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 Iraqi economy faces complex economic challenges that threaten the prospects for growth and stability in the short and medium term, The decrease in oil revenues on which Iraq is based in financing its total expenditure, both operational and investment, led to the emergence of a deficit in the government budget, As the global oil price crisis affected the revenues of the Iraqi government negatively, especially as this negative impact coincided with the increase in military spending resulting from Iraq's war against terrorism, Which led to the Iraqi government to implement austerity measures were to reduce public spending on several projects, which are less important compared to projects that a
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Research Summary
This research deals with the history of the founding of one of the most prominent religious schools in Iraqi Kurdistan and its scientific and cognitive contributions that lasted for more than a century, which is the “Biyara” school, where it was a large scientific institution from which distinguished scholars graduated who served Islam and Muslims in Iraq and neighboring countries, and played an important role in teaching Mental and transport sciences and the preservation of the Arabic language in Iraqi Kurdistan. The history of the founding of this school goes back to the year 1037 AH, at the hands of its founder, Sheikh Oma
... Show MoreIn the present work, leaching process studiedusing organic acids (acetic acid and lactic acid) to extract phosphate from the Iraqi Akashat phosphate ore by separation of calcareous materials (mainly calcite). This approach characterized by energy conservation, environmental enhancement by recovery of calcite as calcium sulfate (gypsum), keeping the physical and chemical properties of apatite. Samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectrophotometer. From the obtained experimental data it was found that using the two organic acids yields closed purity values of the produced apatite at the optimum conditions, while at different acid concentrations, it was found that the efficiency of acetic acid is higher at the low acid co
... Show MoreSchiff base derived from PVA and Erythroascorbic acid derivative (pentulosono-ɣ-lactone-2, 3-enedianisoate) was synthesized and characterized by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and FTIR spectra, aldehyde was also characterized by (U.V-Vis), 1HNMR, 13CNMR and mass spectra. The inhibitory effect of prepared polymer on the activity of human serum Cholinesrerase has been studied in vitro. The polymer showed a remarkable activity at low concentration (4.5*10-3 – 4.5*10-8 M).
Background: Accurate detection of thyroid autoantibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay technique namely thyroglobulin antibody, thyroid peroxides antibody is crucial in the differentiation of autoimmune thyroid disorders from other form of thyroid diseases.
Objective: Evaluation of the detection of thyroglobulin antibody and thyroid peroxides antibody in different thyroid diseases using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay technique.
Methods: - Seventy-five patients admitted to Surgical Units of Baghdad Medical City Hospital for the period between "October 2010 to June 2011" they were waiting to do thyroidectomy. They were chosen nonselectively for serological evaluation of above autoantibodies , and correlation of the results
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Response of cross-ply plates subjected to transient load is obtained using five variables refined plate theory, and four variables plate theory. Equations of motion are derived through the principleof virtual work. Navier series used for simply supported laminated plates. The results of this work are presented for different parameters, such as the ply number, thickness, and modulus ratio with mechanical load (sinusoidal and step pulses), which are compared with those obtained using high-order shear plate theory. Five variables of refined plate theory give results that are considerably different from the four variables of refined plate theory and higher-order theory. The obtained results from the four variables theory have the same behavior
... Show MoreThis study aimed to investigate the influence of longitudinal steel embedded tubes located at the center of the column cross-section on the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) columns. The experimental program consisted of 8 testing pin-ended square sectional columns of 150×150 mm, having a total height of 1400 mm, subjected to eccentric load. The considered variables were the steel square tube sizes of 25, 51 and 68 mm side dimensions and the load eccentricity (50 and 150) mm. RC columns were concealed steel tubes with hollow ratios of 3%, 12% and 20% depending on tube sizes used. The experimental results indicated an improvement in the overall behavior of eccentric columns when steel embedded tubes are used. The maximum gain in
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The moisture sorption isotherms of Mefenamic acid tablets were investigated by measuring the experimental equilibrium moisture content (EMC) using the static method of saturated salt solutions at three temperatures (25, 35, and 45°C) and water activity range from 0.056 to 0.8434. The results showed that EMC increased when relative humidity increased and the sorption capacity decreased, the tablets became less hygroscopic and more stable when the temperature increased at constant water activity. The sorption curves had a sigmoid shape, type II according to Brunauer’s classification. The hysteresis effect was significant along with the whole sorption process. The results were fitted to three models: Oswin, Smith, and Guggen
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