Purpose: This research is to identify the most important challenges for the local investment commissions and to develop solutions and proposals to encourage local and foreign investment in local governments in Iraq (the Iraqi provinces are irregular in the region). Theoretical Framework: This research suggests a conceptual framework for the local investment commissions in order to solve their problems, the most important of which was to identify the most critical challenges which are facing the Baghdad Investment Commission BIC and how to overcome them. Design/The methodology approach: Research involved a mixed-methods approach through two stages. During the first stage, the researcher gathered quantitative data from all investment projects that obtained Baghdad investment commission BIC from 2015 to 2021 were 168 projects. The second stage gathered qualitative data to explore the survey results more deeply by conducting individual interviews with a sub-sample of 12, 6 interviewees are from BIC and 6 interviewees are from investment organisations. Findings: The research showed several important results represented by legal and administrative challenges. Also, weak incentives and guarantees provided by The National Investment Low NIL No13 of 2006 and its amendments in 2010. The practical and social implications: This research will enable the local investment commissions how to deal with their challenges and then improve their provided services for both investors (foreign and local), particularly in Baghdad province, Iraq. The originality of research: This article provided a significant topic for businessmen and governments on international and local levels, also there is no previous research that has thoroughly searched the reality of local investment in Iraq and prospects for its development.
Time-domain spectral matching commonly used to define seismic inputs to dynamic analysis in terms of acceleration time history compatible with a specific target response spectrum is used in this study to investigate the second-order geometric effect of P-delta on the seismic response of base-isolated high-rise buildings. A synthetic time series is generated by adjusting reference time series that consist of available readings from a past earthquake of the 1940 El Centro earthquake adopted as an initial time series. The superstructure of a 20-story base isolated building is represented by a 3-D finite element model using ETABS software. The results of the base isolated building show that base isolation technique significantly reduces inter-s
... Show MoreThis study was design to investigate the dimensional stability of heat-activated acrylic resin with different methods of flask cooling (15 minutes rapid cooling, one hour bench cooling, four hours delayed deflasking, and 24 hours delayed deflasking) at different time intervals (immediately, two days, seven days, 30 days) after deflasking. Heat-activated acrylic resin was used to prepare acrylic samples. Then, measurement of the distances where achieved between the centers of selected marks in the acrylic samples. They were measured at different time intervals for different methods of flask cooling. The results showed that the group samples of the four hours and 24 hours of delayed deflasking was insignificantly different from the control an
... Show MoreIn this work, wide band range photo detector operating in UV, Visible and IR was fabricated using carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs, SWCNTs) decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Silicon was used as a substrate to deposited CNTs/Ag NPs by the drop casting technique. Polyamide nylon polymer was used to coat CNTs/Ag NPs to enhance the photo-response of the detector. The electro-exploding wire technology was used to synthesize Ag NPs. Good dispersion of silver NPs achieved by a simple chemistry process on the surface of CNTs. The optical, structure and electrical characteristic of CNTs decorated with Ag NPs were characterized by X-Ray diffraction and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. X-ray diffra
... Show MoreIndustrial dyes are major pollutants in wastewater and river water with an initial visible concentration of 1 mg/L. Recent studies have shown the possibility of using polyphenol oxidase in catalytic biological treatment due to its ability to oxidize a large number of dyes and pollutants in wastewater and the flexibility to work in wide ranges of temperature, pH and salinity. It is easy availability as well as the low economic cost resulting from its use in biological treatments, this enzyme polyphenol oxidase was used. The findings in this study showed that the extraction of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from potato peel was homogenized with potassium phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7) at a ratio of 1:10 (weight: volume) for two min. The res
... Show MoreA new simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of trace amount of Co(II) in the ethanol absolute solution have been developed. The method is based on the reaction of Co(II) with ethyl cyano(2-methyl carboxylate phenyl azo acetate) (ECA) in acid medium of hydrochloric acid (0.1 M) givining maximum absorbance at ((λmax = 656 nm). Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration range (5-60) (μg / ml) with molar absorptivity of (1.5263 × 103 L mol-1 cm-1) and correlation coefficient (0.9995). The precision (RSD% ˂ 1%). The stoichiometry of complex was confirmed by Job's method which indicated the ratio of metal to reagent is (2:1). The studied effect of interference elements Zn(II), Cu(II), Na(I), K(I), Ca(II) and Mg
... Show MoreIn the present study, an attempt has been made to experimentally investigate the flexural performance of ten simply supported reinforced concrete gable roof beams, including solid control specimen (i.e., without openings) and nine beams with web openings of different dimensions and configurations. The nine beams with openings have identical reinforcement details. All beams were monotonically loaded to failure under mid-span loading. The main variables were the number of the created openings, the total area of the created openings, and the inclination angle of the posts between openings. Of interest is the load-carrying capacity, cracking resistance and propagation, deformability, failure mode, and strain development that represent the behav
... Show MoreIn this research, annealed nanostructured ZnO catalyst water putrefaction system was built using sun light and different wavelength lasers as stimulating light sources to enhance photocatalytic degradation activity of methylene blue (MB) dye as a model based on interfacial charges transfer. The structural, crystallite size, morphological, particle size, optical properties and degradation ability of annealed nanostructured ZnO were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and UV-VIS Spectrometer, respectively. XRD results demonstrated a pure crystalline hexagonal wurtzite with crystalline size equal to 23 nm. From AFM results, the average particle size was 79.25nm. All MB samples and MB with annealed nanostr
... Show MoreThis study evaluates the flexural behavior of ultra-thin (50 mm) one‑way reinforced‑concrete (RC) slabs retrofitted with near‑surface mounted (NSM) carbon‑fiber‑reinforced polymer (CFRP) rods under quasi‑static loading. T300‑grade CFRP rods (≈4 mm diameter) were bonded in pre‑cut 7 mm × 7 mm grooves using a two‑part epoxy. As a proof-of-concept experimental baseline, three simply‑supported specimens (1000 mm × 500 mm × 50 mm) were tested in a six‑point bending configuration (four applied loads + two reactions): two conventional controls and one strengthened slab. A load‑control rate of ~15 kN/min was applied; the controls were cycled twice and the strengthened slab four times. Relative to the average of
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