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: Dental implant surface technologies have been evolving rapidly to enhance a more rapid bone formation on their surface and improve implant therapy.Implant threads should be designed to increase surface contact areathat induced better stability. In addition, implant surface coating with Flaxseed was used to enhance bone formation at the bone-implant interface. Materials and methods: Ninety-six commercially pure titanium (CpTi) screws were implanted in rabbits' tibiae and divided into three groups as dual-threaded group, flaxseed-coated group and control group. All groups were evaluated mechanically, histologically and radiographically after each healing periods (2, 4, 6 and 8) weeks and the resulting data were statistically analy
... Show MoreBackground: Controversy exists concerning the presence and amount of the Bennett mandibular immediate side shift among patients and whether it is necessary to accommodate for it in adjustable articulators. The aim of this study was to register and calculate the amount of any immediate side shift (ISS) present in patients requiring full mouth rehabilitation. Materials and methods: 3- dimensional condylar movements of 50 Iraqi TMD-free patients were recorded using a stereographic fully adjustable articulator system during protrusion, left and right eccentric mandibular movements. Protrusive angles of each patient were verified to figure out the suitable fossa analog for each case. The thickness of each right and left premade fossa analog sele
... Show MoreWhen an electron moves from one atom or molecule to another, a charge-transfer complex is formed. The other objects must be able to accept these electrons, and one entity must have free electrons or a tendency to donate them. This resembles an internal oxidation-reduction reaction more. This research aims to shed light on charge transfer complexes formed by polyenes and carotenes, which act as electron-donating molecules due to their alternating double and single bonds. This allows them to create such complexes when interacting with organic molecules that lack electrons. These complexes exhibited distinctive optical and physicochemical properties, enabling them to be adapted for a wide range of applications. In addition, th
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Felodipine is a calcium-channel blocker with low aqueous solubility and bioavailability. Lipid dosage forms are attractive delivery systems for such hydrophobic drug molecules. Nanoemulsion (NE) is one of the popular methods that has been used to solve the dispersibility problems of many drugs. Felodipine was formulated as a NE utilizing oleic acid as an oil phase, tween 80 and tween 60 as surfactants and ethanol as a co-surfactant. Eight formulas were prepared, and different tests were performed to ensure the stability of the NEs, such as particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, dilution test, drug content, viscosity and in-vitro drug release. Result
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A simulated ion/electron optical transport and focusing system has been put forward to
be mounted on high voltage transmission electron microscope for in situ investigations.
The suggested system consists of three axially symmetric electrostatic lenses namely an
einzel lens, an accelerating immersion lens, and a decelerating immersion lens, in addition
to an electrostatic quadrupole doublet lens placed on the image side. The electrodes
profile of these lenses is determined from the proposed axial field distributions. The
optical properties of the whole system have been computed together with the trajectory of
the accelerated charged-particles beam along the optical axis of the system. The computed
dimensions of th
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Community participation is one of the basic pillars of the sustainable development process. It provides opportunities for different groups of society to contribute to the management, preparation and implementation of development plans commensurate with their needs and aspirations. In this context, the study presents a study of the concept of community participation and its importance in sustainable development, In terms of its conditions, requirements and principles, as well as its image, as well as addressing the most important challenges and obstacles facing the participation of citizens in development projects. The research also provides an analysis of a number of international and Arab experiences adopted In its polici
... Show MoreThe current research aims to diagnose the role of social responsibility as a contributing factor in enhancing the quality of services provided by the public sector in Iraq, where the research sought to demonstrate the relationship and impact of social responsibility dimensions (economic, legal, moral, and human) on the sector Services related to the electric field in Nineveh governorate because of its importance and its direct relationship with the citizen especially after the end of military operations in the destruction of the electricity sector by a large percentage in the city of Mosul. Nineveh Electricity Distribution Directorate / Center was chosen as a research community including (administrators and staff) of the research
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It is no secret to everyone that the Arab individual suffers from poor self-awareness and political awareness, which made the state and the importance of its existence and preserving its institutions not among his interests, which made researchers wonder about the possibility of strengthening it and the extent of its impact on the future of building the contemporary Arab state, so the study attempted Addressing the issue of community awareness and its impact on building the state through a clear intellectual vision that blended what is social and political to define the concept of community awareness and highlight its importance and role as a basic pillar in shaping and building modern Arab countries. In the Arab world and ways to enhanc
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