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: The marginal seal is essential for sealant success because penetration of bacteria under the sealant might allow caries onset or progression. The aim of the present study was to estimate and compare the microleakage of pit and fissure sealant after various methods of occlusal surface preparation. Materials and methods: Thirty non-carious premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons were equally divided into three groups. In group one, occlusal fissures were opened with round carbide bur, in group two, occlusal surfaces of the teeth were cleaned with a dry pointed bristle brush and samples of group three were cleaned with a slurry of fine flour of pumice in water using rubber cup. Then fissures of all teeth were etched using 35% p
... Show MoreThe research aimed to achieve many objectives represented in two variables, which are the impacted factors and the aggregate planning alternatives of workforce in Educational Al- yarmouk Hospital , This research started from a problem focused on finding solutions to the demand’s fluctuation or the energy limitation while the study importance is emerged from diagnosis the suitable strategy and adopt the suitable alternatives due to their importance in meeting the demand for the health service submitted by the hospital .This study based on choosing assumptions of connection relationship and the impact among the mentioned variables in the(surgery and internal diseases) departments. The research is dependent on ch
... Show MoreThe current research aims to know the method and strategy of rainstorming for students to open the door towards innovation and creativity in the field of teaching the subject of geography and the importance of brainstorming method and the studies that touched on it. The study also dealt with the steps of teaching the method of brainstorming and the most important (traditional and modern), and the difficulties of using the method of brainstorming in the teaching process, as well as explained the guidance to improve teaching using the method of brainstorming in the teaching p
... Show MoreThe research seeks to identify the impact of fraud detection skills in the settlement of compensatory claims for the fire and accident insurance portfolio and the reflection of these skills in preventing and reducing the payment of undue compensation to some who seek profit and enrichment at the expense of the insurance contract. And compensatory claims in the portfolio of fire and accident insurance in the two research companies, which show the effect and positive return of the detection skills and settlement of the compensation on the amount of actual compensation against the claims inflated by some of the insured, The research sample consisted of (70) respondents from a community size (85) individuals between the director and assistan
... Show Moreهدف البحث الى بيان طبيعة ارتباط والتأثير بين الضغوط التنافسية (المتغير المستقل) والتجديد الاستراتيجي (المتغير التابع) ، تم تطبيق البحث في فنادق الدرجة الممتازة في بغداد. وبلغت عدد افراد عينة البحث (99) مديراً يعملون في (6) فنادق من الدرجة (الممتازة) ببغداد، وهي (فندق الرشيد، فندق عشتار، فندق ميريديان، فندق المنصور، فندق بابل، وفندق بغداد) وتم اجراء التحليل الاحصائي باستخدام البرنامج الاحصائي AMOS وظهرت وجود تنافسي
... Show MoreUnlike welding, soldering does not involve melting the work pieces. Soldering is a process in which two or more items are joined together by melting and putting a filler metal (solder) into the joint. Failure in the solder joint may make the system components lose their functions. Electrical wiring and electronic components are joined to devices and printed circuit boards using soldering. Soldering and brazing are both used in the assembly of musical instruments. Lead-tin alloy solder employed in the current investigation which has a diameter of 4 mm and a density of 11.0103 kg/m3 with continuous heat flux heating from the domain's left side and complete insulation on the other side. The melting of PCM was simulated using the ANSYS
... Show MoreThe study aims to determine the organizational monitoring mechanism in target organization as well as knowing the suffocation of work. The study depends on a questionnaire as a tool of collecting data on distributed random sample involved (45) person from different levels in manufacturing isphelt Dohuk. The study depends on some hypothesis, the most significant one is that there is not impact of organizational monitoring of suffocation especially on the target organization.
Training and retraining of teachers have become a central issue in Iraq recently especially in-service training of English teachers on the new curricula (Iraq opportunities). English teachers should be objectively evaluated and assessed.
A sample of (40) trained teachers of English is included in the study and a questionnaire is used as the main instrument of the study.
The main findings of the study were the following:
1. The trainees were serious in training on the new course (item 6) the programme helped increase their information (item 4) and motivate them towards better teaching (item 3). The aims of the programme were clear (item1). The programme helped develop their teaching skills (item 2) and was comprehensive (item 5).