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.
Research on sustainable design in Iraqi craft industries and ways to develop them is essential to preserving the cultural heritage and authenticity of these industries while promoting environmentally sustainable practices. Lack of access to modern technologies, knowledge and resources may hinder the growth of these industries and their ability to compete in the global market. The research problem revolves around finding ways to develop sustainable design in the Iraqi craft industries. The expected outcomes of this research include a clear definition of sustainable design, understanding the history of sustainable design in the craft industry, identifying different types of craft industries in Iraq, exploring the basic concepts of sustaina
... Show More
This research discusses the subject of emotional stimulation factors through the stages of product design interaction with the consumer and what they reflect in the formation of a self-consideration of the design in his emotional memory regarding the specific brand through the following question (What is the emotional stimulus in the design of certain products and its reflection on the consumer during the processes of receiving and using it?), The importance of the research comes in the connection of design elements with many sensory factors used and motivating to attract the consumer to the acquisition of a specific design and the demand for its experience, the study aims Detection and access to emotional stimulation in the design of th
... Show More
Research Summary:
Seeking happiness and searching for it have been among the priorities of mankind from the beginning of his creation and will remain so until the end of this world, and even in the next life, he seeks happiness, but the difference is that a person can work in this world to obtain it, but in the next life he is expected to get what he done in this world. And among these reasons are practical actions that a person undertakes while he intends to draw close to God Almighty, so they lead him to attain his desired perfection, and to attain his goals and objectives, which is the minimum happiness in this life, and ultimate happiness after the soul separates the body, and on the day of the judgment, Amon
... Show MoreThe present work aims to study the efficiency of using aluminum refuse, which is available locally (after dissolving it in sodium hydroxide), with different coagulants like alum [Al2 (SO4)3.18H2O], Ferric chloride FeCl3 and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) to improve the quality of water. The results showed that using this coagulant in the flocculation process gave high results in the removal of turbidity as well as improving the quality of water by precipitating a great deal of ions causing hardness. From the experimental results of the Jar test, the optimum alum dosages are (25, 50 and 70 ppm), ferric chloride dosages are (15, 40 and 60 ppm) and polyaluminum chloride dosages were (10, 35 and 55 ppm) for initial water turbidity (100, 500 an
... Show MoreBackground: Orthodontic tooth movement is characterized by tissue reactions, which consist of an inflammatory response in periodontal ligament and followed by bone remodeling in the periodontium depending on the forces applied. These processes trigger the secretion of various proteins and enzymes into the saliva.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in saliva during orthodontic tooth movement using different magnitude of continuous orthodontic forces. Materials and Methods: Thirty orthodontic patients (12 males and 18 females) aged 17-23 years with class II division I malocclusion all requiring bilateral maxillary first premolar extractions were randomly divided into three groups according to t
... Show MoreAsthma is a chronic respiratory disease highly prevalent worldwide. Recent studies have suggested a role for microbiome-associated gut–lung axis in asthma development. In the current study, we investigated if Resveratrol (RES), a plant-based polyphenol, can attenuate ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine allergic asthma, and if so, the role of microbiome in the gut–lung axis in this process. We found that RES attenuated allergic asthma with significant improvements in pulmonary functions in OVA-exposed mice when tested using plethysmography for frequency (F), mean volume (MV), specific airway resistance (sRaw), and delay time(dT). RES treatment also suppressed inflammatory cytokines in the lungs. RES modulated lung microbiota and cause
... Show More
(57)
(55)
In a report by Transparency Organization in 2010, Iraq has 200 newspapers, magazines, sixty-seven radio stations and 45 satellite TV channels. The increase in these figures is measured in days or weeks and not months and years. This fact confirms the importance of studying content providers, especially youth sports content, for two reasons: the first is that young people constitute the highest percentage in Iraqi society, with all the potential involved in shaping the future aspects; the second reason is that for years sport has become an important pillar in people's lives not only in the entertainment aspect as it was seen in the past; Rather, sport has an influential presence in politi
... Show More
In this study, a platinum(II) complex ([Pt(H2L)(PPh3)] complex) containing a thiocarbohydrazone as the ligand was tested as an anti-proliferative agent against ovarian adenocarcinoma (Caov-3) and human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) through MTT assays. Apoptotic markers were tested by the AO/PI double staining assay and DNA fragmentation test. Flow cytometry was conducted to measure cell cycle distribution, while the p53 and caspase-8 pathways were tested via immunofluorescence assay. Results demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of the Pt(II)- thiocarbohydrazone complexes against Caov-3 and HT-29 cells was highly significant, and this effect triggered the activation of the p53 and caspase-8 pathways. Besides, apoptosis stimulated by th
... Show MoreObjectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of plasma treatment versus conventional treatment on the micro shear bond strength (μSBS), surface roughness, and wettability of three different CAD/CAM materials. Materials and methods: Sixty cylindrical specimens (5 mm diameter ×3 mm height) were prepared from three different CAD/CAM materials: Group A: Zirconia, Group B: Lithium disilicate, and Group C: Resin nano-ceramic. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups according to surface treatment used: Subgroup I: Conventional treatment, zirconia was sandblasted with Al2O3, while lithium disilicate and resin nano-ceramic were etched with hydrofluoric acid. Subgroup II: Plasma treatment, the surface of each material was tr
... Show More
(18)
(10)
Background The study covered thirty-three species which grown wildly in Iraq and a comparative study for all kinds of morphological characters were done. Principal Findings The most stable and important taxonomic characters were pointed out, diagrams, illustrations, scheduals, micrographs were also documented. Stamens, nutlets, basal leaves, bracts, bracteoles, calyces, corollas and their trichomes were very important taxanomic characters. The trichomes were variable in variable species therefore used as a diagnostic characters for the species. Conclusions New species Salvia margasurica Al-Musawi & Al-Hussaini was suggested to be new record for science. Keywords: Salvia, Morphology, Spec. Nov.