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: Asthma is a pulmonary disorder characterized by reversible stenosis of the peripheral bronchi. This disease could affect the oral health; as a result asthmatic patients may have a higher risk of developing dental diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the caries experience and salivary elements among asthmatic patients using Ventoline inhaler. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 30 male asthmatic patients with an age range 20-24years (under Ventoline inhaler). The control group includes 30 subjects matching with study group in age and gender. Plaque and DMFS index were used for recording caries experience. Stimulated salivary samples were collected and then salivary flow rate, S-IgA and salivary elements
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A field experiment was conducted to grow the wheat crop during the fall season 2020 in Karbala province, north of Ain Al-Tamr District in two locations of different textures and parent materials. The first site (calcareous soil) with a sandy loam texture, is located at (44° 40′ 37′) east longitude and (32° 41′ 34′) north latitude, at an altitude of 32 m above sea level, and an area of 20 hectares. As for the second location (gypsum soil) with a loam texture, it is located at a longitude (45° 41′ 39′) east and a latitude (33° 43′ 34′ north) and at an altitude of 33 m above sea level and an area of 20 hectares. To find out the effect of different tillage systems on water productivity and wheat yield under center pivot irri
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In this research, the effects of both current and argon gas pressure on the bending properties of welded joints were studied. Using the possible ranges of welding gas pressures and currents, Tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) of stainless steel (304) sheet was used to obtain their influence on the maximum bending force of the (TIG) welded joints. Design of experiment (DOE) ‘version 10' was used to determine the design matrix of experiments depending on the used levels of the input factors. Response surface methodology (RSM) technique was used to obtain an empirical mathematical model for the maximum bending force as a function of welding parameters (Current and Argon gas pressure). Also, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to verif
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Hydrodynamics is the interpretation of subsurface fluids and pressures to explain and predict hydrocarbon occurrence and trapping. Different models of fluid flow and hydrocarbon entrapments were constructed for the Mishrif Formation in (Rumaila South RU, Rumaila North R, West Qurna WQ, Majnon MJ, and ZubairZB) oilfields in Basra, southern Iraq. The dynamic flow within the oil reservoir was analyzed by measuring the specific gravity, hydrostatic pressure, hydrodynamic pressure, pressure gradient, salinity and hydraulic head. Fluid saturation in the pore space, hydrodynamic parameters, density, permeability and buoyancy influence fluid flow. The hydrodynamic model indicates that the oil fields are non-isolated reservoirs with a unifor
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G. tuberculosa is a newly recorded species from the Caryophyllaceae family for Iraqi flora, collected from the Arbil district from May to August. Morphological descriptions with macro and micro features illustrated with plates and dimensions, the species is related to G. pallida and distinguished from calyx properties, especially the presence of large prominent druses crystals. Keywords: Caryophyllaceae, Gypsophila, Iraq, New record, pallida.
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Infrastructure projects take a long time, are complex, multidisciplinary, use different materials and products, and have high risk. These characteristics affect the process of supplying materials. The current paper studies the ability to improve the supply chain process and decrease its cost by identifying the factors that affect it. These factors are used as variables in the mathematical model, which is working under uncertain conditions when the consumption rate of materials is not constant. The information used in this model is obtained from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques and the genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal supplier and the quantities of supplies
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Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, that may be transferred from mothers to infants during pregnancy if it is left untreated. Method: This study was conducted among 65 women who suffered from recurrent abortions in Iraq. Syphilis screening recombinant (IgM + IgG) level by ELISA, RADIM (Italy) and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) (positive and negative results) tests were used to analyse the data. Results: A non-significant association was observed with age (p=0.989), and the number of healthy births (p=0.643). Non-significant differences were observed in comparisons between smoker and non-smoker percentages in the study group. The rapid test for syphilis confirmation was applied using Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) tests.
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Examination of 241 specimens of two bee-eater species, Merops apiaster and Merops
superciliosus persicus reveal recording of Haemoproteus meropis (Zagar, 1945) emend.
Bennett, 1978 and H. manwelli Bennett, 1978 for the first time in Iraq. A new species
Haemoproteus hudaidensis sp. nov. is described. Microfilariae are also infected the two host
species. The results are discussed with the pertinent literature and the necessary comparision
of morphometric measurements of the recorded parasites with that previously reported is
provided along with a taxonomic key including the newly described haemoproteid.