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: Menopause can bring oral health problems and also associated with significant adverse changes in the orofacial complex. After menopause, women become more susceptible to periodontal disease due to deficiency of estrogen hormone. Current study aimed to evaluate the periodontal health status in relation to salivary constituent including pH, flow rate and some elements (Magnesium, Calcium and inorganic phosphorus) of pre and post-menopause women. Materials and Methods: Periodontal health status of 52 women aged 48-50 years old (26 pre-menopause and 26 post-menopause) were examined including (gingival index, plaque index, calculus index, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level). Salivary sample was collected for two women
... Show MoreOtitis media with effusion (OME) is a common disease especially among young children (before school age) and it is one of the common causes of acquired hearing loss in childhood. Pediatric patients with OME are usually undernourished. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the serum levels of trace elements (zinc, copper, magnesium, iron) have a role in the development of OME in children. This study carried out on 55 children and subdivided them into two groups. Group 1 (patient group) consist of 30 children suffering from OME and group 2 (control group) included 25 apparently healthy children. Serum levels of zinc, copper, magnesium and iron were measured for both groups. Comparison the results between the two groups showed t
... Show MoreAdvertisement on smart phone shopping apps are a new way of driving users to satisfy their needs and influence their purchasing decisions, In this way, the research could be aimed to know The role of the relationship between the motivations for audience exposure to shopping apps advertisement and purchasing decisions, In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the researcher adopted the survey method and used the questionnaire and the scale to collect data and information, The researcher chose the "random sample multi stages", The sample size was (475) respondents from Baghdad city center (18 years and above) women and men.
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major killer, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects almost one-quarter of the global population. The aim of the study is to Investigate the correlation between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as the relationship between liver function enzymes and specific serum biomarkers in CRC patients with NAFLD. Methods: A case-control study involving 60 participants was conducted from February to August 2022. The patients with colon cancer were examined at Baghdad Medical City's Al-Amal Hospital for Radiation and Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Teaching Hospital, and blood samples were taken. Thirty patients with NAFLD who ha
... Show MorePoetry occupied the Arabs in a unique position, especially in the era; ignorant, Umayyad and Abbasid, in addition to its literary and aesthetic dimensions, it is at the forefront of tools and media at the time. The poet appointed society and poetry Diwan Arabs records their exploits and virtues and their valor in the wars... The Prophet Muhammad () realized the importance of poetry, so he took advantage of him in the libel for his Islamic call. In the Umayyad and Abbasid states, poetry had a clear role in social, literary and political life, as the ruling authority used its influence on many poets to be media to support its political theory, by praising the Caliph and his aides, and exposing those who dissented and opposing them. The
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The objective of this study, is to attempt to explain the reality of the Structural Imbalances in the Iraqi Economy during the period of research, by providing a quantitative analysis of the most important types of Imbalances, Which are represented by the disruption in the Productive Structure, the imbalance of the structure of Public Budget, and the imbalance of the Structure of Trade. The problem of the research, is the fact that the economy structure in Iraq has long suffered from an Imbalances in its economic structure, which are represented in the unequal relations between its constituent elements, according to the proportions levels defined by the economic theory.
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Tourism is one of the essential economic fields of many countries, both developed and developing. The social plays a greater role in the continuous awareness of a tourist culture based on the need to attract tourists continuously. the tourism heritage and state-owned tourism are the main factors in attracting more tourists. The interest in this strategic sector makes the country the first and most active framework in the development of appropriate mechanisms for investment in this sector, all within the framework of sustainable development of society through the rational use of resources obtained by various bodies in the implementation of seve
... Show MoreThe relative strength index (RSI) is one of the best known technical analysis indicators; it provides the speculators by prior signals about the future stock’s prices, and because the speculations in shares of companies which listed in the Iraq Stock Exchange have a high degree of risk, like risk of shares prices felling, so the speculators became committed to use some methods to reduce these risks, and one of these methods is the technical analysis by using the relative strength index (RSI) which enable the speculators of choosing the right time for buy and sell the stocks and the right time to enter or leave the market by using the historical rice data. And from here the problem of the research formulated as “Is the using of
... Show MoreBackground. The motor response is a fundamental ability that is evident during any physical or motor activity. However, the need for this ability varies from one sport to another and depends on the specific skills required in each sport. Objectives. This study aims to compare the average motor reaction times of the arm and leg among handball, basketball, and volleyball players aged 14 to 16 years. Methods. The sample included 30 players aged 14-16 years from the sports talent care center, evenly distributed on handball, basketball, and volleyball. Standardized tests were used to measure the speed of motor response, including the Batak Micro test for hands, which records the number of responses to light stimuli in 30 seconds, and the Saqer t
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