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.
Abstract
The purpose of the research is to determine how much do the external auditors’ qualifications in Iraq match the international requirements? And determine the necessary and priority requirements that the auditor should have in order to adapt with the changes in the community and the profession. The research partially focuses on comparing international institutes curriculum requirements with the local institutes’ curriculum requirements. Furthermore, it compares examinations of local students with the questions of these institutes and compares the requirements of these institutes to continuing vocational education with the local, as well as analyzes and presents the questionnaire results to find out the necessa
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In the present time, radioactive contamination is considered one of the most dangerous types of environmental pollution. It usually takes place because of a leakage of radioactive materials to one of the environment natural components, such as, water, air, and soil. Iraq is considered one of the most contaminated environments in the world; this is closely associated with the wars Iraq had suffered from; especially, in 1991 and 2003. Considering the importance of the radioactive contamination and its different health impacts on the population, the current paper is interested in studying this type of environmental contamination and its impact on the birth defects depending on the data available in the annual reports issued by the Iraqi min
... Show MoreThis research aims to study and analyze the reality of monetary policy and financial sustainability in Iraq through either a descriptive or analytical approach by trying to link and coordinate between monetary policy and fiscal policy to enhance economic sustainability. The research is based on the hypothesis that the monetary policy of Iraq contributes to achieving financial stability, which improves economic sustainability by providing aid and assistance to the state to reduce the budget deficit and exacerbate indebtedness. The author used the monetary policy indicators, the re-deduction of Treasury transfers by the central bank and the money supply, and financial sustainability indicators, including the public debt indicators and the
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The place in which the person lives and his geographical and social environment have a great impact on building his personality, belief and culture, Islam has alerted the importance of the Muslim to make sure to choose the appropriate place in which he resides and dwells in that it is compatible with his religion and belief in order to ensure communication with Islamic knowledge in a way that enhances his belief Arabization occurs when a person makes himself an Arab by living the life of the Bedouins, and creates the morals of the Bedouins from the inhabitants of the Badia with its harshness, cruelty, ignorance and lack of understanding in religion and far from the sources of knowledge of Islamic knowledge. Blasphemy and polytheism, and
... Show MoreThe wastewater arising from pulp and paper mills is highly polluted and has to be treated before discharged into rivers. Coagulation-flocculation process using natural polymers has grown rapidly in wastewater treatment. In this work, the performance of alum and Polyaluminum Chloride (PACl) when used alone and when coupled with Fenugreek mucilage on the treatment of pulp and paper mill wastewater were studied. The experiments were carried out in jar tests with alum, PACl and Fenugreek mucilage dosages range of 50-2000 mg/L, rapid mixing at 200 rpm for 2 min, followed by slow mixing at 40 rpm for 15 min and settling time of 30 min. The effectiveness of Fenugreek mucilage was measured by the reduction of turbidity and Chemical Oxygen Demand
... Show MoreBacterial contamination of AL-Habania reservoir was studied during the period from February 2005 to January 2006; samples were collected from four stations (AL-Warrar, AL-Theban regulator, middle of the reservoir and the fourth was towards AL-Razzaza reservoir). Coliform bacteria, faecal Coliforms, Streptococci, and faecal Streptococci were used as parameters of bacterial contamination in waters through calculating the most probable number. Highest count of Coliform bacteria (1500 cell/100ml) was recorded at AL-Razaza during August, and the lowest count was less than (300 cell/100ml) in the rest of the collection stations for all months. Fecal Coliform bacteria ranged between less than 300 cells/100ml in all stations for all months to 700 c
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Tax is an important financial resource that the state depends on in all its economic, political, and social fields. Nevertheless, the role of the tax is highlighted in raising tax revenues and influencing economic variables, such as savings, consumption, investment, and employment. The tax was taken as an important tool to stimulate investment in industrial projects because of this activity's important role in raising the efficiency of economic development and reviving the national economy, as many industrial investment laws were enacted and the most important thing included was exempting industrial projects from all taxes and fees (5-10) years, and an exemption Profits from income tax for a period of 5 years starting from the year in which
... Show MoreThat the nature of an important role in children's lives, Including offer them fun and freedom of thinking and capacity in the imagination. And its effective role of poets in general and especially apoet of childhood Selecting from diverse elements, And the rise to the level of human nature In order to enrich the child's imagination And the delivery of various ideas and information in a surprising. And are far from the decision-making and direct screed.this importance we set off For the study of poetic texts for children in Iraq During the research stage. Those texts in which the humanization began clearly,and our offer to these texts in style of detail and precision Not without expressing an my opinion during the research We finished th
... Show MoreBackground: Neonatal macrosomia is defined as a birth weight of more than 4000 g. Significant maternal and neonatal complications can result from the birth of macrosomic infants like hypoglycemia and birth injuries.Objectives: To determine the frequency of hypoglycemia in neonates with macrosomia in Amarah, IraqMethods: The study involved 146 macrosomic newborn neonates delivered in 2 maternity hospitals in Amarah, Iraq during a period from June 2011 to June 2014.Results: Hypoglycemia was observed in 16% of neonates affected by macrosomia. Maternal diabetes was the most common cause of fetal macrosomia (28%).Our results were compared with those from other parts of the world.Conclusion Macrosomia is associated with increase rate ofneonata
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