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.
The present study deals with the effect of teaching oral Communication Strategies on English language learners. The use of oral communication strategies not only solves learners’ communication problems, but also enhances the learner’s interaction in target language, which in turn, improves their oral proficiency .The sample of this study is EFL students in the first stage at the Department of English Language, morning studies, College of Education /Ibn-Rushd .The sample of the study consists of (60) students distributed on experimental group(A) includes (30) students, and (30) students as control group(B). In order to achieve the aim of the study, and to gain a closer idea about the impact of teaching oral Communication Strategies on th
... Show MoreMany faces are exposed to degradation, discoloration, changes in humidity. The primary objective has improved some properties of hybrid nanocomposites materials that used for restoring of the function maxillofacial prosthesis and improving the esthetic. In the present research different lengths chopped and continuous of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber was added at selected percentage (0.0, 0.2% and 1%) to polymer blend composite (95%SR /5%PMMA: 0.2% Pomegranate Peels Powder (PPP)) for developing the properties of silicone rubber used for the maxillofacial prosthesis applications. Some mechanical and physical properties were done on the all prepared samples. The results showed that all properties have improved when add
... Show MoreAim: The aim of this study was to investigate babesiosis in dogs of different breeds and ages and of both sexes in Baghdad Province by molecular detection of Babesia canis using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing followed by phylogenetic analyses. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 310 dogs of different ages and breeds, and of both sexes in different areas of Baghdad Province from December 2018 to September 2019; during clinical examinations, body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and signs of diseases were recorded. PCR was used to amplify a specific 450-bp fragment of the 18S rRNA gene of B. canis. PCR products were sequenced, and MEGA 6.0 software was used for analysis. Chi-squar
... Show MoreThis research aims at shedding light on the concept of insurance awareness and clarifying its role on marketing insurance services of a sample of (100) employees in the National Company for Insurance. Questionnaire is used as a main instrument for collecting data and information from the sample. Their answers were analyzed by using arithmetic means, standard deviation, centesimal weight, and the correlation coefficient ( , F, t) tests .The research reached several conclusions of which:1.The sample member's response to insurance awareness and marketing insurance services factors was in the medium level.2.There was a positive relationship of a moral sign between insurance awareness and marketing insurance services, that correlation coeffic
... Show MoreMaterials recycling has a significant economic and environmental impact; as a result, steel, aluminium, plastic, and other recyclable materials have been pushed for use in construction materials. One of these recyclable materials is the crumb rubber, has been considered as a pavement component. The general behaviour of the composite rubber-hot mix asphalt system would be varied from that of the conventional rubber free mix. In this review, desirable characteristics of hot mix asphalt are highlighted first. Also, effect of gradation and the main types of rubber are specified. Afterward, many studies that considered the crumb rubber as a waste product and its associated mixture and modifiers are reviewed. The factors affect the crumb
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This research attempt to explain the essential aspects of one important model in management of Bank risks , that is (stress testing) , which increase the concentrate on it resulting the negative affects of Global financial crisis that it accuar in 2008 to study the application possibilities in iraqian banks to enhancing the safety and financial soundness Becuase the classical tools in Risk management don’t give clear image on Banks ability in facing risks, hence the Basel committee on Banking supervision focusing in agreement of Basel 2,3 on stress testing when it doing the internal capital adequacy assessment process (ICAAP) .
To achieving the reseach obje
... Show MoreThe effect of air injection angle on the performance of airlift pump used for water pumping has been studied analytically and experimentally. An airlift pump of dimensions 42mm diameter and 2200 mm length with conventional and modified air injection device was considered. A modification on conventional injection device (normal air-jacket type) was carried out by changing injection angle from 90 (for conventional) to 45 and 22.5 (for modified). Continuity and one-dimensional momentum balance for the flow field with basic principle of two-phase flow and expressions of slip ratio and friction factor as function of flow rates were formulated. The analytical and experimental investigations were carried out f
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