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.
Mixed convection heat transfer to air inside an enclosure is investigated experimentally. The bottom wall of the enclosure is maintained at higher temperature than that of the top wall which keeps in oscillation motion, whereas the left and right walls are well insulated. The differential temperature of the bottom and top walls changed several times in order to accurately characterize the temperature distribution over a considerable range of Richardson number. Adjustable aspect ratio box was built as a test rig to determine the effects of Richardson number and aspect ratio on the flow behavior of the air inside the enclosure. The flow fields and the average Nusselt number profiles were presented in this wo
... Show MoreAbstract: Background: Prediabetes and are increasing in prevalence all over the world, they each carry risks to the future development of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. These risks will be greatly exaggerated if they occur together in the same individual. The aim of the study was to find the prevalence and the association of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome, in addition to analyzing the correlation of the risk factors that lead to their development. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, simple random study that included 300 Iraqi individuals, aged between 30-75 years, who accepted to take part in this study were recruited. Result: Prevalence of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome was (33.66%) and (42%) r
... Show MoreThis study aims to document and describe the speech sounds and sound inventory that are present in Sorani which is dialect of Kurdish and compare the results with their English counterparts. The research concentrates on the voicing system and the quality of Sorani sounds which are measured by using the voice onset time (VOT) of the stop consonants, and the first three formants of the vowel sounds; the closure duration of voiceless stop consonants in medial position is measured as well.
Ten native speakers of the Sorani dialect (5 males and 5 females) participated in this experiment. All speakers are between 20 and 50 years of age, were born in Sulaimanyiah, migrated to the US, and remain in the US at the time of recording.
... Show MoreThe recent advances in technology, the increased dependence on electrical energy and the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) were all factors in the increased need for smart, efficient and reliable energy systems. This introduced the concept of the Smart Grid (SG). A SG is a potential replacement for older power grids, capable of adapting and distributing energy based on demand. SG systems are complex. They combine various components and have high requirements for real time reliable operation. This paper attempts to provide an overview of SG systems, by outlining SG architecture and various components. It also introduces communication technologies, integration and network management tools that are involved in SG sys
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Health and safety problem can be described by statistics it can only be understood by knowing and feeling the pain, suffering, and depression. Health and safety has a legal responsibility to protect it for everyone who can affect in the workplace. This includes manufacturers, suppliers, designers and controllers of work places and employees. Work injury is one of the major problems in manufacturing and production systems industries; it is reduced production efficiency and affects the cost. To gain flexibility from a traditional manufacturing system and production efficiency, this paper is about the application of estimating technology to preview and synthesis of Lost Time of Work Injuries in industry systems aims to provide a safe workin
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Background: White spot lesions are esthetic problems caused by subsurface enamel demineralization that seen as white opacity. Aim of the study: This study aimed to evaluate and to compare the color change after the treatment of the white spot lesions with resin ‹nϔ‹Žtrƒt‹on and micro abrasion. Materials and Methods: rt‹ϔ‹…‹ƒŽ white spot lesions were generated on 48 premolar teeth by the use of a demineralization solution. The teeth were randomly divided using the Diagnodent into three study groups (16 teeth for each group) depending on the depth of the induced lesions: outer enamel, inner enamel and outer dentine. Then each group was fatherly subdivided into two groups (8 teeth for each group) the ϔ‹rst group was treated wit
... Show MoreBackground: The study was designed to evaluate the effect of local application of exogenous VEGF/collagen I separately and as a combination in socket healing. Sixty male Albino Wistar rats were subjected for a surgical tooth extraction of upper 1st molar of both sides (right side was considered as experimental site, while left be the control one, treated with 1µL of normal saline). The rats were scarified at 3, 7, 14, 28 days post extraction. Socket healing was histologically examined with immunohistochemistochemical localization of ALP&FGF2. Materials and Method: Sixty male Albino Wistar rats were subjected for a surgical tooth extraction of upper 1stmolar of both sides (right side was considered as experimental site, while left be the
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Premature degradation is the problem of maxillofacial silicones, significantly affected by ultraviolet exposure, contributing to silicones photodegradation. Degradation necessitates frequent replacement of prostheses that increase the total cost of rehabilitation.
This study evaluated the effect of bisoctrizole on the ultraviolet absorption properties of silicone material and the stability of this absorption over time. Also, the bisoctrizole effect on the surface roughness of silicone was evaluated.