Leadership Thought for Research and Studies

This study addresses the impact of artificial intelligence on international conflicts through a case study of the Russian–Ukrainian war (2022), as a prominent example of the transformation of armed conflict in the context of the contemporary technological revolution. It highlights the dimensions of employing intelligent technologies in the military domain, particularly in the areas of surveillance and reconnaissance, unmanned aerial systems, data analytics, and command-and-control systems, and explores the resulting changes in the management of combat operations. The study focuses on the implications of such technological integration for the conduct of warfare, including the acceleration of information flows, enhancing targeting accuracy, increasing operational efficiency, and reducing relative reliance on human involvement in certain operational tasks. It also discusses the transformation in modern warfare patterns in light of the growing reliance on intelligent systems and the increasing convergence between military and cyber domains, as well as the consequent reconfiguration of power balances and deterrence mechanisms.The research underscores that the Russian–Ukrainian war thus serves as a clear indicator of the emergence of a new model of conflict grounded in technological superiority and data-driven operations. This reflects the transformation of international conflicts toward a higher degree of automation and integration between advanced technologies and military decision-making, carrying significant strategic implications for the nature of the international system and the future of warfare.

This study aims to analyze digital transformation caused by digitization regarding the relationship between the state and the citizen amid the growing use of technology in areas of governance, administration, and political participation. It argues that the digital revolution has not merely introduced technical advancements in communication patterns and public management, but has fundamentally redefined the logic of power and its practices through the emergence of “digital authority”, grounded in the management of data, information, and citizens’ digital identity. The research adopts a qualitative–comparative sociological approach focusing on Iraq and the United Arab Emirates as two distinct models of state digitalization—one in an institutional context (Iraq), and the other in a highly digitized and integrated governance environment (UAE). The study concentrates on analyzing manifestations of transformations in concepts of political legitimacy, digital citizenship, trust in the State, and e-participation by analyzing official documents, national digital strategies, and international organizations reports. Findings reveal that digitalization has transformed the State–citizen relationship from a vertical structure of authority to an interactive network, based on service and interaction.

The study addresses the digitization of conflict in Iraq as a structural shift in the nature of regional contention from conventional battlefields to digital arenas where cyberattacks, disinformation, and artificial intelligence applications. It argues that the Web (2.0) transformation dismantled traditional monopolies over information flows and led to the emergence of hybrid digital conflict that relies on mass participation, psychological and information influence operations. The study also highlights pivotal developments that consolidated cyberspace as an operational domain, notably the (2008) Georgia war and subsequent NATO determinations, underscoring that denying states access to critical information or disrupting digital infrastructure constitutes a direct infringement on sovereignty.The research focuses on the vulnerability of the Iraqi condition resulting from weakness of technical infrastructure, lack of legislation, limited cyber contingency planning, and the exposure of Government institutions to incidents of intrusion and espionage. The research presents the repercussions of digital conflict affects Iraq targeting critical infrastructure, sovereign data, and erosion of public trust in state authority. The study concludes with an Iraqi vision to encounter threats by building national capabilities, strengthening legislation, institutionalizing cyber diplomacy, and expanding regional and international partnerships to enhance cyber sovereignty and convert digital threats into opportunities for modernization.

This research examines the role of the investment developer as a modern regulatory instrument in managing investment projects, with a particular focus on the Iraqi legal environment. It is based on the hypothesis that the limited effectiveness of the Iraqi Investment Law No. (13) of 2006 (as amended) is not due to a lack of incentives or guarantees, but rather to the absence of an intermediary regulatory entity responsible for project development and management. The study adopts an analytical approach to examine legal texts and a comparative approach to draw insights from international experiences, particularly in special economic zones. It finds that integrating the investment developer into the legal framework would reduce bureaucracy, improve implementation quality, and strengthen investor confidence. The research concludes with a proposed regulatory framework in the form of draft instructions governing the investment developer, including limiting licensing conditions, competencies, rights, and oversight mechanisms, aiming to balance investment promotion with public interest protection.

This research addresses studying the system of incentives, rewards, and disciplinary penalties and its impact on developing managerial staff and raising the level of professional performance in Government directorates. The research emerges from the analysis of the relation between positive incentive tools and disciplinary procedures as organizational means that aim to enhance professional discipline and motivate employees to achieve the institution’s objectives. The research focuses on demonstrating legal and managerial implications of applying rewards and penalty system and how it affects performance quality; stability of job environment; and raising the employees’ managerial capacities. It also aims to explain the legal framework that organizes this system and reveal the challenges that hinder its balanced application, reaching to presenting recommendations that contribute to developing the managerial performance in a manner that serves the public interest and enhance the efficiency of Government institutions.

Many regions of the world, including Iraq, have witnessed an exacerbation of desertification and drought due to climate change. Some of these phenomena are due to global regional and international changes, while others are local and national, related to management of resources. These changes have resulted in the displacement of thousands of families from their usual areas of residence to other areas within the country. Official data from the Federal Ministry of Migration and Displacement indicate that more than (18) thousand families have been displaced from the governorates of southern Iraq and within them due to desertification and drought, and are registered with the Ministry. Consequently, the current study seeks to identify the most prominent perceived needs of the displaced, whether related to material aspects, services, health and medical, psychological and social, education, or security. The study also attempts to answer the following questions: What are the most prominent needs of those displaced by desertification and drought? (from the perspectives of the displaced themselves), and to what extent do governmental and international activities and programs meet these needs? The importance of the study is evident in its examination of the gap between the needs of the displaced and the responses provided to them, and its efforts to provide practical, applicable proposals and recommendations that serve the target group. Furthermore, it contributes to strengthening research and studies related to environmental displacement, generating an accumulation of scientific knowledge in this field. The study relied on a methodology for analyzing data from a survey of displaced persons affected by desertification and drought in the governorates of Basra, Maysan, Thi Qar, and Muthanna. The survey was conducted by Ministry of Migration and Displacement; Department of Information and Research; and Divisions of Statistics, Research and Studies. The study found that the perceived needs of displaced persons were consistent in terms of the general nature of the need, but differed according to spatial distribution, gender, age group, and the hierarchy of priorities and importance from the perspective of the displaced persons themselves.

Nuclear proliferation is one of the most serious challenges facing the regional and international environment in the modern era, as it poses a direct threat to global security, stability, and peace. The possession of nuclear technology by states, particularly that with military applications, raises concerns about an arm race and undermines disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. The Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs stand out as clear examples of this challenge. In the Iranian case, the nuclear program raises regional and international concerns due to suspicions about its potential military nature and its impact on the balance of power in the Middle East. This has led to the imposition of international sanctions and intensive political negotiations, most notably the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in an attempt to contain the program and prevent its development into a nuclear weapon. North Korea, on the other hand, has adopted a more escalatory approach by declaring its possession of nuclear weapons and conducting repeated nuclear and missile tests, posing a direct threat to security in East Asia and the world. This behavior has exacerbated tensions with the United States and its allies, prompting the international community to impose stringent sanctions without achieving any real breakthrough in the nuclear disarmament process. Both cases share the characteristic of posing a challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation system, particularly given the sometimes ineffectiveness of diplomatic tools and the interplay of political, security, and economic factors. These programs also contribute to increased likelihood of conflict, regional instability, and threats to collective security.

This research aims to provide a comprehensive analytical reading of Iraqi–German relations after 2014, as a model of balanced interaction between a developing state undergoing reconstruction and a great industrial state seeking to strengthen its international role through tools of development and diplomacy. The study addresses the transformation of both countries’ priorities amid regional and international shifts, focusing on how shared interests in areas of politics, economy, security, and culture can be utilized to build a sustainable strategic partnership. It seeks to reveal the realistic dimensions of this relationship—beyond traditional diplomatic discourse—by analyzing the tools of mutual influence and mechanisms of institutional cooperation that have consolidated Germany’s presence in Iraq and contributed to diversifying Baghdad’s foreign relations. The research reviews the prospects of developing this relation in light of current geo-political parameters and the possibility that this relation could formulate a model for Euro-Arab relations based on mutual interests rather than unilateral equations. The research presents a foresight-oriented vision for activating Iraqi-German partnership that are grounded on foundations of development, technology transformation, and security cooperation, which will contribute to support regional stability and strengthen Iraq’s role in the modern international system.

China and India are regarded as major regional powers within both the regional and international systems, owing to the important roles they play in the Asian continent. Both countries possess substantial elements of power that qualify them to perform an active regional and international role across all dimensions, including military, economic, technological, political, and cultural power. These capabilities enable them to assume a pivotal position at both the regional and global levels. Their significance becomes particularly evident given the importance of the Asian continent, which hosts two neighboring nuclear giants—India and China—each among the most populous countries in the world. Moreover, both states are rooted in major human civilizations, namely the Indian and the Confucian civilizations, as well as the availability of huge investment opportunities due to the low-cost of qualified workforce. Hence, each one has conflicting interests represented by continuous boarder conflicts and the inability of any of the two parties to achieve actual command in political and economic issues, which is caused by a world governed by multilateral alliances and partnerships and where individual ability cannot counter existing challenges whether regional or international. Accordingly, it can be argued that the possibilities of China-India convergence are more than possibilities of estrangement between them, especially in light of their dependence on each other in certain aspect of power. In addition, there are many indicators that point out to the transition of global transformations center to Asia continent in the future and designating the twentieth-first century as the Asian century.

The present research aims to explore the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of Ambidextrous Leadership and Strategic Agility, highlighting the vital role played by leadership that balances exploitation of leveraging current capabilities and exploration of future opportunities in enhancing the resilience of tourism organizations. The research problem is centered on the increasing challenges facing tourism companies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, characterized by environmental turbulence and tourism instability. This has revealed a deficiency in Strategic Agility within some firms and a gap in adopting modern leadership patterns capable of rapid adaptation to crises and seizing emerging market opportunities. The study was applied to an exploratory sample of )100( respondents from leadership and management positions in tourism companies within the Kurdistan Region. A questionnaire was employed as the primary data collection tool, and the results were analyzed using advanced statistical methods .Key findings revealed a significant correlation between Ambidextrous Leadership practices and the attainment of Strategic Agility, thereby enhancing the companies' capacity to respond to environmental variables. The results further indicated variations in strategic agility levels attributed to weaknesses in environmental scanning programs and the inability of some management levels to balance routine operational tasks with innovative initiatives. The main recommendations emphasized the necessity for tourism companies to adopt the Ambidextrous Leadership model as a management philosophy. This enables senior management to effectively manage the paradoxes between current efficiency and future innovation. Additionally, the study suggests intensifying specialized training programs for senior leadership in the field of Agility Management—rather than limiting them to middle and operational levels—to ensure the construction of a flexible strategic vision capable of confronting crises and transforming challenges into competitive opportunities.

This research includes a statement of the concept of modern genetic technologies, as they are a double-edged sword. Sometimes they are described as one of the most important applications of modern technology, which contains multiple advantages, and at other times they are described as containing multiple risks. The research also includes a statement of the nature of these technologies and knowledge of the stages of development of international interest in them through the concepts of precaution and biosafety. The research also clarified the legal basis (international agreement) for regulating the use of genetic technologies in light of international declarations and agreements. The research raised two important issues: first, international responsibility for damages resulting from the negative use of genetic technologies, and it addressed this through a set of organized legal regulations to the transfer and use of genetically modified organisms; and second, the challenges facing the activation of this responsibility in the international community. The research concluded that the current international regulation is a very important step towards the safe use of biotechnology, but it still faces many challenges (practical and legal) that require further activation and continuous development.

This study aims to examine the Role of Social Media in Bringing about Modern Change in contemporary societies, in light of the rapid digital transformations that have reshaped patterns of communication and social interaction. Social media has become an influential tool in shaping public awareness, forming public opinion, and enhancing community participation, thereby directly affecting the paths of social, political, and cultural change. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach by reviewing and analyzing relevant theoretical literature and previous studies to identify the nature of this role, its mechanisms of influence, and its limits in achieving modern change. The findings indicate that social media contributes to support positive change by expanding spaces for expression and dialogue, highlighting public issues, and stimulating social initiatives. However, it also produces negative effects, such as the spread of misinformation, weak professional standards, and intellectual polarization. The study concludes that the effectiveness of social media’s role in modern change depends on public media awareness, the presence of ethical and regulatory frameworks, and the integration of digital action with social reality to ensure steering sustainable positive change.