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: Tobacco smoking and tuberculosis (TB) are two major public health problems; Associations between smoking and tuberculosis including death from tuberculosis have been reported , A reduction in smoking could be expected to have a significant impact on TB incidence and prevalence .
Objectives: to assess the effect of smoking on tuberculosis.
Methods: This study was conducted from June 2011 to June 2012 in 200 patients, adult ( aged 17 years and more), newly diagnosed patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, at the chest and Respiratory Disease Specialized Center in Baghdad. Demographic data, presenting symptoms, data on smoking, and recurrence of disease were compared. Information on smoking status, tobacco smoking was collecte
Background: Alterations in the microhardness and roughness are commonly used to analyze the possible negative effects of bleaching products on restorative materials. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of in-office bleaching (SDI pola office +) on the surface roughness and micro-hardness of four newly developed composite materials (Z350XT –nano-filled, Z250XT-nano-hybrid, Z250-mico-hybrid and Silorane-silorane based). Materials and methods: Eighty circular samples with A3 shading were prepared by using Teflon mold 2mm thickness and 10mm in diameter. 20 samples for each material, 10 samples for base line measurement (surface roughness by using portable profillometer, and micro-hardness by usingDigital Micro Vickers Hardness Test
... Show MoreSustainability including renewable energy and green power, is one of the important feature in recent years due to environmental constraints and the emission of CO2 from fossil fuel. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) process is considered one of the effective technology for power generation. This study assessed the application of pressure retarded osmosis to produce power from Tigris River water in Baghdad City, Iraq. Spiral wound TFC membrane was tested in the PRO process with different variables. The effect of different types of draw solutions (MgCl2, NaCl, Sodium Formate, KCl, Sodium Acetate), applied pressure (0 – 7 bar), and draw solution concentration (0.08 and 0.4 M) were tested in this work. The flux, recovery, and power density for
... Show MoreYoung people represent the power and cornerstone of societies and their superiority is linked to their well-being. Their empowerment is as essential as the heart to the body, if it is corrupt, then the whole body is corrupt, and vice versa. The exposure to extremism and pressure from their families leads to violent acts and crimes for obtaining money through unknown organized bodies. This will drive them to fail in their life in an attempt to fulfill their most basic needs, which they have been deprived of by their families, the government, and other institutions. Therefore, governments should provide job opportunities for young people and provide entertainment centers, sports clubs, and family education centers that raise awareness of s
... Show MoreTourist business organizations face a challenging and the risks dynamic environment reflected its impact on the community and generate extra under pressure in the responsibilities and burdens of exceptional and affected much of factors, accidents and risks as a result of the actions and attitudes of disasters variety may exceed the geography of States border, which requires the absorption of risks facing the tourism and how to manage and deal with them scientific and reasonable grounds for the diagnosis and treatment of risk and how to reduce the aggravation and the different kinds.
As risks affecting the most important and vital to organizations as a tourist aspects of the market share and styles tourist
... Show MoreMixing aluminum nitrate nonahydrate with urea produced room temperatures clear colorless ionic liquid with lowest freezing temperature at (1: 1.2) mole ratio respectively. Freezing point phase diagram was determined and density, viscosity and conductivity were measured at room temperature. It showed physical properties similar to other ionic liquids. FT-IR,UV-Vis, 1H NMR and 13C NMR were used to study the interaction between its species where - CO ??? Al- bond was suggested and basic ion [Al(NO3)4]? and acidic ions [Al(NO3)2. xU]+ were proposed. Water molecule believed to interact with both ions. Redox potential was determined to be about 2 Volt from – 0.6 to + 1.4 Volt with thermal stability up to 326 ?.
Twisted tape insertion in smooth plain tube is one of types of passive methods that is used to enhance heat transfer. Swirl fluid flow inside tube and related heat transfer characteristics are very complex. ANSYS FLUENT (V 16.1) and ASPEN industrial program are used in analyzing this technique for enhancement heat transfer. A circular plain tube has length L=8534mm and 17 mm inner diameter with twisted tape has twist ratio of y = (H/D) = (150/17) =8.8 along with a plain tube were considered for this study. Eight Reynolds numbers (Re) of 784, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 are used to analyze the response of thermal performance. Crude oil API 28 exit temperature, film heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number
... Show MoreTwisted tape insertion in the smooth plain tube is one of the types of passive methods that are used to enhance heat transfer. Swirl fluid flow inside the tube and related heat transfer characteristics are very complex. ANSYS FLUENT (V 16.1) and ASPEN industrial program are used in analyzing this technique for enhancement heat transfer. A circular plain tube has length L=8534mm and 17 mm inner diameter with a twisted tape of twist ratio of y = (H/D) = (150/17) =8.8 along the plain tube were considered for this study. Eight Reynolds numbers (Re) of 784, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 are used to analyze the response of thermal performance. Crude oil API 28 exit temperature, film heat transfer coefficient, Nus
... Show MoreIn parallel with the shell model using the harmonic oscillator's single-particle wave functions, the Hartree-Fock approximation was also used to calculate the neutron skin thickness, the mirror charge radii, and the differences in proton radii for 13O-13B and 13N-13C mirror nuclei. The calculations were done for both mirror nuclei in the psdpn model space. Depending on the type of potential used, the calculated values of skin thickness are affected. The symmetry energy and the symmetry energy's slope at nuclear saturation density were also determined, and the ratio of the density to the saturation density of nuclear matter and the symmetry energy has a nearly linear correlation. The mirror ener
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