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.
Carbonate-clastic succession which includes the Shu'aiba, Nahr Umr and Mauddud formations are representing a part of the Barremian-Aptian Sequence (Wasi'a Group). The present study includes three boreholes (Ba-1, 4 and 8) within the Balad Oil Field. The study area is located in central Iraq. This field represents a subsurface anticline with a northwest to southeast direction axis within the Mesopotamian Zone. Eight types of microfacies were recognized in the succession of the Mauddud and Shu’aiba formations. These microfacies represent shallow open marine, restricted and semi-restricted, reef - back reef, deep open marine and basinal depositional environments. While Nahr Umr Formation includes two successions, the first is the upp
... Show MoreThis research focuses on necessary state to develop and strong the financial sector in Iraq by consider that it is allow to achieve the financial flexibility and the enough currency to encourage the investment and economic growth , this picture will be coming by take and obligation the international criteria by general agreement on trade in services (GATS) that it is one of agreements of world trade organization (WTO). This mater doing to strong the legal and legislation environment founded international confidential , by it , the institutions and financial sector in Iraq will be more active.
Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the occupational health hazards that face health care providers in Sulaimani City.
Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted utilizing quantitative data collection methods. It involved 159 respondents including Physicians, Pharmacists, Medical assistants, Laboratory Instructors and Nurses who worked in 8 major health facilities in Sulaimani city, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
Results: Nurses were the most susceptible group to sharp related injuries 13.84%, cuts and wounds 10.69% than the others and they were more experiencing verbal abuse in the workplace 15%. Laboratory instructors represent the most exposed group
... Show MoreThe raw material soil of Al-Sowera factory quarry (quarry soil and mixture) used for building brick industry was tested mineralogically, geochemically and geotechnically. Mineral components of soil are characterized by Clay minerals (Palygoriskite and chlorite) and nonclay minerals like calcite, quratz, feldspar, gypsum and halite. The raw material is deficient in SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, Fe2O3 and MgO, while enriched in CaO. Loss on ignition and Na2O are in suitable level and appear to be concordant with the standard. Grain size analyses show that the decreasing sand and clay, and increasing silt ratio in both quarry soil and mixture caused decreasing in strength of brick during molding and after firing. The quarry soil is characterized by high p
... Show MoreStable isotope (?18O, ?D) values were determined along with the chemical compositions at 10 different locations along the Tigris river between Baghdad-Ammara cities of Iraq. The physico-chemical parameters and isotopic data were measured. The sampling site represents 34 % of total Tigris river in the republic of Iraq. The systematically increased in values of stable isotope as move from the downstream of the river and the most significantly appears at Kut lake. This increase occurs as a result of several factors, viz. (a) evaporation occurs low water level in the river and its tributaries, and (b) return flow water to the river from irrigation water in groundwater systems. The change in ion distribution and in the isotopic values related di
... Show MoreBackground: The undergraduate students in pharmacy colleges represent a well-educated group of thecommunity according to the use of drugs and they are required to hold the appropriate knowledge of druguse and have positive attitudes toward health problems, this good knowledge about the diseases and theirtreatment will give good pharmacists in the future and this will reflect positively on patient knowledge, andtheir compliance with treatment, this due to direct contact of pharmacists with the patients.Aim: To know the knowledge, Awareness and Attitude of a sample of Iraqi pharmacy students towardsepilepsy.Method: Cross-sectional study used a structured questionnaire validated by previous studies to collectdata about knowledge, Aware
... Show MoreSafety programmes are considered one of the means to protect workers from different accidents and injuries and also to protect all assets including machines equipment and various materials. In spite of world state interests in occupational safety, this subject didn't get the required attention by senior staff of management at most of our country construction factories and the application of safety programmes still limited and in active. In order to a achieve the goal of the study, scientific method has been pursued to obtain the necessary information related to this study through tours to related companies and their construction factories and review literature that deal with occupational safety subject and their programmes and cost, in a
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