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Safety program initiatives in the construction industry remain below the desired level, especially in developing countries, and the reasons for low adoption are not well established. This study aims to investigate and quantify the impact levels of the key barriers to safety program initiatives in the construction industry in Iraq.

The study used a multi-method research design to assess the barriers to safety program initiatives in the construction industry in Iraq. Initially, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify potential barriers. Following this, semi-structured interviews with construction professionals were conducted to gather in-depth insights. Thematic analysis was then applied to analyze the results of these interviews. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was developed based on the findings from the literature review and interviews to quantitatively measure the impact of the identified barriers among a broader group of construction professionals. Finally, a fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to assess the overall impact of these barriers comprehensively.

The results showed that the top three key barriers to the implementation of construction safety programs in Iraq include tight project schedules, inadequate commitment to safety and the lack of safety rules and policies. A FSE indicated that each group of barriers, including unsupportive industry norms, poor safety awareness, an unconducive work climate and poor governance, significantly hinders safety program implementation in the Iraqi construction industry.

The study was conducted in the construction industry of Iraq, specifically focusing on Baghdad, Anbar, Basra and Erbil governorates, as these cities are prominent within the country. In addition, this research exclusively captured the perspectives of construction consultants, contractors and clients.

The findings suggest that improving supportive and safety-aware industry norms, increasing safety awareness, generating a safe work climate and culture and improving safety governance can significantly influence the widespread adoption of safety programs in the construction industry. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this constitutes the first study to quantify the impact levels of barriers to construction safety program initiatives in developing countries. It provides additional insight to promote a safer construction industry. Moreover, the findings can notably be used by construction practitioners and policymakers to develop and successfully implement safety programs in construction.

This study aims to develop an assessment model for identifying the primary barriers to safety program initiatives within the construction industry of developing countries, exploring deeper into the barriers that impede the adoption of safety programs in construction, and providing valuable insights that could serve as a foundation for crafting strategies to enhance safety program initiatives within the industry.

The cost of equity (COE) and corporate governance structure are the most critical factors affecting competition among publicly held companies. Accordingly, the present paper aims to examine the relationship between corporate governance and the COE in the wake of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq.

Our statistical sample includes 34 companies listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2017. Board structure (i.e. board size, board independence, CEO tenure, board meetings frequency and CEO duality) and ownership structure (managerial ownership, institutional ownership and state ownership) are considered proxies for corporate governance structure. Besides, the authors employ the Capital Asset Pricing Model to measure the COE as our dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis are also used to estimate the research models.

Our results suggest that corporate governance structure plays a significant role in reducing COE during the ISIS era. Furthermore, the authors find that corporate governance can be an alternative to COE reduction in Iraq’s absence of national security. Our findings also indicate that board size, board meeting frequency, managerial ownership and institutional ownership are negatively associated with COE.

Although this study has been thoroughly considered and cautiously planned, the specific period chosen to conduct the research (i.e. the ISIS era) could be a significant limitation since financial disclosure of listed companies may have been of lower quality during this period. However, to relatively alleviate this limitation and maintain the authenticity of the findings, the authors exclude low-quality financial statements, particularly non-audited financial reports, from the statistical sample. Furthermore, practitioners of emerging markets that are suffering from a weak external corporate governance combination can use the findings of this paper as a guideline to compensate the existing market deficiencies by improving internal corporate governance for observing further cash sources with lower cost. The findings also propose to international agencies that the business environment in Iraq is heavily affected by the ISIS phenomenon and needs financial aid to recover from its side effects. Furthermore, macroeconomists may use this paper to make more decisive macroeconomic indicators predictions.

This paper is among the pioneer investigations and elaborates on how the agency conflict is resolved effectively. The board and managerial characteristics and different forms of ownership might be applicable to provide cheaper funds for companies listed in emerging markets suffering from weak external corporate governance combinations.

The oil and gas industry form the main resource of economy in Iraq and constructing any project in such sectors requires a huge amount of expenses due to the unique requirements that oil and gas facilities required in such projects. Therefore, adopting an appropriate technological approach such as building information modeling (BIM) which is unfortunately not adopted yet in Iraq is essential to successfully deliver these projects. Thus, this paper aimed to introduce BIM to Iraq through Basra Oil Company (BOC) which is one of the biggest public oil and gas companies in Iraq.

The related literature of journals articles, conference proceedings and published reports have been reviewed. As a result, firstly: a hypothesis has been derived that is “If Basra Oil Company (BOC) adopts and applies BIM approach instead of the 2D approach currently used to manage its projects, the company can overcome several constraints in managing its projects that associated with such 2D traditional approach”; secondly: homogenous, consistence and reliable web-based questionnaire has been designed as its Cronbach’s alpha equal to 0.897 and 0.711 for BIM benefits and barriers, respectively. This questionnaire distributed to the BOC related professionals to test such hypothesis by investigating their readiness and accepting of BIM approach and to rank BIM barriers based on five-point Likert scale.

Based on the analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 of 115 responses, almost 50% of the respondents had experience 11–15 years, while 22.6% had experience more than 15 years in oil and gas industry construction projects. Those participants were from diverse engineering majors that are: 4.3% Architectural Engineers, 31.3% Civil Engineers, 20% Mechanical Engineers, 22.6% Electrical Engineers and 21.7% from other engineering majors. The respondents’ departments demography was 16.5% of design department, 12.2% of construction department, 20.9% of Project Management Department, 12.2% of Maintenance department, 4.3% of HSE Department, 13% of Production Department and 20.9% of “Other Department.” The study resulted in 1: accepting BIM approach to be an alternative of current 2D-traditional approach used by the company to manage and construct its projects, since mean of collected data is (4.4332), Kruskal–Wallis H test significance values were 0.398 and 0.372; and ANOVA test significance values were 0.433 and 0.599 among Engineering Majors groups and Company’s Department groups, respectively. 2: Disclosed and sequenced BIM barriers in the company based on their criticality. 3: verifying reliably how BIM attributes are important to oil and gas construction projects in Iraq, 4: the company top management and company policies are the most critical potential factors to hinder or adopt and implement BIM in the company, 5: while cost is not seen a critical barrier to implement BIM in the oil and gas sector.

The limitation of this study is the excluding of decision makers of BOC, thus more profound future studies need to be conducted where top management and decision makers are involved, particularly the present study demonstrated that support of company top management is the most critical factor which can help the company to adopt (BIM).

The study concludes that BIM approach is valuable for managing projects in oil and gas sector in Iraq and identify the originality in output by using the research method. This noble study provides a leverage for enhanced research to adopt and implement building information modeling (BIM) in Iraq as the study originally demonstrates benefits and identifies the critical barriers in BIM implementation to push the boundaries toward adopt Digitalization and reduce CO2 emission in Iraqi oil and gas sector. The study can be used as evidence and platform to encourage professionals and practitioners to present more sophisticated tools of BIM in the oil and gas industry, especially for facility and operation management. These findings achieved via oil and gas experts, and it is first time to achieve such findings from a case study in Iraqi oil and gas sector.

This paper aims to examine the relationship between employee dynamic capabilities (EDCs), innovative work behavior (IWB) and job performance (JP) among nurses in public hospitals in Iraq. It also determines the mediating role of IWB in the relationship between EDC and JP.

This study uses structural equation modeling via partial least squares (PLS-SEM) and bootstrapping estimation to analyze the model. A total of 425 respondents participated in the survey, though only 372 participants completed all the items in the questionnaire. Hence, 372 responses were analyzed after data screening.

This study indicates that EDC has a positive correlation with IWB among nurses in public hospitals in Iraq. It also shows that IWB has a positive relationship with JP. It further demonstrates that IWB has a positive mediating effect on the relationship between EDC and JP among nurses in Iraq’s public hospitals.

The implication of this study is that EDC can significantly predict IWB, while the latter is a significant predictor of JP among nurses in public hospitals in Iraq. Besides, the relationship between EDC and JP is significantly mediated by IWB. However, as a cross-sectional investigation showing a single snapshot in time, this study has some limitations in terms of establishing strict causality among the variables. Rather than extensive actual data, the findings are based on a log compiled by a key respondent. The findings are obtained from a survey conducted in one country, but certain variables, such as EDC, may have varying implications across different countries. Hence, future research can focus on a diverse range of countries, which could be used to ascertain the findings’ generalizability.

This study advances our understanding of the direct effect of the exploration and exploitation variables as well as the mediating effect of IWB in the relationship between EDC and JP among nurses in public hospitals in Iraq.

This article highlights the essential notions of reviving urban space that should adhere to the place’s characteristics and the city’s social-cultural language. It analyzes the central policies and principles that should be considered for revitalizing and sustaining urban spaces in historic city centers.

As a methodology, the article adopted a comparative methodology through an integrative framework based on reviewing a range of literature that explores the main dimensions that were discussed and argued for sustainable revitalization strategies.

The article emphasizes the essential revitalization strategies that could adopt specific frameworks according to each case, such as restructuring, creating elements of attraction and revival of the neighborhood’s center, the most important of which are preservation, renewal, rebuilding and reviving urban space through interactive architecture, in addition to identifying when the urban spaces need to implement removal, replacement or restoration as a strategy for reviving historical centers.

The paper seeks to discuss the cognitive background of the concept of reviving the urban space in historic city centers and analyze the main theories and studies that clarified society’s relationship to the design of urban places and its importance in the process of revitalization and rejuvenation.

The present study aims to assess the effect of barriers and knowledge sharing facilitators on organisational innovation in Iraq. Fundamentally, this paper seeks to answer “whether knowledge sharing can improve organisational innovation in firms listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange”.

For the study, the research method is practical, in the form of an objective and descriptive survey. The study sample includes all financial managers of manufacturing companies listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange. The sampling method of the present study is based on Cochran comprising of 467 participants; a total number of 211 questionnaires were completed as the study's sample. This paper uses PLS tests to assess the effect of independent variables on dependent variables.

Results show that knowledge sharing barriers have no impact on the organisational innovation of firms listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange, but that knowledge sharing facilitators can enhance the organisational innovation of these firms.

This paper is the first study on the effect of barriers and knowledge sharing facilitators on organisational innovation of firms listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange, which is an emergent country with specific conditions (lack of specialised workforce and modern systematic infrastructure), therefore the results will provide helpful information that will contribute to the development of science and knowledge.

Several types of vaccines were manufactured by different companies to control and stop the spread of COVID-19. This study aimed to identify the postvaccination side effects of the three different vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm) among the Iraqi population in Baghdad, Iraq.

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq from May 2021 to March 2022. An online-based questionnaire was used to collect the data through social media, i.e. WhatsApp, Messenger and Google Classroom. A total of 737 vaccinated participants using a snowball sampling methodology were used in this study.

Among the study population, 328 (44.50%) were males and 409 (55.50%) were females. The highest age group that participated was 18–30 years (79.10%) followed by 31–40 years (12.10%), 41–50 years (4.20%), 51–60 years (2.40%) and 60 = years (2.20%). However, 58.8% of the participants received Pfizer-BioNTech, 23.7% received the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and 17.5% received Sinopharm. Out of the total participants, 56.60% showed postvaccination side-effects such as fever, headache, fatigue and dizziness, while 33% showed no side-effects and 10.40% were not sure. Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines were the most vaccines prevalent of side-effects.

The majority of the side reactions associated with the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were manageable and self-limiting, including fever, fatigue, headache, joint pain and dizziness, compared to the Sinopharm vaccines, which reported lower postside effects.

In recent decades, managerial desire to use internal audit services to promote well-controlled organizational processes has significantly increased in the public sector. Yet, there is rare information on how internal audits may effectively be implemented in the public sector. The present research aims to design a comprehensive internal audit effectiveness model for the public sector.

This research is an applied mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) and descriptive survey study. The research population in both qualitative and quantitative sections included all internal and external audit managers and staff of Iraqi public organizations. The study sample of the qualitative section included 28 audit managers and staff selected using purposive sampling, and the study sample of the quantitative section included 399 individuals selected using convenience sampling. The data collection instruments in the qualitative and quantitative sections included semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, respectively. Data analysis was carried out using thematic analysis in Atlas.ti software in the qualitative section. Quantitative analysis and model validation were also performed using path analysis and structural equation modeling in Smart-PLS software in the quantitative section.

The results of the qualitative section led to the identification of 38 effectiveness factors among seven main categories, which were finally presented in the form of a comprehensive model. The main categories included the communication between internal and external auditors, granting independence and authority to internal auditors, providing specialized human resources, providing technological resources, developing management support, strengthening organizational culture and developing audit plans. In the qualitative section, the model was validated and confirmed. Quantitative results further showed that the compilation of audit plans and the development of management support were the most important factors.

The present study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive framework on internal audit with an emphasis on resource-based theory and reducing the research gap in the field of agents influencing internal audit efficacy in the public sector of developing countries. Further, the study provides insights into an under-studied developing country, Iraq.

This paper is intended to assess the developments conducted on the master plan of Old Najaf, mainly in three areas: the Imam Ali Holy Shrine and its surroundings, the Great Market Area and the location of the Town of Visitors.

In order to analyse the implementation of the transformation phases in Old Najaf, the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) technique was used to identify and organise the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the examined case study of the city's historic centre. At the first stage, all available data (photographs, maps, documents and reports) were collected from different sources, including previous studies by governmental institutions, departments and agencies. Ultimately, the SWOT analysis was used for each identified phase in the morphological evolution of the historic centre. This can offer an opportunity to observe the implications of urban planning practices in Old Najaf from the mid-20th century to the present day. In order to identify the well-organised urban design practices and appropriate strategies, the implemented studies and projects were examined by the four factors of the SWOT analysis.

The current results have revealed important urban transformations, already made and/or ongoing, of those aforementioned three main areas, which imply a great loss of the city's traditional character and urban heritage. Further, the environmental and socio-economic issues should be involved in the analysis to evaluate how they have influenced the current outcomes of Old Najaf in relation to the urban configuration and orientation.

The rich cultural and architectural heritage of Al-Najaf historic centre is dramatically neglected and seriously threatened to be lost. Hence, conservation on both tangible and intangible levels is urgently needed. It is the first paper which focussed on this problem and tries to learn from the British Conservation Experiences in this field.

Our aim was to elucidate how leaders’ behaviors may impact innovation and organizational learning in a fast-changing, human-centric and sustainability responsive AI-driven Industry 5.0 environment.

An unsystematic narrative review of relevant literature was conducted focusing on the influence of leadership behaviors on innovation and learning in Industry 5.0 environment.

We found that leadership behaviors that align with Industry 5.0 demands and values must emphasize collaboration, empathy, and continuous learning. The translation of leaders’ actions into desired outcomes requires a psychologically safe work environment, ensuing team cohesion, empowering team members, promoting a learning culture, engendering trust, and vision and goal alignment.

Being aware of leadership qualities required in Industry 5.0 environment, characterized by machine–human collaboration, sustainable innovations, and continuous learning, enables organizations to focus their recruitment efforts on leaders’ characteristics that align with this environment. It also helps them design suitable leaders’ training and development programs. This study requires further expansion and empirical testing to validate the proposed model.

There is a plethora of studies on leadership in various contexts; however, there is very little research on the type of leadership that maybe effective in the fast changing and AI-driven Industry 5.0 environment. The findings of this paper shed light on such a leadership.