the results of the biological assay was found to be comparable to Nap
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Kinetics and mechanism studies of oxidation of some α-amino acids (Proline, Arginine, Alanine) (AA) by N-Bromosuccinimide (NBS) by using conductivity method was carried out. The kinetic study showed that the reaction was first order with respect to NBS and AA. The effect of addition of HClO4 to the reaction was negative on the rate of reaction. The reaction was carried out at different temperatures in which * * * , S , G were calculated. The rate of reaction of AA was as follows: Proline > Arginine > Alanine
This paper presents a modified training method for Recurrent Neural Networks. This method depends on the Non linear Auto Regressive (NARX) model with Modified Wavelet Function as activation function (MSLOG) in the hidden layer. The modified model is known as Modified Recurrent Neural (MRN). It is used for identification Forward dynamics of four Degrees of Freedom (4-DOF) Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) manipulator robot. This model is also used in the design of Direct Inverse Control (DIC). This method is compared with Recurrent Neural Networks that used Sigmoid activation function (RS) in the hidden layer and Recurrent Neural Networks with Wavelet activation function (RW). Simulation results shows that the MRN model is bett
... Show MoreThis paper presents L1-adaptive controller for controlling uncertain parameters and time-varying unknown parameters to control the position of a DC servomotor. For the purpose of comparison, the effectiveness of L1-adaptive controller for position control of studied servomotor has been examined and compared with another adaptive controller; Model Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC). Robustness of both L1-adaptive controller and model reference adaptive controller to different input reference signals and different structures of uncertainty were studied. Three different types of input signals are taken into account; ramp, step and sinusoidal. The L1-adaptive controller ensured uniformly bounded
... Show MorePre-breakdown phenomenon was investigated within the two, non-mixed dielectric liquids; transformation oil and cresol. Finite element technique was used to follow the initiation and growth of plasma channels (streamer discharge) within pin-plane configuration. That was done for different spacing between the pin-electrode and the liquid-liquid interface. Streamer growth model assumed that, the streamer initiation occurs at the region of the highest value of electric field. Our study shows that the streamer initiates at the tip of the pin and growths toward the other electrode. The study shows, too, that the streamer path controlled by the difference of permittivity of the two liquids and spacing distance of the liquid-liquid interface fro
... Show MoreIn this study NiO - CoO bimetallic catalysts are prepared with two Ni/Co ratios (70:30 and 80: 20) using the precipitation method of nitrate salts. The effects of Ni /Co ratio and preparation methods on the catalyst are analyzed by using different characterization techniques, i.e. atomic absorption (AA) , XRD, surface area and pore volume measurements according to the BET method . The results indicate that the best catalyst is the one containing the percentage of Ni :Co ( 70 : 30 ). Experiments indicate that the optimal conditions to prepare catalyst are stirring for three hours at a temperature of 60oC of the preparation , pH= (8-9) , calcination temperature at 400oC for two hours
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