The Impact of Financial Independence on Strategic Decision- Making: An Analytical Study of Leaders' Perspectives in Public Polytechnic Universities of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Impact of Financial Independence on Strategic Decision- Making
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63841/iue24550Keywords:
Financial Independence, Strategic Decision-Making, University Autonomy, Public Higher Education, Kurdistan RegionAbstract
From the standpoint of public polytechnic university leaders in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, this study looks at how financial independence affects strategic decision-making. The paper addresses the issue of limited fiscal flexibility in public higher education institutions and its consequences for governance and long-term strategic planning against the background of growing demands for university autonomy and sustainable financial practices. The main goal is to evaluate how dimensions of financial independence—namely income generating, budget allocation, expenditure management, investment decision-making, and policy formation—influence strategic decision-making dimensions, including organizational goals, environmental scanning, performance evaluation, stakeholder involvement, and risk management. Using a structured questionnaire sent to 234 academic leaders across five regional universities, a descriptive and analytical research approach was applied. SPSS was used in data analysis including descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis. With a statistically significant and favorable correlation between the two variables, the results expose a modest degree of financial independence and strategic decision-making application. According to the results, raising financial independence could help to improve institutional strategic planning capacities. Emphasizing the need of policy changes enabling universities to independently handle financial resources, the paper ends with suggestions for additional development of internal financial governance systems to support strategic transformation.
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