Quality Assessment System in Construction

Quality Assessment System in Construction 1.0 Introduction Quality assessment system in construction industry is a system or method to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship of a construction work based on the relevant approved standard. This assessment sets out the standard on quality of workmanship for various construction elements of building and infrastructure construction work. The quality of workmanship of a construction work is assessed according to the requirement of the relevant standard, and marks are awarded if the workmanship complies with the standard, (CIDB, 2011). According to Wong, (2007), one of the hallmarks of a developed construction industry is in the output of quality buildings and structures. It is therefore critical to inculcate among professionals, contractors and end-users the awareness of quality products and good designs, not only to raise the standard of the industrys products, but also to reduce wastage arising from rework. The Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) developed by CIDB is an independent method to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship and finishes of construction works based on objective comparison through a sampling and statistical approach. The Malaysian construction industry stakeholders are looking forward to action plans by CIDB in implementing QLASSIC with incentives as has been the case for the Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) in Singapore. Mahmood. et al. (2010) stated the quality management system is being increasingly applied to the construction company to solve quality problem. The implementation of this system required a culture change and change in management behaviour. The organization need to shift from their current culture to a quality management system culture that focuses on quality as a key strategy. A review of literature identifies ten important culture elements that contribute to successful implementation of quality management system, which include leadership and top management commitment, customer management, training and education, teamwork, people management and empowerment, supplier partnership, quality planning and strategic, process management, rewards and recognition and effective communication. 2.0 Problem Statements Nowadays, the quality of the building becomes an issue when many accidents occurred related to the building failure such as building collapse. Many criticisms received from public about this quality of the building. This has proven when Mahmood et al. (2010) stated that construction industry in Malaysia has been viewed as one of the sectors that have a poor quality compared to other sectors such as agriculture or automotive sector. This is supported by Said et. al. (2009) when he claims that there were misunderstandings among the organization player on Quality Management System (QMS) concepts has become a stumbling block for its successful implementation. Said et. al (2010, c.f SIRIM 2005) also found that QMS could be implemented either at the organization level or at the project level itself. Looking at the construction industry scenario in Malaysia, there are approximately 4000 ISO 9001:2000 QMS certified organizations in the Malaysian construction related industry. However, the number is still relatively small when compared to the total number of 63,204 organizations in this industry. Looking at the current scenario in the Malaysian construction industry, QMS compliance is a required factor to improve the quality of the Malaysian Construction Industry. Keng and Hamzah (2011, c.f Haupt et al. 2004) also found several problems found in implementing the quality assessment system on construction site such as too much paperwork, transient nature of workforce, field employees regard quality management as irrelevant, difficulty in measuring results, and subcontractors and suppliers not interested in assessment 3.0 Aim and Objectives of the Study The aim of this research is to study the impacts of implementation of quality assessment system in construction projects. Objectives: To identify the advantages from implementation of Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) system in construction project. To determine the challenges in implementing quality assessment system in construction project. 4.0 Scope and Limitation Among the parties involved in construction, the contractors are the one who know the real situation in the construction compared to others. Beside that, the contractors also know the whole process in construction starting site possession until the projects is completed. Therefore, this research will be conducted with focusing: Only to contractor G6 or G7 (CIDB) that already engaged with high cost construction project that focus on quality of the building and clients satisfaction as a main priority. The limitation of the research survey only focus on Klang Valley area because this area was highly developed with new buildings design. 5.0 Research Methodology Primary Data A set of questionnaire will distribute to collect valuable data for this research. This interview may conduct to the targeted group in construction projects or organization. Secondary Data The researcher found literature review as his secondary resources with aim to investigate the previous research and body of knowledge about the quality assessment system in Malaysian construction industry. Problem statement Objective 2 To determine the challenges in implementing quality assessment system in construction project. Objective 1 To identify the advantages from implementation of Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) system in construction project. Literature review Questionnaire Case study Comments and conclusion Impacts of implementation of quality assessment system in construction projects. Figure 1.1: flow chart of research process CHAPTER II:Â  LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Quality Assessment in Construction (QLASSIC) 2.1.1 Introduction According to CIDB (2006), Quality Assessment System for Building Construction Work (QLASSIC) is an independent method to assess and evaluate the quality of workmanship of building projects based on the standard stated as a guideline. Yin (2012), added that Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) is a system to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship of a construction work based on the relevant approved standard. QLASSIC enables the quality of workmanship between construction projects to be objectively compared through a scoring system. The purpose of this scheme is to enable a construction project to be undergone in standard of procedure in order to ensure the quality of workmanship in the works The construction industry and the private sector plays an important role in creating wealth and improving the quality of life of Malaysians through interpretation of socio-economic policy of the governments social and economic infrastructure and buildings. In addition, the construction industry creates multiplier effects to other industries, including manufacturing, financial services, and professional services. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) (2006), has published a special guideline for measuring the quality of construction and become As a parameter for the level of quality achieved in a construction project in Malaysia. Rating of the workmanship will be made through site inspections. Assessments will be conducted by a qualified evaluator of QLASSIC registered, trained and have passed the training conducted by the CIDB 2.1.2 Objectives of QLASSIC Masters Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) (2006), stated that CIDB list down objectives of the QLASSIC system: To elevate the level of quality in the construction industry. To have a standard quality assessment system as a benchmark for quality of construction works. To assist contractors to achieve defect-free when carrying out construction work. To be used as criteria to evaluate the performance of contractors based on quality of workmanship. To be used for data compilation for statistical analysis in estimating the level of quality and productivity of the construction industry. 2.1.3 Scopes of QLASSIC CIDB (2006), stated that this assessment is set out for the quality of workmanship for the various aspects of the construction elements for the general building works. It will cover four main components which is, Structural works, Architectural works, Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works and External works. Assessments on the workmanship are carried out based on this standard and marks are awarded if the workmanship complies with the standards. These marks are then summed up to give a total quality score (%) for the building project. However, the assessment excludes works such as piling, foundation and sub-structure works which are heavily equipment-based and called under separate contracts or sub contracts. The building is assessed primarily on workmanship standards achieved through site inspection and field testing. The assessment is done throughout the construction process for structural and M E works. For completed building projects the assessment is done for architectural, M E fittings and external works. Apart from site inspection, the assessment also includes field tests, test results on the material and the functional performance of selected services and installations. These tests help to safeguard the interest of building occupants in relation to safety, comfort and aesthetic; these defects may surface only after sometime. In addition, MBAM (2006), stated that QLASSIC sets out the standards for various construction elements in building work and other infrastructure work. The quality assessment on the workmanship and finishes of the construction work is based on these standards and points are awarded if the workmanship and finishes comply with the standards. These points are then summed up to give a total quality score called the QLASSIC Score (%) for a project. The assessment is conducted at the construction site through inspection and field testing. The score will be done on construction works that are inspected for the first time. Construction works that are rectified and corrected after the assessment will not be rescored. The objective of this practice is to encourage contractors to do things right the first time and every time 2.1.4 Components to be assessed According to QLASSIC (2006), the quality standards for building construction work are divided into four main components:- a) Structural works The structural integrity of the building is of paramount importance as the cost of failure and repairs are very significant. The assessment of structural works comprises: Site inspection of formwork, steel reinforcement, prefabricated or pre-cast elements, etc. during construction. Laboratory testing of compressive strength of concrete and tensile strength of steel reinforcement. Non-destructive testing of the uniformity and the cover of hardened concrete. b) Architectural works Architectural works deal mainly with the finishes. This is the part where the quality and standards of workmanship are most visible. Architectural works are works such as floors, internal walls, ceiling, door and window, fixtures and fittings, external wall, roofs, driveway, porch and apron. c) Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works The quality of M E works is important in view of its increasingly high cost proportion and its impact on the performance of a building. The assessment covers electrical works, air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation works (ACMV), fire protection works, sanitary and plumbing works, lifts, escalator and other basic M E fittings. d) External works External works cover the general external work elements in building construction such as the linkways/ shelters, drains, road works, car parks, footpaths, turfings, playgrounds, gates and fences, swimming pools, hardscapes and electrical substation. 2.1.5 Assessment approach In general, the assessor determines the samples or elements to be assessed to each assessment. The samples are selected from drawings and plans. The selected samples shall be distributed as uniformly as possible throughout the project and construction stages. All locations are to be offered for the assessment. The scoring will be done on the works that are inspected for the first time. When an assessed item does not comply with the corresponding QLASSIC standards, it is considered failed and an X will be noted in the assessment form. Likewise a v is given for an item meeting the standards. A - will be given to indicate that the item is not applicable. The score is computed based on the number of v over the total number of items assessed. (CIDB, 2006) MBAM (2006) stated that, it is impractical to assess all elements in a construction project, QLASSIC assessment uses a sampling process to carry out the assessment. The samples are selected from drawings and plans of the relevant construction project. a) Structural Works The assessment is carried out throughout the various construction stages. The numbers of samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. b) Architectural works The assessment is carried out upon completion of the building project and before handing over of the project. The samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. c) Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works The samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. For completed projects the assessment is carried out upon completion of the building project and before handing over of the project. For projects in progress the assessment is carried out throughout the various construction stages. d) External works The assessment is carried out upon completion of the building and before handing over of the project. The numbers of samples are determined based on (10m length section/ location) with a minimum number of samples. 2.1.6 Evaluation process of QLASSIC START Architectural work Structural work ME work External work Developers / contractors shall made application APPLY TO CIDB SCOPE OF EVALUATION Numbers of sample is based on guideline in CIS7 Samples are identified before assessors make an evaluation SAMPLING FROM ASSESSOR Qualified assessors will assess the samples. The quality standard based on CIS7. SAMPLING ON SITE QLASSIC SCORE (%) Report from CIDB based on the evaluation by assessors. FINISH 2.1.7 QLASSIC assessor To be an assessor, the persons must attend the QLASSIC training course before being qualified to carry out the actual assessment at the construction sites. The QLASSIC assessors are continuously updated to ensure consistency and effective implementation of the assessment. Requirements of QLASSIC assessor; Malaysian citizen Age: 25-60 years Possesses an academic qualification in construction related fields such as architectural/civil/mechanical/electrical engineering/quantity surveyor or other fields Successfully completed the QLASSIC Assessor Certification Programme. Posses minimum working experience in the construction industry according to academic qualification as follows. 2.2 Quality philosophy 2.2.1 Quality concept Many definitions had been made in order to explain the terms of quality. Hoyle (1998), defined quality as a degree of excellence, conformance with requirements, the totally of characteristic of an entity that bear its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs, fitness for use. In addition, he also stated quality as freedom from defects, imperfections or contamination. In other words, quality is focus on satisfaction needs and costumers demand as a first priority. In construction industry, the offer from clients to contractor to do projects with a terms and conditions need to be followed by contractors and if the projects is completed according the requirements given is a quality products. According to Besterfield (1998), quality cannot be measured by with number or it intangible and it only can be measure by personnel perception. Quality only can be quantified as follows: Q = P/E Where, Q=Quality P=Performance E=Expectations According to the formula, if quality is greater, the costumer has a good feeling about the products deliver. 2.2.2 Quality parameter According to Hoyle (1998), difference in design can be classified or group into different class and the results can be good or poor. It is not enough to produce product only conform to the specification or supply services that meet managements requirement. Quality can be classified in three parameters which is: Quality of design is the extent to which the design reflects a product or services that satisfies costumer needs. All the necessary characteristics need to be designed into the product or service at the outset. Quality of conformance is the extent to which the product or service conform to the design standard. The design has faithfully translating the clients need and it depends on the processes to realize the design into an actual end products. Quality of use is the extent which the user able to secure continuity of use from the product or service. Products need to have a low cost of ownership be safe and reliable and maintainable in use. 2.2.3 Quality management According to Juran (1989), basic purpose of quality management is to eliminate failure in services or products. Failure not only that products, process or services but it would be fail in their function or their function not satisfy to customer demand. Hence, the quality management consist of planning, organizing, controlling and preventing the products or services from failure. All the methods and technique that use in quality management must be useful to improve and increase the quality of the products or services. This quality management include inspection process. Inspection is a process where quality is measured before deliver the products or services to the costumer. However, inspection alone is not enough to deliver quality products or services, it must adopt with the other practice to prevent failure. Quality management is both technical and behavioural subject. Therefore, the management of quality involves many aspects of an organization and the organization must make sure all its function inter-related and work efficiently and effectively because whenever any function fail to perform, they will effect to another. 2.2.4 Quality control Quality control is the operational activities or techniques used to fulfil the requirement for quality. In other words, it is a process to maintain standards and prevent from failure. Standard can be control by process of selection, measurement and correction of work. Quality control can be applied in the processes that produce products by measuring the overall quality performance of the organization.(Juran, 1989) There are steps to control the quality; Determine what elements need to be controlled. Determine whether it needs to be control before, during or after the result. Establish details for the parameter to be controlled. Establish plans for control which specify the means by which the characteristics will be achieved and variation detected and removed. Organize resource to implement the quality control. Install sensor at an appropriate point in the process. Collect the data. Analyze the results. Propose solutions and decide the technique to overcome the problems. Take the action and check again whether it has been corrected or not. 2.2.5 Quality improvement Quality improvement can be defined as an action taken by the organization to increase and improve the effectiveness of activities or processes to provide satisfaction to the costumer. (ISO,2000). In other words, process of changing the quality for the products or services that can improve the level of satisfaction to the costumer. This can be done by control or increase the standard. Control approach can be done by improving the rate at which an agreed standard is achieved. The second approach is by increase the standard and setting new level. New standard can be created by making research and development to a products and services. 2.2.6 Quality assurance ISO (2000), defined the quality assurance as a planned and systematic action necessary to provide adequate confidence that an entity will fulfil the requirements for quality. Costumers and managers need a quality assurance, as they cannot oversee the operation for themselves. The assurance of quality can be gained by testing a products or services against prescribed standards to establish in capability to meet them. This approach can give confidence only to the tested products. Quality assurance not controls the quality, it establish the extent to which quality will be, is being or has been controlled. 2.2.7 Quality system Hoyle (1998), stated that system is a set of function or activities that operate together to achieve the aim. A success quality system will lead the organization to achieve, sustain and improve the quality. It is a planning, well evaluates and organized to produce a required quality performance. A quality system is the approach to achieve all desire quality goals. Quality system focus on the quality of the organization produces, the factors which will cause the organization to achieve its goals, the factors influencing the customer satisfaction and identify nonconforming product. Quality system needs to possess certain characteristics for them to be fit for their purpose. Robustness ability to withstand variation in the way operation are carried out without failure Complexity the number of interconnections, routings, pathways, variations, options, etc, which give rise multiple procedure. Maintainability the ease and economy with which system changes can be made. Flexibility ability of the system can handle the changes in circumstances. Consistency the ability of the documented system unifies communication both within itself and the organizations. 2.3 Challenges faced by construction project team in implementation of QLASSIC 2.3.1 Introduction CIDB (2008) stated that like any other countries around the world, Malaysian construction industries face the problems that affect the development of construction sector. If these problems not managed and addressed effectively it become worst. The construction sector will continue play an important role as a main contributor to the Malaysia economy. To make sure the construction sector become stronger, Malaysia introduced many ways and one of the ways by introducing the QLASSIC system by CIDB. Although it was introduced several years ago, the implementations of this system still not achieve the target. Only few projects were applied this system. This because there are few problems and challenges regarding implementing this system faced by construction team. 2.3.2 Fragmentation and Disintegration of the Construction Industry The construction industry has remained a very fragmented industry where different activities in the entire value chain of the construction processes are being undertaken by different parties, often undertaken in isolation, thus resulting in inefficiencies. In particular, the segregation of design and construction activities which is widely practiced does not encourage consideration for factors like savings in labour utilisation, ease of maintenance, construction safety and the practicality of construction methods.(CIDB,2008) As a result of the lack of such integration considerations in the industry, the process to implement the QLASSIC system to the construction projects is difficult. The different players are also become conflict and the implementation of this system become unsuccessful. This because there are many parties involved in construction projects. Thus, some of the parties will implement the system and some are not. So, the systems are not applied on the overall parts or elements that need to be assess in the construction projects. 2.3.3 Foreign labour Labour-intensive conventional methods of construction that are still prevalent in Malaysia. The adoption of such methods are encouraged by the cheaper cost of employment of foreign workers with lower wages and the availability of such workers for short-term periods of work.. Another reason for the heavy dependency on foreign labour involves the fact that the local workforce is reluctant to be employed as construction workers in the wet trades, where the image of the construction industry has always been one that is Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult. (CIDB, 2008) As a result, the implementation of QLASSIC system in construction projects becomes a problem because foreign workers do not understand this system. They are not expose about this system by the authorities. Thus, it become challenges for construction team to make sure the construction projects meet the standard that need in the QLASSIC system. 2.3.4 Lack of RD CIDB (2008) mentioned, the local construction industry is characterised as one that is labour-intensive, which has resulted in numerous challenges as highlighted previously. There is a need for the construction industry to progress towards one that is more focused on innovation and automation. However, the pace of innovation through RD and automation through the adoption of new construction methods are relatively low due to the abundance of cheap foreign labour. Despite the lack of RD initiatives in the Malaysian construction industry, there has been progress on the local front to encourage and stimulate RD activities in the construction industry. As a result, one of the factor this system did not get attention from construction team is because lack of RD. Before this system introduced to the construction sector, the responsible authorities that doing this research must make sure that the information gather from the research is enough and the opinion from all the parties involved in construction project is taking into consideration. This is because the construction parties are the main target as they will use this system. So, opinion from construction parties is the first priority to suite with construction projects when implementation this system. 2.4 Effective strategies in implementing QLASSIC 2.4.1 Stepping up research and development Wong (2007), stated that Research and Development (RD) is critical to productivity and quality. Improvements in the construction industry such as better materials, more cost-effective design and construction methods and labour-saving equipment are often introduced by way of RD initiative. However, for RD to be useful there is a need to ensure that new technologies and capabilities are efficiently shared and adopted by players in the industry to enhance the quality of the building. At the present moment, the amount of Malaysian construction RD ranges from negligible to non-existent. On the other hand, RD conducted by local institution of higher learning is often perceived as not been able to meet industry needs. Hence, there is a need for stronger collaboration between academia and the industry in stimulating RD efforts in order to produce quality of the building. 2.4.2 Raising the Skills Level According to Wong (2007), the reality is that so long as the industry has a ready access to a large number of foreign workers, there is very little incentive for the industry to upgrade itself. While recognizing that the industry will continue to rely on foreign workers in the near and medium term, there is a need to reduce the number of unskilled foreign workers. CIDB, in collaboration with the National Vocational Training Council of Malaysia (MLVKM) ha s developed the National Occupational Skill Standards (NOSS) for the construction industry, for the purpose of developing skilled manpower in the industry by development of training module for the various trades as well as for skill accreditation for career development of construction personnel. The Malaysian construction industry at present is largely dependent on low skilled foreign workers. As introduce new technologies and push for higher quality the demand for manpower especially foreign workers should be reduced. 2.4.3 Enhancing professionalism Enhancing professionalism of the industry can be achieved at three levels, namely the individual, trade association or professional institution, and the industry. At the individual level, the curriculum of institution of higher learning should be enhanced to include common modules and soft skills. At trade association or professional institution level, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme should be made mandatory for the renewal of professional membership as is currently practised by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), Board of Architect Malaysia (BAM) and Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM). To synchronize professional practice and thinking, it is also necessary for each profession to draw up its own set of code of conduct. (Wong, 2007) This will help to lay the foundation for constructional skills needed for construction players. Hence it must constantly promote, recognise and reward creativity, quality work, and innovation to integrate the various processes in the industry, but also to project a more progressive image. 2.4.4 Training and Education Firms that establish workplace education programmes report noticeable improvements in their workers abilities and the quality of their products (Cebeci and Beskese, 2002). The importance of training is to ensure that the skills of the workforce do not become obsolete in an environment of change and an understanding and attitude of quality is developed and maintained. Training should be directed at all levels of the organization to understand the QLASSIC process. 2.4.5 Integrated approach to construction According to Wong (2007), the construction industry is highly fragmented due to the sequential nature of the construction process. One of the major causes of low productivity and quality is the lack of integration of activities across the construction value chain. Consequently, mistakes in the construction stage resulting low quality of the building. So, through integration focus on effective interpersonal relationships, jointly planned work, identifying and solving problems will produce better quality. QLASSIC is one of the methods that need the integration by all the construction players to implement it. 2.4.6 Rewards and recognition An important feature of any quality improvement programme is showing due recognition for improved performance by any individual, section, and department or division within the company considers recognition as one of the most important steps of the quality improvement proce

Nuclear Waste Management Essay -- essays research papers

Nuclear Waste Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nuclear energy harnesses the energy released during the splitting or fusing of atomic nuclei. This heat energy is most often used to convert water to steam, turning turbines, and generating electricity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, nuclear energy also has many disadvantages. An event that demonstrated this was the terrible incident at Chernobyl'. Here on April 26, 1986, one of the reactors of a nuclear power plant went out of control and caused the world's worst known reactor disaster to date. An experiment that was not properly supervised was conducted with the water-cooling system turned off. This led to the uncontrolled reaction, which in turn caused a steam explosion. The reactor's protective covering was blown off, and approximately 100 million curies of radionuclides were released into the atmosphere. Some of the radiation spread across northern Europe and into Great Britain. Soviet statements indicated that 31 people died because of the accident, but the number of radiation-caused deaths is still unknown.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The same deadly radiation that was present in this explosion is also present in spent fuels. This presents special problems in the handling, storage, and disposal of the depleted uranium. When nuclear fuel is first loaded into a reactor, 238U and 235U are present. When in the reactor, the 235U is gradually depleted and gives rise to fission products, generally, cesium (137Cs) and strontium (90Sr). These waste materials are very unstable and have to undergo radioactive disintegration before they can be transformed into stable isotopes. Each radioactive isotope in this waste material decays at its characteristic rate. A half-life can be less than a second or can be thousands of years long. The isotopes also emit characteristic radiation: it can be electromagnetic (X- ray or gamma radiation) or it can consist of particles (alpha, beta, or neutron radiation).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exposure to large doses of ionizing radiation causes characteristic patterns of injury. Doses are measured in rads (1 rad is equal to an amount of radiation that releases 100 ergs of energy per gram of matter). Doses of more than 4000 rads severely damage the human vascular system, causing cerebral edema (excess fluid), which leads to extreme shock and neurological disturba... ...relatively low in cost compared to storage in a pool of water and can be moved around if necessary. Another way to dispose of radioactive wastes is through geologic isolation. This is the disposal of wastes deep within the crust of the earth. This form of disposal is attractive because it appears that wastes can be safely isolated from the biosphere for thousands of years or longer. Disposal in mined vaults does not require the use of advanced technologies, rather the application of what we know today. It is possible to locate mineral, rock, or other bodies beneath the surface of the earth that will not be subject to groundwater intrusion. A preferred place would be at least 1,500 feet below the earth's crust, so that it may avoid erosion for the specified period of time. None of the preceding methods offers a complete solution to the problem of nuclear waste. They only bury it, temporarily shoving it out of our current view for a latter generation to solve. Maybe the future inhabitants of this world will find a solution to this problem, for as we chose to continue the use of nuclear power, more and more waste will be accumulated, emitting deadly radiation long after we pass away.

Pearl Harbor Battle Analysis Essay

On a pleasant and beautiful Sunday, December 7, 1984, Japan implemented a surprise attack on the US Naval Base in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii which gave United States a door to enter into World War II. Even though Japan did not follow through with the attack causing the third wave of bombers to break contact from dropping bombs to finish off the rest of the fleet docking in Pearl Harbor, it was a well prepared, and carefully orchestrated attack on the Americans because the Japanese followed almost all the nine Principles of War. However there was one principle that the Japanese did not executed causing them to surrender later on in World War II. There are nine Principles of War, that is; unity of command, mass, objective, offensive, surprise, economy of force, maneuver, and security. The attack include mass–concentrating the combat power at the decisive place and time. The objective was clear and directed every military operation towards a clearly defined, decisive attainable objective. The attack was clearly offensive where it seize, retained, and exploited the initiatives. Surprise was the definitely the most important principle used striking Pearl Harbor on a given time when it was unprepared. Economy of force was allocated to the wave of attacks where essential combat power was given as a secondary effort. The maneuvers were clearly executed where Japan placed United States in a position of disadvantage through the flexibility application of combat power. There was unity of command in which the Japanese ensured each objective had a responsible commander. Unity of command was visible within the Japanese fleet. The commander for the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (People–Japan, ). Yamamoto was responsible for the combined Japanese fleet where he devised the strategy for the attack, and because of his careful, organized, and educated planing, Pearl Harbor was almost fully destroyed. Under Yamamoto is Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumoto who was in command of the First Air Fleet. Nagamuto relied heavily on the experience of his subordinates Comander Minoru Genda, and Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka. â€Å"No one can truly understand what happened at Pearl Harbor without at least a nodding acquantance with these men, for the plan’s inception, preparation, execution, and stunning success were shaped by the personalities and experience of these men† (Goldstein, 1991). By element of mass with in the nine Principles of War, the Japanese attack forces was well equipped for the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Japan understands that their country cannot defeat United Staes in a â€Å"conventional war, lacking as it did sufficient man power and raw materials (notably oil) for such a sustained effort however Japan was able to put together combined fleet large enough to go toe to toe with the United States Navy in Hawaii† (Long, 2007). Japanese air attack forces consisted of six carriers named Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. Support forces consisted of two battleship and two heavy cruisers known as Tone and Chikuma. Screening forces consisted of one light cruiser and nine destroyers named Akuma. Patrol forces had three submarines. In addition, the supply forces ha eight oilers. Together these combined fleet was named the Kido Butai, or task force which was the largest number of aircraft carriers ever to operate togeth er (Carlisle, 114). Admiral Yamamoto and the Kido Fleet’s objective was to destroy the naval ships in Pearl Harbor and knock out the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In retrospect, this attack is also an offensive attack as a significant Japanese fighting force so that the Americans could not oppose on Japan’s conquest of South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Another reason for the attack is because President Roosevelt had banned all exports of scrap iron, steel and oil to Japan. The reason for the embargo was the Japanese invasion of China. Japan had lost more than 90% of its oil supply (Carlisle, 2006). The economic isolation crippled their economy and military. In addition, Japan were keen on expanding their empire and had to make a decision between surrendering or going to war with the United States. Lastly, United States had not yet entered the Second World War, because they were still reeling from depression due to the First World War. United States did, however, still possess the strongest naval fleets. In that perspective, the Japanese were almost as strong as the American navy. As time passed, America favored more and more towards joining the war. The Japanese anticipated a full-blown naval war with America and therefore, decided to act first by bombing Pearl Harbor which was a key terrain feature in the Pacific due to it’s massive and deep harbor for naval ships. The element of economy of force was also present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. This allowed Japans zero bomber to allocate minimum essential combat power towards the attack. With the economy of force, the element of maneuver also played abig role towards the raid. There were two aerial attack waves, totaling 353 aircraft that was launched from the six Japanese aircraft carriers. In actuality, Admiral Yamamoto’s plans consisted of three waves of attack. The first wave of attacked was launched at 0740 with 163 aircrafts that was coming from the North Shore. Their objective was to destroy airfields at Wheeler, Ewa, Hickam, and Pearl Harbor. The second wave was launched an hour later to the Windward side of the island with 167 aircraft bombers. Their mission was also to destroy airfields in Kaneohe and Bellows, Hickam, and Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto called off the third wave because he believed the second strike had essentially satisfied the main objective of his mission which was to cripple United States Pacific Fleet. In addition Admiral Yamamoto did not wish to risk further losses. With Admiral Yamamoto’s careful planning of the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan was successful on completing their objective in the Pacific by destroying the Naval fleet. However, they failed to follow through with the element of security. Security states that Japan should have never permitted United States from acquiring an unexpected advantage. With Admiral Yamamoto calling off the third wave, this allowed United States to get back up on its feet. Japan may have won the battle on Pearl Harbor, however that decision â€Å"woke up the sleeping giant† causing Japan to surrender the war to the Americans. The biggest impact on the Japanese attack was the element of surprise which was Japans key tactic on Pearl Harbor and other military bases on Oahu that struck Americans as a â€Å"dastardly attack† — â€Å"stab in the back.† On December 7th, 1941, everyone went about their daily routine. Naval and military commands in Hawaii did not suspect that this day would be the day they would get a huge surprise by getting attacked. Washington and Honolulu were aware of the Japanese threats to attack areas in Southeast Asia but they didn’t think a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor was in the plans. The commands in Washington and Honolulu had no idea because based on their intelligence they received mostly from U.S radio intelligence and diplomatic code breaking, the intelligence received told them that the Japanese were moving south and they weren’t going to be in â€Å"danger†. Washington received intelligence from the office of naval intelligence a few hours before the attack indicating that the all of Japan’s fleet carriers were in their home waters. This was one way how the Japanese completely fooled and the U.S. intelligence and surprised them with a damaging attack on Pearl Harbor and other military installations. Sunday mornings are normally a time of leisure for military personnel, and during this time, especially in the morning, some are still asleep, or at church with their families. With the Japanese knowing this, this was the best time to launch their surprise attack because they knew people would not be able to respond to the attacks quick enough to fight back and it would be the perfect opportunity to destroy all of their fleets and aircrafts Japan’s careful and well orchestrated attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, destroyed almost all the American Naval fleet in the Pacific. This allowed Japan to continue its imperialism towards Southeast Asian without United States interference. Even when Japan failed to follow through with the element of security towards United States, they still followed almost all the nine Principles of War in order for them to have a successful raid. The third wave of attack could have the destroyed the fuel storage, maintenance, and dry dock facilities that would have crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet far more seriously than the loss of its battleships. If they had been wiped out, United States could not have been able to bounce back, join the war, and eventually forced Japan to surrender. Work Cited Carlisle, Rodney P. December 7, 1941: One Day in History : The Days That Changed the World. New York: Collins, 2006. Print. Long, Tony, July 27, 2007. â€Å"Dec. 7, 1941: Attack at Pearl Harbor a Bold, Desperate Gamble.† Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/12/dayintech_1207 Goldstein, Donald M. The Way It Was Pearl Harbor. The Original Photographs. Washington: Brassey’s, 1991. Print. â€Å"Global Research.† Pearl Harbor: A Successful War Lie. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.globalresearch.ca/pearl-harbor-a-successful-war-lie/22305 â€Å"How Did Japan View the Pearl Harbor Attacks?† ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0214300/nzjapaneseview1.html Hoyt, Edwin Palmer. Pearl Harbor Attack. New York: Sterling Pub., 2008. Print. Kam, Ephraim. Surprise Attack: The Victim’s Perspective. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1988. Print. â€Å"People-Japan–Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, IJN, (1884-1943).† People-Japan–Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, IJN, (1884-1943). N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-for/japan/japrs-xz/i-yamto.htm â€Å"The Attack by the First Japanese Wave.† The Attack by the First Japanese Wave. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.pacificwar.org.au/pearlharbor/FirstWaveAttack.html Tures A. Tures, LaGrange. â€Å"William ‘Billy’ Mitchell, the Man Who Predicted the Pearl Harbor Day Disaster.† Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 06 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. Wisniewski, Richard A. Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial: A Pictorial History. Honololu, Hawaii (P.O. Box 8924, Honolulu 96830): Pacific Basin Enterprises, 1986. Print.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Mills Paper Company

Strengths and Weaknesses of Mills Paper Company Strengths One of the strengths of the company’s appraisal system is the motivation and encouragement effect it has on employees. Since the objectives to be achieved are set prior to beginning of the employment, the employee is able to use them as a driving force while doing his job.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strengths and Weaknesses of Mills Paper Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the strength of the method is manifested by the fact that employees are motivated with the knowledge that they will be rewarded if they achieve the set goals. This also is an advantage to the company since in the long term it will end up achieving its targets and goals (Kantola, Armstrong Conley, 2003). The appraisal method applied by Mills Company also aids the company to identify under performers and eliminate them. An employee like Carpenter who is always showed such poor performance might not have been id entified had it not been for the appraisal method. With the appraisal method, the company was able to know that Carpenter was not achieving the objectives set for him. This is an advantage to both the company and the employee since any possible losses by the company are minimized. On the other hand, the employee is able to note his or her weak points and find ways of improving on them (Smither, 1998). The appraisal method also facilitates employee growth and development. The Mills Company sets and outlines the expectations and objectives of positions into an agreement before commencement of employment. This can be a growth and development factor as it helps employees strive to reach their full potential. This is a positive implication for both the employee and employer since the former develops professionally while the latter succeeds in its general plan and objectives. Weaknesses In my opinion, one of the main weaknesses the approach has is discouragement of employees. While some o ther employees might be encouraged to work more and more to achieve their goals, others like Carpenter might just end up being discouraged due the unpleasant experience of having to be supervised always and being forced to work hard to achieve set objectives. This is due to the fact that some employees just like dong their job at their own peace and pleasure, which is very harmful to the company’s performance. Discouragement can also be very harmful to the company because with discouraged employees the company is sure to have poor performance, just like the case in Mills Company.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In my opinion, the company’s approach might also have created a stressful environment for some of the employees, like Carpenter. With every time being reminded that he still wasn’t improving in his work and having a negative report being produced about him every time and again might also have contributed to his poor performance. Mill Company’s approach is subject to biasness to the fact that it is based on human assessment. Take for example Carpenter’s supervisors, Henry and Crane. The two, with no other consultation, prepared all Carpenter’s reports and assessments. Though not necessary, the supervisors might just have been biased towards Carpenter. This is a very serious weakness of the system since it can lead to lay off innocent employees. The approach is also time consuming and tedious, a feature that reduces its effectiveness. Take for example when Carpenter was being recruited in the company. A lot of time was spent while Carpenter and his supervisor then, Henry Castagnera, agreed on the objectives and performance metrics of Carpenter’s position. When carpenter was demoted to a lower position, still more time was spent while forming his new objectives and performance standard s. A lot of time is also required to assess the employee’s performance and write down his report. This can also be very costly to the company due to the many meetings that have to be held to assess the employee’s performance (Aguinis, 2012). Yes I do agree with Lance Amato’s observation that carpenter should have terminated earlier. This is because according to the record, carpenter never made any improvement since he joined the company. He was just so poor in his work. Note that not even once did he get a positive remark from his supervisors. In my opinion, it was just out of pity that the company continued employing him while he was generating no good service to the company. This is because though pardoned many times and not terminated, Carpenter still made no improvement. In my opinion, since the company was keeping all his records, it should have studied his performance from the start and noted how his graph was moving. After noting that it was just a fallin g graph, Carpenter should have been given just one opportunity to make an improvement failure of which he should have been terminated immediately. Probably had he been dismissed earlier the company could have been saved from experiencing some losses and poor performance, though we are not told that such occurred (Smither, 1998).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strengths and Weaknesses of Mills Paper Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I think that Carpenter will not prevail in his charges against Mills. This is because the charges that he filed are null, void, and do not hold according to the legislation relevant for performance appraisals (Aguinis, 2012). To begin with, he claims unfair performance appraisal. This is not true since Mills appraisal was formulated according to the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which states that proper appraisals should be documented, and there should be a consistent application of performance standards. His claim of age discrimination will also not succeed because Carpenter was not discriminated by Mills in any way. The Age Discrimination Employment Act states that for this claim to succeed, an employee must have been discriminated because of his/her age with respect to any term of employment. Such include, hiring, firing promotion, layoff, and benefits among others. None of these happened to carpenter, thus all are false allegations. His claim on negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress will fail because there might have been emotional distress inflicted. It might as well have been self-inflicted since the same appraisal system was being used on all other employees and such complains had not been raised by any other employee. The only Carpenters claim that might succeed against Mills is that of lack of an appeal process for employees against the appraisal approach. Take for example in the case of Bob crane, the second supervisor of Carp enter. He just formulated the objectives on his own and brought them to carpenter. In my opinion, Carpenter should have also been given a chance to contest the objectives, which he thought were too difficult for him to achieve. Elements of a legally defensible performance appraisal system A legally defensible performance appraisal should be in writing and should contain the specific procedures to be followed. It must also specify the documentation to be used and the specific instructions for supervisors. There should be proper training for the supervisors on how to evaluate and administer the system. An objective should be established and standardized forms of related groups of employees should be used. The system should also be thoroughly communicated to employees and be given to them formally at least every once in a year. Finally, the system should be reviewed periodically to ensure it is right and up to date. References Aguinis, H. (2012). Performance Management. Boston: Pearson .Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kantola, S., Armstrong, T. Conley, J. (2003). Performance appraisals: getting results. London: Kantola Productions, Smither, J. W. (1998). Performance Appraisal: state of the art in practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1998.

Learn About Greenland

Learn About Greenland Since the eighteenth century, Greenland has been a territory controlled by Denmark. In recent years, however, Greenland has regained a considerable level of autonomy from Denmark. Greenland as a Colony Greenland first became a colony of Denmark in 1775. In 1953, Greenland was established as a province of Denmark. In 1979, Greenland was granted home rule by Denmark. Six years later, Greenland left the European Economic Community (the forerunner of the European Union) in order to keep its fishing grounds from European rules. About 50,000 of Greenlands 57,000 residents are indigenous Inuit. Greenlands Independence From Denmark It wasnt until 2008 that Greenlands citizens voted in a non-binding referendum for increased independence from Denmark. In a vote of over 75% in favor, Greenlanders voted to reduce their involvement with Denmark. With the referendum, Greenland voted to take control of law enforcement, the justice system, coast guard, and to share more equality in oil revenue. The official language of Greenland also changed to Greenlandic (also known as Kalaallisut). This change to a more independent Greenland officially took place in June 2009, the 30th anniversary of Greenlands home rule in 1979. Greenland maintains some independent treaties and foreign relations. However, Denmark retains ultimate control of foreign affairs and defense of Greenland. Ultimately, while Greenland now maintains a great deal of autonomy, it is not yet a fully independent country. Here are the eight requirements for independent country status with regard to Greenland: Has space or territory which has internationally recognized boundaries: yes Has people who live there on an ongoing basis: yes Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money: mostly, although the currency is the Danish kroner and some trade agreements remain the purview of DenmarkHas the power of social engineering, such as education: yes Has a transportation system for moving goods and people: yes Has a government which provides public services and police power: yes, although defense remains Denmarks responsibilityHas sovereignty. No other state should have power over the countrys territory: no Has external recognition. A country has been voted into the club by other countries: no Greenland reserves the right to seek complete independence from Denmark but experts currently expect that such a move is in the distant future. Greenland will need to try on this new role of increased autonomy for a few years before moving to the next step on the road to independence from Denmark.

A response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A response - Essay Example According to Braun, Justin possessed innate superman’s powers. This is because he could sing, dance and play instruments flawlessly. (Widdicombe 1). As Beibers’ manager, he was able to re-live his childhood dream of becoming a different kind of a superhero (Widdicombe 1) . It is imperative to note that he took his time to study the careers of influential people such as David Geffen who at one point worked in William Morris mailrooms but become a co-founder of the Dream Works. Marketing in this context is the strategies to gain and maintain publicity, fame and success as realized by Beiber and his manager. Their success shows how good marketing can turn over the outcomes of a project. Anything that Justin touches receives a ‘Midas’ touch because it is received positively by the public. In essence, there is nothing negative about Beiber in the context of this industry. Braun has received widespread recognition since the time when he discovered Justin Beiber on YouTube (Widdicombe 1) through his efforts; he made the first successful YouTube superstar (Widdicombe 1). His online influence and off-line marketability are flawlessly entangled. His YouTube channel has close to three billion views, while on Twitter, he acquires a new follower each second. One tweet from Justin can drive his supporters into performing stunning feats (Widdicombe 1). This shows how strong marketing skills can influence the celebrity status of an artist. Beibers position has realized remarkable following that is capable of influencing the market trends of products such as perfumes or the awareness creation on major world issues. Today, his influence as a global brand eclipses his status as an artist. Nonetheless, he still was new songs that his fans are waiting for anxiously. Beibers unprecedented growth has also propelled Braun’s career as he has secured successful

To what extent does the current law afford victims of domestic abuse Essay

To what extent does the current law afford victims of domestic abuse effective protection and support - Essay Example The 2004 Act is not restricted to just protecting previously married partners. The Act has repealed s4 which required the courts to have regard to the non-married status of cohabitants when making decisions in respect of domestic violence incidents . Legislation on domestic violence is not just limited to couples who have lived together as man and wife or as a cohabiting couple but now covers anyone who has lived in the same residence as part of a family. This includes same-sex couples as well as parent and child relationships where either the parents are attacking the children or the children are attacking the parents. It has been the long-held opinion that very few cases of domestic violence ever get to court to be fully prosecuted. There is a generalisation that most of the couples are reunited before the case gets to court . This issue has been addressed in recent develops within the criminal justice system by creating a fast-track approach, for domestic violence incidents. Throu ghout the country most police forces have now adopted a system whereby all such cases involving domestic violence of any sort have to be ready to be heard at court within 14 days of the incident.