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.
Background: This study aimed to determine the amount of fluoride in commercially available bottled drinking water in Al-Basra city, Iraq Materials and Methods: Eleven brands of bottled drinking water were obtained from supermarkets in Al-Basra city, Iraq. Five samples of 10 ml. were taking from each one of brands and the fluoride was determined by using fluoride ion selective electrode. Results: The highest fluoride concentration was present in BADIOT brand (1.174 mg/L) while the lowest was in Barakat brand (0.038 mg/L). One way ANOVA test showed a highley significant difference among different commercially branded types. Coclusions: Bottled water available in Al-Basra city contains less concentration of fluoride ion than normal values
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This study focuses on how tax administrations in Iraq use Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to monitor tax evasion for individuals and companies to achieve Tax Compliance (TC). AI was measured through four dimensions: Advanced Data Analytics Techniques (ADAT), Explainable AI (EAI), Machine learning (ML), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). At the same time, TC was measured through registration, accounting, and tax payment stages. We relied on the questionnaire form to measure the variables. A sample of employees in the General Tax Authority in Iraq was selected, and a questionnaire was distributed to 132 people. The results indicated that the dimensions of AI affect achieving TC at all stages. This study provides evidence of using A
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Background: Prevention against nosocomial infection is an important issue of health care field and considered a challenge of patients’ since it reflects its effect on their quality of life. This due to that it will lead in most cases to prolonged hospitalization and also more cost.Objective: To determine the prevalence of different types of nosocomial infection and to demonstrate the association of different risk factors (hospital environment, workers, visitors) with nosocomial infection.Patients: this study was carried out in eleven months at Ba’quba general Hospital; Iraq. A total of 81 clinical specimens (urine, pus from abscess , burn swab, nasal swab, ear swab and wound swab) taken from surgical patients,102 specimens from
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Pompe disease is a progressive, multisystemic, debilitating, often fatal neuromuscular disease caused by a pathogenic variant in the acid α-glucosidase gene leading to GAA enzyme deficiency and lysosomal glycogen accumulation. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of early onset Pompe disease in Basra, using the dried blood spot (DBS) as a screening tool, also to determine the spectrum of presentation. Materials and Methods: In a prospective study conducted in Basrah, Iraq, from October 2021 to September 2023, all infants with a family member diagnosed as a case of Pompe disease, hypotonia, or ventricular hypertrophy referred to the pediatric cardiology unit in Basra Cardiac Hospital were subjected to echocardiographic e
... Show MoreWater provision is sensitive to climate change, and agricultural production and food supply are sensitive to water availability. Water scarcity affects food security and agricultural economic development through changes in agricultural production and changes in the composition of produced goods. Recent droughts also led to a decrease in the volume of water allocated to agriculture, which led to a decrease in total agricultural production and exports, and this has subsequent impacts on food security and economic development. The research aimed to measure the impact of water scarcity on agricultural economic development for the period 1990-2022. The research included three behavioral equations with three endogenous variables: the cult
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The purpose of this study is to measure the levels of quality control for some crude oil products in Iraqi refineries, and how they are close to the international standards, through the application of statistical methods in quality control of oil products in Iraqi refineries. Where the answers of the study sample were applied to a group of Iraqi refinery employees (Al-Dora refinery, Al-Nasiriyah refinery, and Al-Basra refinery) on the principles of quality management control, and according to the different personal characteristics (gender, age, academic qualification, number of years of experience, job level). In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire that included (12) items, in order to collect preliminary inform
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Eleven species of parasitic insects were recovered from puparia of house fly Musca domestica L. developing in animal dung in Baghdad during 1985-1987. Of the parasites obtained, representatives were found in five families of Hymenoptera and one family of Coleoptera. The most prevalent parasites were Spalangia cameroni Perkins, S. nigroaenea Curtis and S. endius Walk. Average parasitism for the two year was 11.30 %, the highest number of parasitism occurred in May and October.
Background: Leishmaniasis is important public
health problem owing to its impact on morbidity
and mortality and difficulties in application of
effective control measures.
Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the
using of impregnate bed nets in the control of
leishmaniasis.
Methods: The study was conducted throughout
the years 2004 and 2005, in Diala Governorate
(about 60km north-east Baghdad). This is the first
study in Iraq for evaluation of the impregnated bed
net in control of leishmaniasis. Two villages were
selected to achieve this aim. The nets were
distributed for the first village to be used by their
population. The second village was served as
control.
Results: The
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