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.
The economic development and intense competition may make economic units neglected the social aspect as a service workers and the environment, the community and focus on the economic side and achieve profitability only, which puts it in a position of accountability of trade unions and bodies, environment, health, civil society organizations and the focus of many studies accounting in order to clarify social activities and disclosed in the financial statements, increasing pressure from multiple parties calling for governments to issue laws and regulations oblige economic units to disclose complete and accurate information in a timely manner for all social activities and be subj
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The developed financial infrastructure is one of the most important elements for achieving stable financial system in a country. The importance of developed financial infrastructure comes from its role in create economic and financial context attractive for foreign investments. Thus, this paper aims first to measure an index of financial infrastructure, and secondly, to gauge the nexus between the developed financial infrastructure and foreign investments inflow in Malaysia and Indonesia. We estimate the index of financial infrastructure by using different indicators such as (the institutional environment, access to finance, legal environment, and others).
By using the G
... Show MoreThis study discusses the semiotic of the Islamic blazon - a related analytical study between the Islamic blazon and its visual publicity message. The aim of the current study is to explore the related relationship between the Islamic blazon and its visual publicity message. The sample is contained Five of Islamic blazon in the Mamelukes period which is between 1250 to 1517. The methodology is descriptive-analytical, and the result is that there is a clear relation between the Islamic blazon with its visual publicity message. This study's recommendation is to go towards analyzing the meanings of the cultural legacies of the Islamic civilization, and researching the implicit meanings accompanying these features leads to a deeper understand
... Show MoreBathyplectes curcurlionis (Thomson) is the sole parasitoid encountered in west Baghdad parasitising larvae of alfalfa weevil Hypera postica (GylIenhal). Percent of parasitisation did not exceed 8% in 1989 and 1990 and overall rate of parasitisation was 5%. Additional reduction in percent of parasitisation caused by presence of the fungal pathogen Erynia phytonomi. High survival percent of weevil's larvae under the study conditions explains why this insect is a key pest of alfalfa. Suggestions were made to inhance the role of B. curcurtionis in controlling the weevil.
This study aims to evaluate drinking water quality at the Al Wahda plant (WTP) in Baghdad city. A conventional water treatment plant with an average flow rate of 72.82 MLD. Water samples were taken from the influent and effluent of the treatment plant and analyzed for some physicochemical and biological parameters during the period from June to November 2020. The results of the evaluation indicate that treated water has almost the same characteristics as raw water; in other terms, the plant units do not remove pollutants as efficiently as intended. Based on this, the station appears to be nothing more than a series of water passage units. However, apart from Total dissolved solids, the mean values of all parameters in the study were
... Show MoreThis study aims to evaluate drinking water quality at the Al Wahda plant (WTP) in Baghdad city. A conventional water treatment plant with an average flow rate of 72.82 MLD. Water samples were taken from the influent and effluent of the treatment plant and analyzed for some physicochemical and biological parameters during the period from June to November 2020. The results of the evaluation indicate that treated water has almost the same characteristics as raw water; in other terms, the plant units do not remove pollutants as efficiently as intended. Based on this, the station appears to be nothing more than a series of water passage units. However, apart from Total dissolved solids, the mean values of all parameters in th
... Show MoreThis work reports thirty three Iraqi species and one subspecies of Hydrophilidae, distributed in eleven genera under four subfamilies. Of them two species namely Laccobius gracilis Motsch and Laccobius syriacus Guilleb. Are new records for Iraq. The locality data were mentioned for each species.
A survey of chrysidid wasps and an identification key to the genera from different localities in Iraq are provided. The genus Pseudomalus Ashmead, 1902 with Pseudomalus auratus (Linnaeus) and Omalus timidus (Nurse), are new records from Iraq. As well, a preliminary checklist of Iraq’s Chrysididae is suggested. Twenty species within nine genera in two subfamilies have been included in the current list. Historical information is provided together with remarks on the current taxonomic status and the particular validity for some species.
The research discusses one of the most critical issues of corporate finance which is related to asset utilization efficiency. Researchers used internal growth rate as independent variable (Proxy of asset utilization efficiency) and sustainable growth rate-dependent variable (proxy of stockholders wealth). According to these two variables, researchers formulate major hypotheses (There is no significant effect of internal growth rate on sustainable growth rate), as well as two sub-hypotheses, examine the components of major variables. Sample of Iraqi industrial companies which listed in the Iraqi stock exchange selected to test and examine main hypotheses. Result of simple and multiple regressions explain there is a significant effect of i
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