How The USA Lost The Vietnam War Essay - 2790 Words

Robert S. McNamara, appointed by John F. Kennedy to the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1961, said about the Vietnam War, amp;#8220;It is important to recognize itamp;#8217;s a South Vietnamese war. It will be won or lost depending upon what they do. We can advise and help, but they are responsible for the final results, and it remains to be seen how they will continue to conduct that war,; (McNamara 72). Despite these guidelines for assisting in the war, the U.S. would end up doing much more than just advising. The Vietnam War was supposed to be a demonstration of how willing the U.S. was to battle communism, but ended up a personal vendetta against the North Vietnamese as the U.S. escalated its commitment in Vietnam†¦show more content†¦was eager to get into battle (Chant 9). After the French conceded defeat and were forced to withdraw by the Geneva Accords, the U.S. decided to escalate its involvement, believing the South Vietnamese wanted assistance in driving o ut communism. The U.S. knew of South Vietnamamp;#8217;s weak military condition, and became more and more involved despite an uncooperative government. Suggestions the U.S. made were ignored, and the army avoided combat (Chant 38). Without complete involvement and a true desire to win, the guerrilla warfare of the Vietcong was too effective to face in a jungle setting, especially when most Vietcong soldiers were recruited in the South and had much support from the local civilians. Despite all of these problems, the U.S. remained in Vietnam, without any clear goals or objectives, or even a clear strategy for defeating a guerrilla operation. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;For almost a century, Vietnam was the colonial property of France, however, it had a taste of independence during World War II when France was unable to maintain control . During World War II, the Viet Minh established itself as the organizational body for the resistance of French control, and went on to assist the U.S. in combat with the Japanese. On September 2, 1945, following the Japanese surrender, the leader of the Viet Minh, Ho Chi Minh, declared the creation of theShow MoreRelated‘the Usa Lost the Vietnam War Because Its Military Strategy and Tactics Were Wrong’ How Far Do You Agree?1537 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War was a prolonged, costly struggle between nationalist forces. North Vietnam wanted to unify Vietnam under communism and the USA wanted to contain communism and prevent the domino effect. More than 3 million lives were lost before the end in 1975, when communist forces conquered Saigon, the capital of the South, and the North took control. The USA withdrew in 1973 and left the fighting to the South. USA advisers believed they could beat the Vietcong, a Southern communist movement, withRead MoreEssay about Why the U.S. Withdrew Its Forces from Vietnam in 1973924 Words   |  4 PagesWithdrew Its Forces from Vietnam in 1973 The USA’s involvement in Vietnam started in 1954, for a few reasons. Firstly, the Americans were, as always, concerned with the spread of communism. They wanted to stop communism spreading through south-east Asia. They were worried that if one country were to fall to a communist leader, so would neighbouring countries. This was known as the Domino Theory. These reasons for joining the war in Vietnam and the fact that theRead MoreEssay on Reasons For The United States Involvement In The Vietnam War1108 Words   |  5 Pagesincreasingly involved with the War in Vietnam mostly thanks to their enmity with Russia due to the fact they were Communist, and how the USSR spread claiming countries that could’ve been turned democratic and become trading partners of the US. While Russia, Britain and the USA were all allies in WW1, they disagreed on many things, especially on how Germany should be punished and how should Europe be handled. THE USSR AND THE USA. During 1940-1970, the USSR and the USA were the world’s leading superpowersRead MoreEssay about The Vietnam War647 Words   |  3 PagesThe Vietnam War Sources A, B, C, E, H and I all support and say that the Americans lost the Vietnam War because of the mistakes they made. Source A talks about how President Johnson ordered the bombings of North Vietnam which got America involved too much in Vietnam which meant that he should have invaded the North. Johnson was not a ruthless man and the bombings he did were half-hearted and limited. The air force had told him that they would succeed only if there wasRead MoreThe Impact of the Media on the Vietnam War Essay1230 Words   |  5 PagesVietnam was a country divided into two by communism in the North and capitalism in the South. The Vietnam War, fought between the years 1959 and 1975, was, in essence, a struggle by nationalists in the north to unify the nation under a communist government. This was a long standing conflict between the two sides that had been occurring for years. It wasn’t until 1959 when the USA, stepped in, on the side of southern Vietnamese, to stop the spread of communism. It was a war that did not capture theRead MoreUnited States Withdrawal From Vietnam Essay1142 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States Withdrawal From Vietnam America went to war in Vietnam with an aim of destroying the Vietcong to protect South Vietnam from Communism. America was against communism and they wanted to stop the spread of it. They did not achieve what they set out to do as they had many boundaries in their way. Events both inside and outside of Vietnam led to the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. I am going to be looking at the reasons as to why American troopsRead MoreThe Vietnam War Was The War Essay1611 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the1950s North Vietnam was controlled by the Viet Cong (a National Liberation Front.) The Viet Cong were bullying South Vietnam, trying to make them a communist. Most of society will not stand up for the weaker person in a bully situation. The United States is not most of society; they believe you mess with someone your own size. Many people have different views on the Vietnam War: was the war necessary, was the war worth all the sacrifices of American troops lives, what was the United StatesRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )1116 Words   |  5 PagesFor more than twenty years, Patricia Dietz, a wife of a Vietnam veteran, has suffered along with her husband the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. She has stated that, It has changed everything; it has affected the rest of his and her life. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is when a person is haunted by his memories so badly that it affects not only the rest of his life, but others close to him as well. Any time there is a traumatic event, physical danger, or threat or personal dangerRead MoreThe Cold War During World War II930 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cold War was political hostility between the United States of America and the Soviet Union through threats, propaganda and series of warfare incidents that made these superpowers of the time suspicious of one another. With the sources of the reader I will explain who’s to be at fault for the Cold war, the United States or the Soviet Union. The term â€Å"Cold War† according to Heonik Kwon in his document origins of the Cold War â€Å"†¦ refers to the prevailing condition of the world in the second halfRead MoreUnited States Loss to Vietnam Essays1033 Words   |  5 PagesUnited States Loss to Vietnam There were many reasons for the USAs loss in the Vietnam War. There is no singular reason for the USAs loss; instead there are many, and each of these contributes to the end result. Some historians believe that the USA didnt lose the war at all. The USA first invaded Vietnam on the 8th March 1965, with the first 3,500 US marines landing on Vietnam soil, this seemingly small amount of troops would mass to 525,000 in 1967. America first

I Admire Free Essays

I admire a lot of people but the person I admire the most is my mother . She is the most important person in my life. There is no reason for me to live without her by my side. We will write a custom essay sample on I Admire or any similar topic only for you Order Now My mom is a veterinary doctor. She loved to help other because she says it was her dream when she was a child. She works hard every day and she likes to learn something new every day. She leads a wonderful family life; she is always cheerful and. She has been married for 3 years. I admire her because she is very intelligent, ambitious and she has many goals in her life. She takes care of us because she loves us. She is also a wonderful mother, very patient, sensitive and warm-hearted. She knows answers to every question, even those she’s very silly. Mom is so patient and sensible, even when she helps others to solve their problems. She is great fun to be with because she has a great sense of humor. My mother has many talents. She is a great runner, a good singer. Generally, Mum is a warm and friendly person. She is very patient and careful with everything that she does. She never lets social life get in the way of our relationship. She says that family is the most important things    in her life. She is very important to me, because she teaches me to be a better person every day. She is a good example to me and I love her for many more reasons. I admire my mom so much and I love her. She can always advise me. She wants the best things for our family . I want to be like her when I grow up and even if we were a thousand miles away our hearts will always be together and forever. How to cite I Admire, Papers

Information and Documentation Records †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Information and Documentation Records Management. Answer: Introduction: Engineers design materials, systems, and structures which having in mind the restrictions practically imposed by regulation, cost, and safety. The education period for one who wishes to be an engineer is four years for bachelors degree. The work of an engineer forms a connection between applications to human needs and scientific discoveries in the field of engineering. Designing: An engineer should develop a new technology of a given solution. During the process of engineering design, the work of an engineer may include the definition of the problem, research, analyzing solution to the problem, and decision making. The engineer must categorize the different choices of design that he has come up with and decide on which on is the best design basing his decision on merits of a particular design or cost of the design (Bos, 2004 p. 154). Analysis: The engineers should apply the techniques of analysis in engineering that is used for production, maintenance, and testing. There are some fields of engineers that are based in the factory to supervise the factorys production, failure of systems, and testing the output of the factory. The engineer also can estimate the production duration and time of completion of the output of the factory. Engineering analysis involves the use of principles of scientific analysis and processes to disclose the state and properties of the system being studied. The analysis can also involve establishing failure in the operations and specifications of the components that are used in operation. Many engineers will prefer to use computer programs in production and analyze of a design for easy monitoring and control of a process(Bos, 2004 p. 187). Specification and Management: Engineering involves the specialization in one or many disciplines in engineering. Specialization in engineering enables an engineer to concentrate in a particular area of specialization and manage the field effectively. For example in Civil Engineering, there are subdivisions such as material engineering, transportation engineering, and structural engineering. The following are some of the branches of engineering and their applications: Aerospace Engineering; Focuses on the development of spacecraft and aircraft. They produce robotics and aircraft. Architectural engineering and Building Engineering; Focuses on construction and building of structures such as bridges, houses, and roads Biomedical Engineering; Focuses on closing the gap between medicine and engineering so as to improve various healthcare treatment. This group of engineers deals with tissue growth, medical devices, prostheses, and safety mechanisms. Chemical Engineering; Focuses on the manufacture of chemicals and production processes of the chemicals. They deal with chemicals, petroleum, raw materials, and medicines. Civil Engineering; Focuses on the construction of large structures and systems. They deal with the construction of buildings, dams, roads, and bridges. Computer Engineering; Focuses on the development and design of computer software systems and hardware system. They deal with operating systems, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and systems that are embedded. Electrical Engineers; Focuses on the designing of circuit and electrical systems. They deal with electronic devices and computers. Industrial Engineering; Focuses on optimization, design, and logistics in production. This field also focuses on services to the components of the system. They deal with manufacturing systems, supply chains, quantity control, and warehousing. Mechanical Engineering; Focuses on operation and development of systems of energy, transport, and machines. They deal with spacecraft, machines, cars, and generation of power (Beder, 2001 p. 187). Ensuring safety and welfare of the public and clients: An engineer should ensure that the area under construction is well protected against injuries that can arise as a result of poor construction or failure of the machines. The engineer should ensure that all the safety installation of every equipment and machine are in place. Professional Ethics: It is very unethical for an engineer to practice in the field in which he is not specialized in. An engineer should not perform any duties that are unlawful or accept bribes for someone who wants favors. It is unethical for an engineer to design substandard systems that may fail after a few operations. Legal liabilities: Engineers should uphold the requirements of the law and ensure that all the constructions are in the right standard as required by the legal requirements. For electrical engineers, there are electrical standards that should be met regarding the voltage requirement and safety measures for every country. Quality: Engineers should observe the quality of all the designs they are coming up with. An engineer balances the quality of the product with the cost when designing a component. For civil engineers, the quality of construction is measured by its durability and little maintenance required for a long duration. Communication: Engineers should practice effective communication between other engineers and the clients they are dealing with. Communication will ensure that engineers get the correct specifications that are required by the client. Engineers should consult among themselves so as to develop quality designs that are standard (Bos, 2004 p. 214). Importance of employing principles of sustainable development Sustainable development is the process of moving activities of human to a pattern that can be sustained frequently. It involved balancing the environmental impacts on the development in the field of engineering. Engineers should also focus on the effects a design they are coming up with on the environment. Sustainable development focuses the following areas: Natural resources and economic capacity Human capital and social expectations Techno-economic systems; Represents the skills of human that are deployed so as to sustain the environment. Both of which provide the energy and material resources despite the emissions and waste from engineering sector(Muschett, 2003 p. 147). Some of the sustainability issues in engineering sector include: Rivers and lakes- Civil Engineering Most of the civil engineers use water from Lakes and Rivers during constructions. Engineers should come up with ways of maintaining the water sources and prevent pollution through channeling the waste back to the water sources. Laundry cleaning products- Chemical Engineering Most chemicals used in the laundry cleaning come from chemical manufacturing. These chemicals can be dangerous when they spill in soil or water sources. When proper waste Management strategies are put in place, the environment will be sustained from pollution. Mobile phone and other communication gadgets- Electrical and electronics engineering. Most communication gadgets cause noise pollution, and therefore there is need on sustaining the environment from the pollution caused by the devices. Noise pollution damages the ear drum of people around a given area (Voigt, 2007 p. 126). Management of Information and Documentation Management of information and documentation is a system that deals with tracking, managing, and storing of documents by the use of computer programs so as to reduce the paperwork. The management of information and documentation involve the following components: Metadata: This is normally stored for every document. Metadata include the date of the document being stored and the identity of the user who is storing the document. The resulting source can be used to locate and track the document when there is the need. Integration: Many systems of managing information and documentation attempts to integrate the system of document management directly into other applications, so as the user can get the existing document directly from the system of management (O'Connor, 2005 p. 178). Capture: This step involves accepting and processing image of the paper documentation from printers or scanners. Capture may also involve accepting computer-based based files and electronic documents. Validation: This is a visual registration system that is used in case of missing signatures, failure in the document, and misspelled a name. Indexing: Indexing is used to tracks documents that are electronic in nature. This process may be used to keep unique documents that are identified; but it is normally more complex by proving the classification through the metadata of the document or information (Staff, 2006 p. 126). Storage: Storage of information and documents involves management of the data through the location where they are stored, duration of the storage, and the movement of the document from one location to another. The ease of retrieval of a document from the storage place is very necessary especially when the document or information is required urgently. Effective communication across a range of contexts Effective communication involves sharing information between two people where one party is sending information which can easily be understood by the party that is receiving the information. When one needs to communicate effectively across a range of contexts, the following are some of the key points to be noted: Know the audience: The speaker should think about the audience that is being targeted in the speech and if they will all fit into the goal intended (Voigt, 2007 p. 219). The audience to be addressed can be categorized as the following: Advocate who promotes the goal intended Neutral who has no opinion of the goal Critic who has a concern about the intended goal Blockers who seek to prevent the intended goal Supporters The stage of discussion: The speaker needs to know the knowledge and level of education of the audience that is to be addressed. The education level of the audience will affect the nature of the speed such as the vocabulary of the worlds and the explanation to provide. Be prepared: The speaker should be fully prepared before going to the stage. Preparation involves taking notes of the key points to be discussed and having proper equipment and tools that are to be used by the speaker. Evidence and tools to be used during the presentation: The speaker can use different types of tools as evidence to give the audience confidence in the information being provided. The speaker can use projectors to display the information for the audience to follow the speech (Robin Letellier, 2008 p. 179). During the speech delivery, the speaker can employ techniques of speech-delivery; Maintaining eye contact with the audience Involving the audience in the discussion through asking questions Using tonal variations Using the body language Conclusion The objective of this research is to discuss the roles, responsibilities, and the need to employ principles of sustainable development in the field of engineering. The roles of the engineers in the society are discussed above together with their responsibilities. The essay also composes the documentation of information and effective communication across a range of context. Bibliography Beder Sharon The New Engineer: Management and Professional Responsibility in a Changing World [Book].- Michigan: Macmillan Education AU, 2001. Bos Annette The Role of Engineers in the Demand Responsive Approach: A Case Study from South Africa [Book].- Paris: WEDC, Loughborough University, 2004. Muschett F. Douglas Principles of Sustainable Development [Book].- Michigan: CRC Press, 2003. O'Connor Patrick The New Management of Engineering [Book].- London: Lulu.com, 2005, 2005. Robin Letellier Rand Eppich Recording, Documentation and Information Management for the Conservation of Heritage Places [Book].- California: Routledge, 2008. Staff British Standards Institute Information and Documentation. Records Management. Concepts and Principles [Book].- London: B S I Standards, 2006. Voigt Christina Sustainable Development As a Principle of International Law: Resolving Conflicts Between Climate Measures and WTO Law [Book].- New York: BRILL, 2007.

The Construction Quality Assessment System Construction Essay Example For Students

The Construction Quality Assessment System Construction Essay CONQUAS stands for Construction Quality Assessment System. Construction Industry Development Board Singapore now known as the Building and Construction Authority have developed it for the major public sector bureaus and the assorted taking industry professional organic structures to mensurate the quality degree of completed undertaking ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . The Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) is an bureau under the Singapore s Ministry of National Development. The BCA is defending the development of an first-class built environment for Singapore. Built environment refers to edifices, constructions and substructure in our milieus that provide the scene for the community s activities. ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) We will write a custom essay on The Construction Quality Assessment System Construction specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now At the beginning, the CONQUAS was introduced merely to the local building industry. CONQUAS have been launched since 1989 ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . Today, CONQUAS is widely recognized and besides accepted internationally as a benchmarking tool for quality. CONQUAS is now a registered hallmark. CONQUAS have adapted in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and India, UK and Hong Kong building industries ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . The purpose of CONQUAS was introduced to hold a standard quality appraisal system for building undertakings. Furthermore, CONQUAS is to enable quality appraisal to be carried out consistently within sensible cost and clip. Besides, CONQUAS is used to mensurate quality of constructed plants against craft criterions and specification ( Building and Construction Industry, 2005 ) . However, CONQUAS is an independent appraisal. It is carried out by assessors from BCA Singapore. It was designed to estimate and benchmark the quality of craft through the sampling attack. On the other manus, it means non every unit will be inspected or evaluated by the assessor. Random samples will be pre-selected and inspected to stand for the quality of the whole undertaking ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . Since the launch of CONQUAS in 1989, more than 2,238 public and private edifice undertakings have been assessed by BCA. The entire cumulative contract value of the assessed undertakings exceeds 81.9billion Singapore dollar ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . In 1998, BCA introduced a figure of new characteristics to CONQUAS ensuing in the launch of CONQUAS 21 ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . Now, Malaysia is using CONQUAS 21 into the edifice undertakings. Outline1 Problem Statement2 Aims A ; Aims3 Purposes4 Aims5 Scope of survey6 Research Methodologies7 Literature Research8 Interview9 Case Study10 Chapter Outline11 Chapter 1: Introduction12 Chapter 2: Literature Reappraisal13 Chapter 3: Planing the instance survey and research methodological analysis14 Chapter 4: Analysis of the secondary informations15 Chapter 5: Decision and farther surveies16 Plan and Agenda17 Planned Agenda18 2009/201019 2010/201120 Second Semester21 First Semester22 Second Semester23 Nov24 Dec25 May26 June27 July28 Aug29 Sep30 Oct31 Nov32 Dec33 Actual Agenda34 2009/201035 2010/201136 Second Semester37 First Semester38 Second Semester39 Nov40 Dec41 May42 June43 July44 Aug45 Sep46 Oct47 Nov48 Dec49 Chapter 250 Literature Review51 2.1 Quality Philosophy52 Definition of Quality53 Basic Concept of Quality54 Q=P/E55 Table 1: Nine dimensions of quality and their footings56 Dimension57 Footings58 Adapted from Garvin, 1988, Pull offing Quality: The strategic and Competit ive Edge, New York: Free Press.59 2.1.3 Quality Management60 Figure 1: The four phases of quality direction61 Adapted from Dale, Boaden and Lescelles 1994: Degrees of entire quality direction acceptance62 Figure 2: The four phases of quality direction63 Quality Assurance64 Entire Quality Management65 Quality Control66 Inspection67 Adapted from Steven McCabe 1988: Quality Improvement Techniques in Construction68 Concept and Principles of CONQUAS 2169 2.2.1 Introduction70 2.2.2 Aims of CONQUAS 2171 Scope of CONQUAS 2172 Components to be assessed73 The Weightages74 Table 2: The Weightages in CONQUAS 2175 Components76 Structural Plants77 30 %78 35 %79 45 %80 40 %81 Architectural Works82 50 %83 55 %84 50 %85 55 %86 M A ; E Works87 20 %88 10 %89 5 %90 5 %91 CONQUAS Mark92 100 %93 100 %94 100 %95 100 %96 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) : CONQUAS 21 manual book97 CONQUAS Assessor98 Sampling99 The appraisal of CONQUAS 21100 Assessment attack101 Structural plants app raisal102 Table 3: The appraisal of a strengthened concrete construction103 Reinforced Concrete Structure104 Weightage %105 Entire106 100107 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book108 Table 4: Guidelines for Structural plants appraisal109 Items110 GFA per Sample111 Min Sample112 Max Sample113 Remarks114 115 116 117 118 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book119 Table 5: Structural Steelwork120 Structural Steelwork121 Weightage %122 Entire123 100124 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book125 Table 6: Pre-stressed Concrete126 Pre-stressed Concrete127 Weightage %128 Entire129 100130 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book131 Table 7: Choice of Samples for Structural Steelwork132 Items133 Steel tunnage per sample134 Min Sample135 Structural Elementss136 250137 5138 250139 5140 500141 5142 500143 5144 Material A ; Functional Test145 Adapted from Building an d Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book146 Architectural Works Assessment147 Table 8: The Assessment of Architectural Works148 Architectural Elementss149 Weightage %150 Entire151 Breakdown152 Internal Finishes153 56154 Roof155 4156 External Wall157 12158 External Work159 6160 Material A ; Functional Trials161 22162 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book163 Table 9: Guidelines for Architectural Works Assessment164 Items165 GFA per Sample166 Min Sample167 Max Sample168 Remarks169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book185 M A ; E Works Assessment186 Table 10: The Assessment of M A ; E Works187 M A ; E Elementss188 CATA189 CAT B190 CAT C191 CAT D192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 Entire201 100 %202 100 %203 100 %204 100 %205 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book206 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority : CONQUAS 21 manual book207 Table 12: Guidelines for M A ; E Works Assessment208 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book209 Calculation of CONQUAS Score210 Scenario:211 Measure 1: Calculation of Structural Score212 Measure 2: Calculation of Architectural Score213 Measure 3: Calculation of M A ; E Score214 Measure 4: Calculation of Final CONQUAS Score215 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book216 The Advantages of Implementing CONQUAS 21217 The Problems Occur When Applying CONQUAS 21218 The Summary Problem Statement The standard quality of the edifice merchandise becomes the important issue that is ever discussed and disputed by the contractors, developers, and investors or house purchasers. Quality appraisal of the edifice before the developer vacant ownership to the buyer is the important issue for the developer. The developer shall bringing the concluding edifice merchandise to the buyer which the edifice is achieved a standard quality. However, how many will inquire: How should I guarantee the quality of the merchandise ( belongings ) that I purchased is reasonably justified with the sum of money that I paid? Many of the investors and the house purchaser are giving a immense money to name a celebrated Feng Shui maestro, to carry on a belongings studies and engaged belongings agent prior doing determination to put the belongings. Has the choice criterion of the edifice merchandise been assured and same as the show unit? ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . There are many developers intended to present the concluding merchandise to the terminal user with free of defects and good in quality. Therefore, to accomplish the standard quality of the edifice production, the contractor can follow the Construction Quality Assessment ( CONQUAS 21 ) in the undertaking to give the quality confidence craft of constructing merchandise. Although, the CONQUAS 21 is applied in building industry, nevertheless, it is brought any benefits to the contractors, developers and terminal users? Furthermore, what are the impact of the CONQUAS 21 toward the contractors, developers and stop user? Consequently, the research worker will transport out the research sing the application of quality appraisal system ( CONQUAS 21 ) in building industry. Aims A ; Aims Purposes To look into Quality Assessment System ( CONQUAS 21 ) in building industry. Aims To analyze the rule and construct of CONQUAS 21 To happen out jobs occur when using the CONQUAS 21 To happen out the advantages of utilizing CONQUAS 21 Scope of survey The research will supply a item description on the criterion of CONQUAS 21 and processs of the system. This is done through literature reappraisal on diary documents, conference documents, books and shoping through web sites. Besides that, the research worker aims to the population of local contractors and developers who are adopted CONQUAS 21 in the building undertakings. Researcher will look into the ground of implementing the CONQUAS 21 in building industry. Furthermore, research will in-deep investigate respect the impacts and advantages of CONQUAS 21. Basically, a instance survey will be conducted to obtain more information sing the execution of CONQUAS 21. Research Methodologies Literature Research Cover diaries, relevant text edition, and internet research and conference paper is the beginnings that I obtain my information and making for my literature research. Interview Site agent, supervisor and the site director will be interviewed by the researched to acquire more inside informations about the CONQUAS 21. The interview is hold at Swiss Garden Residences site. Case Study Site visit to the Swiss Garden Residence would be the best manner to calculate out the effectivity of CONQUAS 21. Besides that, it is to calculate out the jobs occur when using the CONQUAS 21. Chapter Outline Chapter 1: Introduction In this chapter, the research worker is traveling to somewhat present the background of CONQUAS. Besides that, the research worker is traveling to speak about the purposes and aims for this research. Chapter 2: Literature Reappraisal In this chapter, the research worker is traveling to discourse the construct and rule of CONQUAS 21. The information sing the CONQUAS 21 are obtained from the literatures from books, articles, diaries and web site. Furthermore, the research worker is traveling to notice on the advantages of CONQUAS 21 and the impact of using the CONQUAS 21. Chapter 3: Planing the instance survey and research methodological analysis The research worker is traveling to utilize Swiss Garden Residences as the instance survey for CONQUAS 21. The research worker is traveling to interview the undertaking director, site director and site agent for obtaining the relevant information. Chapter 4: Analysis of the secondary informations After roll uping the information, the research worker is traveling to make the analysis for the information obtained. The research worker is traveling to reason on the information obtained and give some sentiment sing the CONQUAS 21. Chapter 5: Decision and farther surveies In this chapter, the research worker is traveling to do a decision for the whole research and province out the farther surveies for quality appraisal. Plan and Agenda Planned Agenda 2009/2010 2010/2011 Second Semester First Semester Second Semester Nov Dec May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Introduction Literature Review Planing instance survey Analysis Decision Actual Agenda 2009/2010 2010/2011 Second Semester First Semester Second Semester Nov Dec May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Introduction Literature Review Planing instance survey Analysis Decision Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Quality Philosophy Definition of Quality Different party defines the quality in different manner. Some people will specify it as to run into contract demands, alternatively some people define it as the satisfaction of client and others besides define as it reaches the needed criterions. Totality of features of an entity that bear on its ability to fulfill stated or implied demands is the definition that The National Organization for Standardization ( ISO ) defines quality ( Chung, 1999 ) . The purposes or demands have been fulfilled or reached by any party, intend the quality criterion has been achieved. Furthermore, quality besides can be defined based on ain sentiment such as providing clients with merchandises and services that systematically meet their demands and outlooks ( S.L. Tang, 2005 ) , performance to the criterion expected by the client ( S.L. Tang, 2005 ) and fitness for intent ( Chung, 1999 ) . However, the definiton of quality is based on how a party to specify, it can be defined is several manner. Basic Concept of Quality Quality is the most of import factor to be concerned in every field including building field. In order to accomplish the quality, the industries have come out with there are assessment system and guidelines to be carried out to guarantee the plants done in the building industry can accomplish the quality. ISO 9001:2000, Quality Assessment System in Construction ( QLASSIC ) and Construction Quality Assessment ( CONQUAS ) is the appraisal system that ever used by constrction industry to guarantee the plants done reach the quality standard demand. Case survey of CONQUAS will be carried out in more inside informations later. Quality can be quantified as follows: Q=P/E Where, Q = quality P = public presentation E = outlook If Q is greater than 1.0, so the client has a good feeling about the merchandises or services ( Besterfield, 1998 ) . Furthermore, There are nine dimensions in the quality. All dimensions are independent, which means that an terminal merchandise can be first-class in one dimension but hapless in others ( Besterfield, 1998 ) . These nine dimensions inside informations and their footings is the followers: Table 1: Nine dimensions of quality and their footings Dimension Footings Performances Primary products/service characteristic such as clip, cost and craft facet. Features Secondary feature, added consideration such as creativeness in design and attractivenes. Conformity Meeting specification or industry criterions, craft and client s demand in contract. Dependability Consistency of public presentation over clip, mean clip for the unit to neglect. Lastingness Useful life period with less care or fix. Service Resolution of jobs and ailments, easiness of fix. Response Human to human interface such as efficiency during meeting, fast determination devising, effectual human resources direction. Aestheticss Centripetal features in design such as exterior coatings. Reputaion Past public presentation such as being ranked foremost in the tendering procedure. Adapted from Garvin, 1988, Pull offing Quality: The strategic and Competitive Edge, New York: Free Press. Furthermore, there are ever the relationship between quality with cost, value, rhythm clip and productiveness. The inside informations of the relationship is shown as followers: Quality and Productivity Productivity addition will act upon the quality by betterment Productivity = Salcable end product / Resources used Quality and Costss Cost will increase if the quality of conformity addition Cost will increase if the quality of design addition Quality and Cycle Time The rhythm clip will be cut down if there is betterment of quality attempt The rhythm clip to finish the activities is the cardinal parametric quantity .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .postImageUrl , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:hover , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:visited , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:active { border:0!important; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:active , .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0 .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucc38ff91d3cca21a9cc38c890b0241d0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Counseling Processes EssayQuality and Value Organizations must evalute the value they provide, comparative to the competition Value = Quality / Price ( S.L. Tang, 2005 ) 2.1.3 Quality Management Quality direction will act upon the quality straight. The rules of quality direction are applicable to every industry, within all administrations and at every degree ( McCabe, 1988 ) . The basic end of quality direction is the riddance of failure: both in the construct and world of merchandises, services and procedures ( Juran, 1989 ) . The quality direction is defined as all activities of the overall direction map that determine the quality policy, aims and duties, and implement them by agencies such as quality planning, quality control, quality confidence, and quality betterment within the quality system ( McCabe, 1988 ) The quality direction have four phases in development, known as: Quality Inspection, Quality Control ( QC ) , Quality Assurance ( QA ) and Entire Quality Management ( TQM ) ( UTM, 2003 ) . Inspection and Quality Control are retrospective ; their purpose is find out the occurred job by sensing manner. Alternatively, the purpose of Quality Assurance and Total Quality Management is cut down and to avoid jobs happening ( McCabe, 1988 ) . The feature of the different phases in Quality Management as shown followers: Figure 1: The four phases of quality direction TQM QA QC Inspection Adapted from Dale, Boaden and Lescelles 1994: Degrees of entire quality direction acceptance Figure 2: The four phases of quality direction Quality Assurance Quality systems development Advanced quality planning Comprehensive quality manuals Use of quality costs Engagement of non-production operations Failure manner Entire Quality Management Policy deployment Involve providers and clients Involve all operations Process direction Performance direction Teamwork Employee engagement Quality Control Develop quality manual Procedure public presentation informations Self-inspection Merchandise proving Basic quality planning Use of basic statistics Paperwork controls Inspection Salvage Screening, rating, relending Corrective actions Identify beginnings of non-conformance Adapted from Steven McCabe 1988: Quality Improvement Techniques in Construction Phase 1: Inspection The first phase of quality direction is review. The review is defined as activity such as measurement, analyzing, proving or estimating one or more features of an entity and comparing these consequences with specified demands in order to set up whether conformance is achieved for each feature ( McCabe, 1988 ) . Inspection is used by most of the building industry to guarantee the conformity. The site supervisor will carried out the review of the building undertaking. The supervisor will do the comparing the architectural plants and structural based on the specification and drawing. If there is any faulty plants found by the clients, the contractor demand to rectify the faulty plants until fulfill the client s demand. Phase 2: Quality Control ( QC ) Quality control will be carried out after the review done. Quality control is considered as a system of everyday proficient activities, to mensurate and command the quality of the stock list as it is being developed ( Mangino, 1996 ) . The process of Quality control is really complicated. QC largely is based on the statistical analysis. Collection of informations is required in QC to keep the quality by statistical techniques. Phase 3: Quality Assurance Quality confidence is defined as all the planned activities implemented within the quality system, and demonstrated as needed, to supply equal assurance that an entity will carry through demands for quality ( McCabe, 1988 ) . The aim of Quality Assurance ( QA ) is to supply equal assurance that a service or merchandise will carry through clients demand by executing system audit, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, design of experiment and similar enterprises ( UTM, 2003 ) . In other words, QA is more specified on planning. The bar of hapless quality and defects is based on sensing activities. Phase 4: Entire Quality Management The concluding phase of quality direction is Entire Quality Management. The execution and apprehension of quality direction rules and constructs in every facet of concern activities are involved in this phase. The best service or merchandise will be provided to the client at the lower cost by utilizing these activities. However, TQM is less formal ; holding either processs or system, and it is difficult to be described due to it is less in formality ( McCabe, 1988 ) . Normally, merely counsel will be provided by TQM and it consider as a doctrine. Concept and Principles of CONQUAS 21 2.2.1 Introduction Recently, the demand of clients towards the edifice that they purchase is quality. They wish to acquire the best quality of the purchase edifice as possible. In this status, the developers have to play an of import function to guarantee the quality of the edifice undertaking. The developers overcome the job by utilizing Quality Assurance ( QA ) and Quality Control ( QC ) into the building undertaking to keep the criterion of quality as the demand. CONQUAS 21, ISO 9001:2000, QLASSIC will go the pick for the developers for their appraisal system. Case survey about CONQUAS 21 will be carried out by the research worker in more inside informations. 2.2.2 Aims of CONQUAS 21 There are three aims in the CONQUAS 21 system: Act as a standard quality appraisal system in building undertakings. Inspecting quality appraisal by: Measuring the specification and criterion of the craft in the plants done Randomly choosing the sample as represent the whole undertaking To enable quality appraisal consistently take topographic point within sensible cost and clip ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) Scope of CONQUAS 21 In CONQUAS 21 system, all the plants done will be given points based on the quality criterion. All of the given points will be added together to acquire the entire quality mark which besides known as CONQUAS mark for the building undertaking ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . The quality craft is better, the higher of CONQUAS mark will be obtained. 100 % is the maximal CONQUAS mark in building undertaking, but our human being is unable to build a work with zero-defects. The general edifice plant is covered by CONQUAS 21 system. There are 3 constituents in the appraisal: Structural Plants Architectural Works and Mechanical A ; Electrical ( M A ; E ) Works There are different point to be assessed in the different constituent stated above ( Building and Construction Authority, 2005 ) . CONQUAS 21 is considered as first clip right review attack ( Building and Construction Authority, 2005 ) means that the rectification plants will non take into consideration in CONQUAS 21 mark for the appraisal. Furthermore, trying system is the appraisal system used in the CONQUAS. The assessor will take the unit harmonizing to the norm, 1-in-4 flat units in a residential development for the appraisal ( Building and Construction Authority, 2005 ) . Thus, which unit will be chosen is unknown so the contractors have to guarantee all of the constructed plants are in good quality status. If there is any faulty found, the plants will be considered as failed. Besides, the to a great extent equipment-base such as heavy foundation, sub-structure plants and stacking is non available for appraisal and the work separate contracts or sub-contracts are non included in the appraisal ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . The review is different with the review done by the site supervisor. Normally, the contractors have to intentionally make an agreement for the review which form a specific squad for the review. There is a guideline have to be followed for the appraisal. Components to be assessed Structural Works, Architectural Works and M A ; E Works are the constituents under CONQUAS 21 appraisal. Structural Plants Structural Works can be considered as body for a edifice, the stableness of the edifice will be affected if there is failure or defect in structural plants. Therefore, keep its quality is necessary due to the cost of rectification is really expensive. Below show the inside informations of the appraisal of Structural Works: Inspection of finished concrete, formwork and steel support have to be carried out on site during the building site. If any constituent constitutes exceed 20 % of the entire structural cost, the pre-stressed concrete and structural steel are included in the appraisal. If found the precast concrete volume more than 20 % of structural concrete volume, the precast elements have to be assessed. Tensile strength of steel support and testing of compressive strength of concrete will be carried out on research lab testing. Non-destructive testing of the uniformity and the screen of hard-boiled concrete. ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) Appendix 1 shows the quality criterions of Structural Works. Architectural Works The constituents and coatings are classified in Architectural Works. The craft and quality can be easy seen and found. Below are the inside informations of appraisal of Architectural Works: After the edifice have complete, the appraisal have to be carried out on roofs, external plants, external walls and internal coatings. All the appraisal have to be carried out on site. Internal walls, doors, constituents, Windowss and floors are classified under the internal coatings. Functional and material trials such as on external walls and adhesion of internal wall tiles and water-tightness of window. ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) Appendix 2 shows Architectural Works quality criterion. Mechanical A ; Electrical ( M A ; E ) Works The advancement of whole edifice will be influenced by M A ; E Works. Air conditioning A ; Mechanical Ventilation Works ( ACMV ) , Electrical works, the footing M A ; E adjustments and Fire Protection Works are classified under the advancement of the edifice. Below are the phase of appraisal: Concealed pipes, ACMV ductworks and electrical conduits are classified as installed plants, the review on the point have to be carried out before embedded on site. The chilling tower, fire dismay control panel and Air-Handling Unit ( AHU ) are the concluding installed plants which the appraisal have to be carried out on site. Dry Riser Test, Earthing Test and Water Pressure Test are considered as selected plants. The public presentation trials are carried out on them. ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) Appendix 3 show the choice criterion of M A ; E Works. The Weightages Cat A ( Commercial, Industrial, Institution and Others ) , CAT B ( Condominium, Institution and Others ) , CAT C ( Public lodging ) , and CAT D ( Landed belongingss ) are the four classs of edifice that distribute the weightages for M A ; E Works, Architectural Works and Structural Works in CONQUAS 21 system. The aim of weightage system is doing the quality of a edifice is based on the CONQUAS mark, it is a via media between the cost proportions of the three constituents in the assorted edifices and their aesthetic consideration ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . In general, M A ; E works consist 10 % for four classs of edifice in norm, 35 % is consisted by the Structural plants and the highest per centum is consisted by Architectural plants which 50 % in norm for the four classs of edifices. The quality of Architect works is the most of import with the highest per centum, second is represented by the Structural plants and M A ; E works is the lowest. Table 2: The Weightages in CONQUAS 21 Components CAT A Commercial, Industrial, Institution A ; Others CAT B Commercial, Industrial, Institution A ; Others CAT C Public Housing CAT D Landed Properties Structural Plants 30 % 35 % 45 % 40 % Architectural Works 50 % 55 % 50 % 55 % M A ; E Works 20 % 10 % 5 % 5 % CONQUAS Mark 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % Note: In general, undertakings with cardinal chilling system holding chilling tower, hair-raiser system, etc are classified under CAT A. Otherwise, it will be classified under CAT B. Appendix 5 provides a ushers with listing of constructing under the assorted classs. Adapted from Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) : CONQUAS 21 manual book CONQUAS Assessor In CONQUAS 21 system, merely the Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) officer can be the assessor to inspect the plants done of the undertaking. BCA will carry on a standardization plan and preparation for assessors to go to to guarantee competence and consistence in the appraisal ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . Furthermore, CONQUAS 21 system is consider as independent appraisal. Therefore, if the edifice or parts of the edifice undertaking are acceptable, the designers and applied scientists are non allowed to utilize CONQUAS to do any determination unless the edifice contract stipulate it ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . Sampling Sampling system is introduced in the CONQUAS 21 system for the appraisal. It is impossible for us to inspect every unit of the plants done. Therefore, the sampling system is used for the appraisal, it helps the accessor a batch by salvaging the clip and do the appraisal easier due to the samples will be indiscriminately chosen by the assessor for review. Furthermore, the trying system want to do certain the review is sufficient to stand for the whole edifice by mentioning to the gross floor country of the edifice. The appraisal of CONQUAS 21 Assessment attack Sampling system is used by the CONQUAS 21 as the appraisal system, the sample will be indiscriminately selected for the quality appraisal harmonizing to the location program and drawing program and it will be distributed based on the building phases ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . The marking will be done on the plants that are inspected for the first clip because the aim of this pattern is to promote contractors making things right the first clip is the rule of the CONQUAS 21 system which want to do certain all the contractor do the plants good and keep the quality in first clip. Therefore, the marking will non take into history for the rectification works, merely the first clip works done will be inspected and scored in the CONQUAS 21 system ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . In make fulling the appraisal signifier, Ten intend the work done do non carry through the CONQUAS quality criterion after review on it. Alternatively, see the inspected work have reached the quality criterion stated in the CONQUAS system. Besides, non applicable point will be noted as in the assessment signifier. The figure of over the entire figure of point assessed is the concluding mark of CONQUAS for the whole undertaking. Structural plants appraisal After the whole undertakings have been completed, the review on structural plants merely can be done. Wall, slab, beam and column can be classified as the Structural plants. Below show the inside informations of the appraisal of a strengthened concrete construction: Table 3: The appraisal of a strengthened concrete construction Reinforced Concrete Structure Weightage % Formwork 15 Rebar 20 Finished Concrete 25 Concrete Quality 5 Steel Reinforcement Quality 5 NDT UPV trial for concrete uniformity 15 NDT Electro-Cover metre trial for concrete screen 15 Entire 100 *If entire precast concrete volume exceeds 20 % of entire structural concrete volume, appraisal will be carried out for precast concrete building. The points will be distributed proportionally between formwork/rebar appraisal and precast concrete appraisal based on the several concrete volume per centum. Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book The structural plants appraisal is carried out by utilizing trying system which mean merely portion of the samples have been chosen to stand for whole undertaking for the appraisal, non every unit is inspected. Therefore, there are some guidelines for the appraisal of structural plants. The guidelines are shown as below: Table 4: Guidelines for Structural plants appraisal Items GFA per Sample Min Sample Max Sample Remarks 1 Structural Elementss 500 M2 30 150 For Non-Housing Project 1a Strctural Elementss 1500 M2 30 50 For Housing Project 2 Concrete Compressive Strength 100 % Declaration by Qualified Person 3 Steel support Tensile Strength 100 % Declaration by Qualified Person 4 NDT UPV trial for concrete uniformity 5,000 M2 2 sets .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .postImageUrl , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:hover , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:visited , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:active { border:0!important; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:active , .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1b76a3cd31e9e9eefe79ad2e50d0a66c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 1929 Stock Market Crash Essay20 sets 5 construction members per set 5 NDT Electro-Cover metre trial for concrete screen 5,000 M2 2 sets 20 sets 5 construction members per set Note: The computed figure of elements to be checked must be equally distributed throughout the full block and screen at least 50 % of floors in a block. They should besides every bit far as possible cover the different types of structural elements. Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book The review is merely site review, the review can non be done at precast pace due to all the construction works to be inspected is cast unmoved concrete plants, non the precast constituent. The review of the structural plant is harmonizing to conformity to the criterions ( see in the Appendix 1, 1a, 1b A ; 1c ) . The farther appraisal will be required if the structural steelwork in the structural plants exceed 20 % of the structural cost and the points will be distributed proportionally. The Pre-stressing Works is similar with the structural steelwork ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . Below table show how the points of pre-stressed concrete and structural steelwork are distributed: Table 5: Structural Steelwork Structural Steelwork Weightage % Main member/Partially Assembled Component 40 Metallic element Decking 20 Erection Tolerances 10 Corrosion A ; Fire Protection 10 Welding Test Reports 20 Entire 100 Note: Appraisal for structural steel roof truss is mandatory irregardless of the 20 % bing standards. Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Table 6: Pre-stressed Concrete Pre-stressed Concrete Weightage % Tendon A ; Anchorage 25 Sheathing 25 Stressing A ; Grouting 25 Debonding 25 Entire 100 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Table 7: Choice of Samples for Structural Steelwork Items Steel tunnage per sample Min Sample Structural Elementss Main member/Partially Assembled Component 250 5 Metallic element Decking 250 5 Erection Tolerances 500 5 Corrosion A ; Fire Protection 500 5 Material A ; Functional Test Welding Test Reports ( NDT ) All critical welding articulations Note: Samples will be taken earlier and after installing Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Architectural Works Assessment After the edifice undertaking is completed, the review of Architectural plants will be taken topographic point to mensurate the quality of the plants done but with a status all of the appraisal have to be done before the contractor grip over the undertaking to the proprietor. Below show the inside informations of the appraisal of Architectural plants: Table 8: The Assessment of Architectural Works Architectural Elementss Weightage % Entire Breakdown Internal Finishes 56 Floor 16 Internal wall 16 Ceiling 6 Door 6 Window 6 Component 6 Roof 4 4 External Wall 12 12 External Work 6 6 Material A ; Functional Trials 22 Pre-packed Plaster 1 Field Window Water-Tightness Test ( WTT ) ( BCA Test 8 platinums + Self-Testing 2 platinums ) 10 Wet Area Water-Tihtness Test ( BCA Test 4 platinums + Self-Testing 1 platinum ) 5 Internal Wet Area Waterproofing Process 2 Pull-Off-Test for Internal Wall Tiles 4 Entire 100 Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Architectural plants is utilizing trying system for appraisal excessively which is similar to the Structural plants, Architectural works have its ain guideline for the sampling. Different classs of edifice are varied in the guideline stated. Below are the guidelines of the sampling: Table 9: Guidelines for Architectural Works Assessment Items GFA per Sample Min Sample Max Sample Remarks 1 Internal Finishes 500 M2 30 150 For Non-Housing Project 1a Internal Finishes 70 M2 30 800 For all Private Housing Project 1b Internal Finishes 70 M2 30 600 For Public Housing 2 External Wall 50 % 50 % of the blocks/units 3 External Work 1 1 for each type of external work 4 Pre-packed Plaster Merely pre-packed plaster used. Declaration by Qualified Person 5a Field Window Water-tightness Test ( WTT ) 1,000 M2 20 100 Conducted by BCA 5b Field Window Water-tightness Test ( WTT ) 25 % Self-Testing with declaration by Qualified Person 6a Wet Area Water-tightness Test 20 100 10 % of all bathroom and/or lavatories ( by location ) All will be tested if lt ; 20 nos 6b Wet Area Water-tightness Test 100 % Self-Testing with declaration by Qualified Person Including level roof 7 Internal Wet Area Waterproofing Process In-process appraisal based on sanctioned Method Statement 8 Pull-Off Test for Internal Wall Tiles 10,000 M2 1 Set 5 Sets 5 tiles per set ( by location ) Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Hall, kitchen, lavatory, corridor, anteroom and room is considered as the functional infinite in the edifice. The appraisal of functional infinite of a edifice is classified as internal coatings appraisal. Below show types of locations: Service locations public-service corporation countries such as lavatories, kitchens, balconies and paces Principal location major functional topographic points such as hall and suites Circulation locations include lift anterooms, corridors and stairwaies ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) There is different weightage for the different location. Appendix 4 show the defect group which influence the internal coatings hiting. The point which noted as failed mean the point do non carry through the quality criterion that CONQUAS 21 system require. If there is faulty plants found, the plants is indicated as failed in the review record such as grounds of H2O ooze in the window. The appraisal for the external plants have to be done first before transporting out the assesssment for the external plant. There are some location will be divided during the external plant appraisal. Below show the location that contain in the appraisal of the external plants: Link-way/Shelter 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 2 samples Apron A ; Drain 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 2 samples Roadwork A ; Carpark 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 1 sample Footpaths A ; Turfing 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 2 samples Playground 1 location Court 1 location Fencing A ; Gate 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 1 sample Swiming Pool 10m length subdivision per sample and minimal 1 sample Club House 1 location Guard House 1 location Electrical Substaion 1 location ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) Every point will be inspected individually in the appraisal of the External plants. Those points that are non available for the edifice undertaking, it will non be taken into history during marking. M A ; E Works Assessment The M A ; E appraisal is non similar as Architectural plants and Structural works appraisal. In the M A ; E works appraisal, the appraisal have been separate into two phases which is after the edifice have completed phase and during the building of structural plants phase. The classs of the undertakings distribute the weightage for M A ; E works appraisal: Table 10: The Assessment of M A ; E Works M A ; E Elementss CATA CAT B CAT C CAT D M A ; E Works Assessment Electrical 15 15 10 10 ACMV 20 20 10 Fire Protection 10 10 10 Plumbing A ; Sanitary 15 15 20 Basic Adjustments 15 15 20 Sub-total 75 75 100 100 Weightage 50 % 50 % 100 % 100 % M A ; E Performance Test Appraisal Performance Testing 100 100 Weightage 50 % 50 % Entire 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % Note 1: means that no appraisal on that M A ; E elements is required Note 2: Please mention to Appendix 6 for inside informations of the points allocated under each component of the M A ; E plants assessed Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Furthermore, Get-It-Right-First-Time is the rule in CONQUAS 21 system, all the points stated in Table 10 above will be merely inspected for the first clip works done in the appraisal, all the rectification plants will non impact the marking in the appraisal. It means that the per centum of trials go throughing the first appraisal for each type of trial is the concluding mark of CONQUAS ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2006 ) . Table 11: Marking method for Get-It-Right-First-Time rule Ave % Passing at First Attempt % of Performance Test Mark 80 % or below 0 % 80 % lt ; X lt ; 100 % ( X-80 ) /20 ten 100 % 100 % 100 % Note: Ten means the mean per centum of go throughing at first effort Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Furthermore, M A ; E works is besides utilizing trying system for their appraisal system. There is M A ; E works trying guideline. The M A ; E works trying guideline is different with others which there are four classs of edifice decide the M A ; E trying plants. The guidelines are shown as below: Table 12: Guidelines for M A ; E Works Assessment Cat A 1,000 M2 per sample CAT B 1,500 M2 per sample CAT C 3,500 M2 per sample CAT D 3,500 M2 per sample Electrical Embedded conduit 2+ 2+ 2+ Main overseas telegrams 1 1 Surface conduits 1+ 1+ 1+ 1+ Cable tray, ladder A ; trunking 1+ 1+ 1+ 11 Distribution board 2+ 2+ 1 ACMV Air managing unit 1+ Pump 1 Cooling tower 1 Hair-raiser 1 Organ pipe 1 Split unit/Window air conditioner 2+ 2+ 3+ Air-con comfort 1+ 1+ 2+ Ductwork 3+ 1 Fire-rated canal 1 1 Dampers 1+ 1 Fire Dampers 1 1 Flexible canals 2 Flexible connections 1 Fire Protection Wet/dry riser 1+ 1+ 1+ Sprinkler 1+ 1 Fire Alarm 1 1 Hosereel 1+ 1+ 1+ Plumbing A ; Sanitary Concealed pipes 1+ 1+ Exposed pipes 4+ 4+ 4+ Water armored combat vehicle 1 1 1 Pump 1 1 1 Minimal Samples 35 25 10 10 Maximal Samples 70 50 20 20 Remarks: + means to be separated for extra samples required Note: Basic M A ; E Fittings 500m2 per sample with min 30 and max 150 samples Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book Calculation of CONQUAS Score BCA have introduced the marking method for mensurating the quality of plants done in CONQUAS 21 system with few stairss, the stairss have to be followed while transporting out the hiting method. Below show the illustration of hiting method computed in CONQUAS 21 system which can establish in CONQUAS 21 manual book: Scenario: Undertaking Type Commercial ( CAT A ) Structural System Reinforced Concrete system with 31 % precast concrete volume and steel mills at 75 % to 25 % cost ratio Roofing System Flat Roof Nos of Toilet 10 nos External Wall Full Glass Curtain Wall Measure 1: Calculation of Structural Score The Structural Score will be proportioned by the cost ratio as follows: Measure 2: Calculation of Architectural Score Measure 3: Calculation of M A ; E Score Measure 4: Calculation of Final CONQUAS Score Adapted from Building and Construction Authority: CONQUAS 21 manual book The Advantages of Implementing CONQUAS 21 Quality is the chief factor that to be concerned in a building undertaking. It is the nature of the building, the edifice value will be increase with the good quality building. The CIDB Singapore s informations base show that the quality of the building undertaking improves with utilizing CONQUAS 21, which the building costs of public sector edifice are at least S $ 3 million. The CONQUAS mark rise from 67.9 to 74.3 in 8 old ages ( 1989-1997 ) ( Low, S.P. , Tan, B.K. and Allen, A.A.L. , 1999 ) . The image of a house will be influenced by a good CONQUAS mark path record to guarantee future marketability. The figure of client will automatically increase with addition of the image of a house ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . All the employers want to do certain their merchandise can be delivered to the purchasers with good quality so they prefer to take the companies which have achieved good quality in the old undertakings. A good CONQUAS mark attract more people to put in the undertaking due to high quality undertaking. There is a one-year BCA Construction Excellence Award victors to be competed to win the award which selected by BCA based on the well CONQUAS public presentation. The image of the companies automatically increase if win the award ( Building and Construction Authority ( BCA ) , 2010 ) . There is an inducement in the CONQUAS system attract the contractor to present the good quality edifice based on accomplishing good mark in the CONQUAS appraisal. For the undertaking which achieve the mark of above 75 points would acquire an inducements of entire RM 1,500,000.00 alternatively RM 1,000,000.00 merely will be given for the mark of above 65 points. ( Building and Construction Authority, 2006 ) . This attractive inducement becomes a beginning of motive and promote to present a good quality edifice. Besides, the CONQUAS system besides measure the quality of craft of the building. If found there is any unsatisfactory of the craft after mensurating in CONQUAS mark, the unsatisfactory of craft can be rectified before deliver to the buyer. Although the rectification can non increase the CONQUAS mark, but the better quality of merchandise can be delivered to purchaser to increase the satisfaction of the buyer and diminish the ailments from the buyer or cut down the rectification cost after vacant ownership ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . The Problems Occur When Applying CONQUAS 21 There are some disadvantages in the CONQUAS 21. It is hard to guarantee the public presentation of the company based on the CONQUAS 21 mark due to every undertaking is non similar in nature. The undertaking where utilize the precast constituents is executable such as level or school is easier to keep the quality direction comparison to the traditional dramatis personae in situ building because precast constituents are manufactured under controlled mill status, all the dimensions, sizes and forms are stated clearly. Therefore, the precast constituent is easier to be fixed on site. Alternatively, the contractor may confront the job while in the traditional cast-in-situ building which there is no specified size and dimension constituent provided, all have to project in situ, it is hard to command the quality of work. The building method will impact the CONQUAS mark. CONQUAS 21 have its ain guideline sing the structural plants, architectural plants and M A ; E work. For the individual in-charge for CONQUAS 21 review, have to follow the guideline province during the review. The review is different with the review done by the site supervisor. So the contractors have to intentionally make an agreement for this review which organic and specific squad under the review. In straight, with this excess review will protract the continuance of the undertaking. Every appraisal will be charged for assessment cost. The cost CONQUAS 21 appraisal will be higher comparison to ISO 9001-2000 and QLASSIS, it will increase the building cost. Due to higher building cost, the merchandising monetary value will be increase in market ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . Furthermore, the mark can non wholly represent the quality of the edifice due to the mark is derived simply based on a random sample appraisal to stand for the whole building undertaking. ( The National House Buyers Association ( HBA ) , 2009 ) . There might is any defect although the mark is high due to non whole units assessed by the CONQUAS system. The Summary In the recent old ages, there are a batch of developers in Malaysia building industry implementing CONQUAS as the quality appraisal for their edifice undertaking although the CIDB Malaysia has recommended QLASSIS. The CONQUAS can be considered as a new appraisal system in Malaysia building industry due to the quality appraisal system merely adopted by the building industry late although CONQUAS system was launched since 1989 in Singapore. The chief factor that the CONQUAS system will be adopted in the Malaysia building industry is the developers found CONQUAS system have more benefits compare to QLASSIS and ISO 9001:2000. The CONQUAS system step the quality of the plants done in more inside informations and it is more beforehand comparison to other appraisal system that why most of developers prefer to implement CONQUAS 21 in their building undertaking.

The Constituion Essays - Religion And Politics, State Religion

The Constituion Essays - Religion And Politics, State Religion The Constituion A case for the connection of America?s colonial and revolutionary religious and political experiences to the basic principles of the Constitution can be readily made. One point in favor of this conclusion is the fact that most Americans at that time had little beside their experiences on which to base their political ideas. This is due to the lack of advanced schooling among common Americans at that time. Other points also concur with the main idea and make the theory of the connection plausible. Much evidence to support this claim can be found in the wording of the Constitution itself. Even the Preamble has an important idea that arose from the Revolutionary period. The first line of the Preamble states, "We the People of the United States..." This implies that the new government that was being formed derived its sovereignty from the people, which would serve to prevent it from becoming corrupt and disinterested in the people, as the framers believed Britain?s government had become. If the Bill of Rights is considered, more supporting ideas become evident. The First Amendment?s guarantee of religious freedom could have been influenced by the colonial tradition of relative religious freedom. This tradition was clear even in the early colonies, like Plymouth, which was formed by Puritan dissenters from England seeking religious freedom. Roger Williams, the proprietor of Rhode Island, probably made an even larger contribution to this tradition by advocating and allowing complet e religious freedom. William Penn also contributed to this idea in Pennsylvania, where the Quakers were tolerant of other denominations. In addition to the tradition of religious tolerance in the colonies, there was a tradition of self-government and popular involvement in government. Nearly every colony had a government with elected representatives in a legislature, which usually made laws largely without interference from Parliament or the king. Jamestown, the earliest of the colonies, had an assembly, the House of Burgesses, which was elected by the property owners of the colony. Maryland developed a system of government much like Britain?s, with a representative assembly, the House of Delegates, and the governor sharing power. The Puritan colony in Massachusetts originally had a government similar to a corporate board of directors with the first eight stockholders, called "freemen" holding power. Later, the definition of "freemen" grew to include all male citizens, and the people were given a strong voice in their own government. This tradition of religious and political autonomy continued into the revolutionary period. In 1765, the colonists convened the Stamp Act Congress, which formed partly because the colonists believed that the government was interfering too greatly with the colonies? right to self-government. Nine colonies were represented in this assembly. The Sons of Liberty also protested what they perceived to be excessive interference in local affairs by Parliament, terrorizing British officials in charge of selling the hated stamps. Events like these served to strengthen the tradition of self-government that had become so deeply embedded in American society. The from of government specified by the Constitution seems to be a continuation of this tradition. First, the Constitution specifies a federal system of government, which gives each individual state the right to a government. Second, it specifies that each state shall be represented in both houses of Congress. The lower house, the House of Representative, furthermore, is to be directly elected by the people. If the Bill of Rights is considered, the religious aspect of the tradition becomes apparent. The First Amendment states, "Congress may make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...," showing that, unlike the British government, the new US government had no intention of naming or supporting a state church or suppressing any religious denominations. In conclusion, the Constitution?s basic principles are directly related to the long tradition of self-rule and religious tolerance in colonial and revolutionary America.

An Argument Against Racial Profiling by Police

Racial analysis, government activities against suspects against suspects are used by police authorities to reduce violent crime. Ethnic profiling reduces crime, but officials are unconstitutional and not participating, so you should not discriminate against citizens. Race profiling is usually done after traffic congestion and pedestrian strikes In many cases, police officers condemn the picking of a person just for race, religious outfit, or other exterior reasons I will. Discussions on race profiling include constitutional issues and practical considerations. According to Professor Kennedy, one of the strongest arguments against race profiling is based on the Equality Protection Clause of the US Constitution (No. 14 revision). Kennedy explained as follows: 'Discussion starts with a special meaning to claim racial discrimination' American life and law. Ethnic differences are different from other aspects of social stratification. Therefore, since the civil rights revolution of the 196 0s, the courts have generally decided Equal protection provision of the 14th amendment. There is enough rationality enough for officials to discriminate based on race. In this case, the court generally insists on strict screening of government action - the judicial review of the most severe level. It is very important to understand racial profiling before beginning discussion on racial profiling. American Civil Liberties Union defines racial profiling as a discriminatory act by law enforcement officials to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or nationality (ethnicity: definition). Using this definition you can judge that race profiling does not include evidence of erroneous behavior and is completely dependent on the above function. We can see again ... See more In the early 1960s, law enforcement officers conducted racial analysis during the civil rights movement. The term race profiling was introduced to criticize the abuse of police acts by people of various r aces, nationality, or nationality. It is important to evaluate how to understand this and how to distinguish it from other problems. Racial characterization is defined as any police-driven behavior that depends on race, nationality or nationality, not action. Discussions on race profiling can be attributed to two basic questions. Is this racial profiling widely used by police agencies in the United States? If so, is this practice useful? Many people think that it is good for a judicial officer to use files. Some supporters believe it is useful when using race, but it is not necessarily the only factor profile. In addition, people who support their use often find complaints about underrepresentation of ethnicity.

Article Summaries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article Summaries - Research Paper Example The Board of Regents also wanted to revitalize their education system to fill in the many job openings available in the state which needed certain educational attainments, which in turn could be potential in increasing economic growth in the state. The university plan has just started on July 1, 2012, so the article has no full list of results yet. The Board of Regents of the University System of Ohio made the change in the educational system so that their graduates would become more productive and also to fill the need for professionals in the state of Ohio, both in the business and education sector. Because the plan just started on July 1, 2012, not many results are out yet, but the prevention of high tuition fee increase, faster educational track, saving in school constructions, and inviting investors to generate funding in the universities were already started. The Board of Regents expects that when the changes have all started, there would be an economic growth in the state, more jobs will be filled in, and more students will become productive and better at their careers. The implications of the plan would be that more students can go to universities because the tuition fees are lower, and more will graduate on time and have jobs because the curricula would be more fitted to application in the real world and taught at a faster and more effective rate. The schools can also increase their funding because of additional investors, and their potential of being an economic strength can be released. It is recommended that the results of the changes be checked after one or more years of implementing so that the Board of Regents can see whether the changes made an impact on the labor forces of businesses in Ohio, in the universities’ school standards, and also of the students that graduate from Ohio

Argument paper FOR the legalization of marijuana Essay

Argument paper FOR the legalization of marijuana - Essay Example The economic feasibility of decriminalizing marijuana has become a much-discussed subject in recent years. The federal government presently spends a lot of capital on law enforcement to combat distributors and producers of drugs. By legalizing drugs this could eradicate much of the profit, bloodshed and corruption of that trade. If legalizing drugs is to have a positive effect on the crime rate, drugs must be made both inexpensive and available. Studies have repetitively suggested that prohibiting marijuana in the U.S. has not shown to be efficient or effective. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, â€Å"U.S. federal, state and local governments have spent hundreds of billions of dollars trying to make America ‘drug-free.’ Yet heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other illicit drugs are cheaper, purer and easier to get than ever before. (â€Å"England.† 2006) The damage done by the ‘war on drugs’ to underprivileged countries that produce the drugs and poor persons within the wealthy nations who buy the drugs exceeds any benefits achieved by the current bans. These government’s drug laws have not produced the desired results of reducing drug use, instead a great number of innocent people have had their lives ruined. â€Å"Many critics argue that the increased toughness of that policy has done more harm than good. Some go so far as to suggest that drugs should simply be legalized† (Caulkins, et al. 2005). If marijuana were legalized, governments would have the ability to regulate quality and, like alcohol, the ages allowed to purchase and the ability to add safety warnings to help educate users. People in this country who only use small amounts of marijuana have routinely been arrested and jailed for mere possession; actions that don’t take drugs off the streets or persuade more people to quit using the them. At the same time, imprisoning those who possess marijuana creates a burden on society as tax dollar s must be increased to support these people who are no longer free to secure employment outside prison. The domino effect of this circumstance puts more children and their families onto the welfare roles, contributing to their consequential failure and dependence on society. (â€Å"England.† 2006) â€Å"In the United States, drug use is illegal and the police hunt down drug users to throw them in prison. Four thousand people died from illegal drugs in the US last year and we now have more than 600,000 people in prison on drug charges.† (Schaffer, 2006) While much literature exists that provides evidence for both sides of this subject, what seems very clear is that the ‘war on drugs’ remains unsuccessful at its principal goal – that of stopping drug use within the nation’s border. High school students continue to find marijuana extremely easy to come by, numbers regarding the use of marijuana remain stable and there is an increasing trend in t he country for reforming the archaic laws. The entire reasoning behind drug war is prohibition, limiting the supply which would in turn limit use. (Males, 2010). The hypothesis holds that by limiting the source so as to make it practically impossible to acquire the demand for these products will inevitably, and somehow magically, disappear. Prohibition strategies

Massive Tourism Essay Example for Free

Massive Tourism Essay In this globalized world the stress caused by the workload and the problems that occur everyday in our social environment, have a direct effect on the health of the person, who tries to find a way to release the tension. This is why many doctors recommend recreation in the form of travel to avoid harm to our health. Nowadays Tourism has a key part in the lives of every person, but mostly business people. They use it as a way to connect with their children and at the same time, recover their lost energy. These believe has spread all over the world and now Massive Tourism has become an important issue in the Government plans and the Tourism Industry. Massive Tourism happens when large masses of tourist arrive to visit a place. Travel Agencies offer tour packages to groups of people to get lower airfares, room rates, etc. Massive Tourism has a direct effect on the economy of the country, by increasing the incomes and providing more work. But many countries aren’t prepared to receive large groups of people, which causes damage to the culture, infrastructure and also to the environment. Advantages of Massive Tourism  For People Tour Operators and Travel Agencies offer Tour Packages to tourist around the world, to visit and enjoy another countries culture without the need to plan all the activities, transport or accommodations by themselves and by traveling in large groups they get lower costs. This is why the number of tourist has increased, because nowadays it is easier to travel, not to mention cheaper. What most people look for in a trip is to leave all worries and problems behind, and just enjoy and relax for a determined amount of time in another city or country and away form their normal lives. Tour operators can offer lower costs because by making these tour packages they an agreement with the hotel, airlines, museums, etc, who are part of the package. These companies offer the operators a lesser cost, in exchange of promotion, which they get with this tour packages. Both the companies and the tourist benefit from this packages. Also because you travel with a group that will share the same activities and interests it is probable to form relationships and friendships with new people. For Governments Large groups of people arrive everyday to a country, and they expend money by realizing various activities during their stay. For example food, museums, discos, shopping, transport). This is why the country benefits from massive tourism because it has a positive effect on the economy of the country by increasing the incomes. The Tourism Industry is ever growing, which results in more job openings and increases the interest of studying tourism related careers to improve the service given in their country and also to have a bigger involvement to incentive the tourist activities and at the same time, protect the natural patrimony. In addition, massive tourism boosts other kinds of tourism, such s eco tourism which increases investments to create new recreational, and tourist areas. Another advantage of massive tourism is that it improves the relationship between countries. Disadvantages One disadvantage is the rapidly spread of the diseases because of massive tourism. Most people who travels likes to go to a completely different place. For example, they want to visit exotic places. But they do not know the real consequence of their adventure. Sometimes, they are taken by the emotion of the trip and they don’t inform well about the places they are going. One case took place in China. There was a new virus, very contagiously, which spread fast due to the tourists who travel around the world. That way, virus could reach cities like Frankfurt, Toronto etc. As we can see massive tourism helps diseases to expand. Besides humans, animals are also affected by new diseases brought by tourists of other countries. Another important effect of massive tourism is the one on the culture. Now we are living in a globalize world. This means that many aspects are the same in different countries. When many tourists arrive in a country like ours, the people of the host country start to behave like them. Little by little they start changing their image. The impact caused by tourist is strong in some places. For example in our jungle many amazon tribes have lost their traditions. Now they make presentation of typical dances of their tribes only for tourists. Once the tourists leave their tribe, these people start to behave as if they were from the cities. Their naturalness is lost. Same case happens in the highlands. Language is also affected by massive tourism. Nowadays most people understand English. In one way this is very practical for tourists but on the other hand English absorbs the other languages. The attraction of a country, in some cases, is based on the language. If one person wants to go to France in order to learn French, he will find that most people like to speak English or Spanish. The language is part of the culture in a country and it shouldn’t be change. When you see only tourists in one place, you will realize that the lifestyle s affected too. Being surrounded by tourists changes the way you act. This case is presented everyday in Ibiza. This international place has very few Spanish inhabitants. For this little population, life has acquired a different face. Their neighbors are no longer Spanish people but tourists. The way you treat tourists is not the same as you treat people from your country. That is why the lifestyle changes in places like Ibiza that receive mass ive tourism. One of the biggest effects of massive tourism is on the environment. Massive tourism can imply more incomes but is also means more people to attend and too much garbage. Too many people in one place can cause a mess. In fact the more disturbed is the people of the host country. The infrastructure suffers and is damaged because it can not stand multitudes. To illustrate this point Macchupichu is a good example. Recent investigation has revealed that Macchupichu and the whole city of Cuzco are suffering the consequences of the disorganized coming of tourists, especially in the high season. Conclusion Nowadays people are looking for ways to canalize their energy and just for a couple of days, get away from their problems, and meet new cultures and new people. As we have seen massive tourism is an alternative for people that has tight schedules and no time for recreation or just stop to breathe. This is why massive tourism does not only benefit individuals but also the whole society and encourages the population to take interest in the tourism industry and the protection of their culture. Nevertheless Massive Tourism also has a negative aspect for the countries if it is not treated as it should. An organize tourism brings benefits for sides, tourists and countries. Sometimes the solution isn’t in the quantity but in the quality of the services and the experience. In Perus case, this negative impact has taken a toll on the infrastructure in some important cities like Cuzco. This is way the authorities have started to develop new plans to organize these cities to receive an organized tourism without damaging the city.

Essay --

The pharmaceutical companies continue to be accused of many unethical practices so the story of pharmaCARE comes as no surprise. The company started with good intentions but went down because of greed. It was a well-established company already famous for its integrity and high quality products. In the beginning, they were believed to enhance the quality of life around the world. The company continued to succeed due to its research and capitalized on a new breakthrough of a diabetes drug that they believed would help slow down the terrible progression of the Alzheimer’s disease. So after a few years, they created a subsidiary called CompCARE to be the â€Å"compounding pharmacy† to make the new drug named AD23. Because of the â€Å"supposed† success of this drug, it was in such high demand that CompCARE became to engage in methods outside the scope of what a compounding pharmacy is allowed to do, their practices pushed the limits and the end result was over 200 cardiac related deaths due to AD23. PharmaCare had several groups of people with stakes in what they had intended to achieve. These stakeholders in this scenario include PharmaCARE and CompCARE, one of its subsidiaries; both companies had high financial stakes in the success of AD23. There was also Wellco, a large drugstore chain, the employees of these 3 companies, the nation of Colberia and its citizens because their livelihood was tied to the success of AD23. Many of the social problems Colberia experienced like the destruction of its environment and consequently endangering of its native species through the company’s extensive activities and business practices came from PharmaCare. The company took advantage of the country’s low standard of living and its economic predicame... ...ng mean. When people are able to make that distinction, they’ll take the time to question themselves, and then question others’ actions including their reasoning and in this case, data rather than blindly accepting their decisions until the true situation comes to light. The failure with pharmaCARE started long before people started dying. PharmaCARE began to fail as soon the company felt it was ok to pay just a dollar a day to the Colberian people who didn’t know and felt they were being helped but instead were being exploited for their knowledge while their environment was being polluted. When CompCARE began to use unethical methods to get AD23 manufactured eventually leading to the deaths of more 200 people. It takes more than a statement â€Å"We CARE about YOUR world ®Ã¢â‚¬  to right the wrongs that all of this greed caused. Their actions must speak louder than words.

The Fatherless Family and Woman in Banana Yoshimoto’s Works

As Yoshimoto is a female novelist writing mainly about women in contemporary Japan, it will be interesting and important to explore more deeply the type and role of the women she portrays. While she seems to describe the lives of independent women, she put them into a mostly traditional setting in the house.As Banana Yoshimoto writes mainly about women's relationships, feelings, and thoughts in relation to Japanese contemporary society from a woman's perspective, the paper will research these aspects of her female protagonists' lives with regard to role of father in a family, family relationships in general and spiritual connection to the world that surrounds them. To comprehend the change that has taken place within the role of women in Japanese literature and possibly Japanese society, we must examine more closely the concept of family as it is in Japan today and in the literature of Banana Yoshimoto.For example, the family and its values is one of the bases for a society, thus, so cietal changes often find their reflection in the family concept. The Family and Father in Contemporary Japan Most of her main characters are young women who have graduated from high school and are either on their way into or out of university, and many of them work in part time jobs. This depiction of young and independent women at an age ‘in-between' main stages of their lives is also typical of shojo culture (Treat 359).In her stories, the traditional family structure seems to have dissolved, and the women, neither ‘just' housewives, nor established as equals, are somewhat floating in a diffuse area ‘in-between'. Yoshimoto's women often do not follow the traditional ways in a society that was changed by the increasing influence from the West. Women in particular are left alone and searching for new ways in a seemingly unstable world. Thus, neither Kazami nor Sui in N. P. , Tsugumi and Maria in Tsugumi, Mikage in Kitchen, Satsuki in Moonlight Shadow nor Yayoi and Yukino in Kanashii Yokan lead a conventional school or work life.All of them are from unconventional families, most of them fatherless. The narrator in N. P. , Kazami, lives with her mother, an English teacher, after her father died in the US; her sister lives in England. Kazami's boyfriend, a translator of Japanese literary works into English who was many years her senior, committed suicide. Only her grandparents who live in Yokohama still seem to lead traditional Japanese lives; however, they do not play an important role in the story. The father of Kazami's mysterious friend Sui, a famous Japanese writer, also committed suicide and leaving Sui to lead most of her life alone.Both young women are somewhat adrift. They are driven through life by upcoming events, and do not initiate the events that shape their lives. They are lost in this world without guidance or ‘fatherly love' in their lives. Different surveys conducted in 1983 in Japan revealed that one out of four couples who marry today divorce, and there is a divorce every 2 minutes and 57 seconds (Yamaguchi 246). While divorce in Japan has not reached the high percentages that exist in Western countries, it is obviously becoming more and more common.However, divorce is only accountable for about half of the households that exist without a father. About 36% of these households are fatherless because of death (Yamaguchi 248). Both factors supply us with insightful background information and a possible explanation for Banana Yoshimoto's family settings. It has often been assumed that such public display of dissolution of the traditional nuclear family as portrayed in Yoshimoto's and other women writer's fiction is still uncommon in contemporary Japan.However, the statistics prove Yoshimoto's fiction to be not quite so far removed from reality in this respect and that her work might be considered a reflection on contemporary Japanese society. Another interesting factor in the 189,000 divorces in Japa n in 1993, the highest number in history, is the so-called â€Å"retirement divorce (Yamaguchi 248). † Women divorce their husbands, who never spent any time at home while they were working, as soon as the husbands retire and end up spending most of their time at home.â€Å"Couples married twenty years or more represented over 15 percent of the total figure; moreover, in the majority of these cases the divorces were initiated by the wife (Yamaguchi 248). † Although divorce is a relatively common phenomenon in Japan today, divorced women are still looked upon rather unsympathetically. However, they are at times respected as individuals since the concept of individualism has grown more influential and is slowly replacing the strict and traditional system. Accordingly, a strong position of women – single, married or divorced – has become more common and more public.Hikami calls this â€Å"the emergence of the strong wife – strong to the point of bein g overpowering — completely sure of herself and quick to give up on her husband for his shortcomings (Yamaguchi 249). † As a result of seeing uncooperative husbands and of witnessing wives abandon their careers to become full-time housewives in their parents' generation, many young women are disillusioned and shy away from marriage. The result is an â€Å"age of nonmarriage (Yamaguchi 249)†. Thus, Yoshimoto's characters are not completely in â€Å"a fantasy land far removed from reality† as Yokochi Samuel claims (229).While it is true that â€Å"familyless children, lesbianism, incest, telepathy and violent death† are part of many of her stories, these situations are exaggerations that reflect a changing reality in Japan today (Samuel 229). They are set, however, before the background of the emotions of the protagonists, feelings of devastation, of longing and a search for happiness on a personal level. These elements are quite common phenomena not only in fiction but also in real life. In fact, her narrations are popular because many people can very well relate to them and see connections to their own lives.While Yoshimoto's fiction is not necessarily a realistic depiction of Japanese everyday life, the observations so far seem to suggest that she captures some essence, undercurrent feelings and ideas, and societal tendencies of life in contemporary Japan in her stories (Samuel). The Fatherless Family in Yoshimoto's Novels The topic of a lack of a father figure runs through all of Banana Yoshimoto's fiction. In Kitchen, Mikage is an orphan confronted with the death of her grandmother who had been her last surviving family member.She is lost and lonely finding the sound of the refrigerator in their kitchen the only consolation – until she meets some people who take her in and thus save her from her immediate (physical) loneliness. Her new host family is not traditional either. Yuichi's mother is dead and his father had operations done which transformed him into an attractive woman, Eriko. This is not described as something extraordinary, however. Rather this type of family seems to be working quite well and seems to give a loving environment to all members. While the family situation in N. P. is equally uncommon, this is not the case in all of Yoshimoto's stories.The main characteristic of the family situations in Amrita, Tsugumi, Kanashii Yokan and Kitchen is still the existence of substitute families that consist mainly of women. There exists a specific connection among the women, which allows for a special way in which they relate to each other. Left alone by the men in their lives (with or without this being their fault) in a world that is confusing, lonely and without guidance, they search for and often seem to find a bond mostly with other women, which provides them with a new support system. This makes them partners in the search for new ways to lead their lives.When describing Yoshimoto's unconventional – the so-called dysfunctional -family of which there is a plentitude in her stories, Treat remarks that this concept is very untypical in Japan. In Yoshimoto's stories â€Å"the family is ‘assembled'. — Blood ties and genealogy are less important than circumstance and simple human affinity (Treat 369). † Traditionally, immense importance was placed on the family as the smallest unit that supports the bigger unit of the state in the Confucian state system and on blood ties within the Japanese society. Considering this Yoshimoto's concept seems quite revolutionary.The concept of family that Yoshimoto describes in her novels is strikingly different. Her families are often not created by marriage and procreation and do not prevail because of blood bonds. Everybody can become a member of the family. As Yoshimoto remarks herself: Wherever I go I end up turning people into a ‘family' of my own. (†¦ ) What I call a family is still a group of fellow-strangers who have come together, and because there's nothing more to it than that we really form good relations with each other. It's hard for us to leave each other, and each time it does I think to myself that ‘life is just saying good-bye.‘ But while it lasts there are a lot of good things, so I put up with it. (Treat 370) These families seem to form almost accidentally, in a casual manner. The real bonds are created through coincidence and through spiritual bonds. These bonds, thus, just like most of the protagonists' lives in Yoshimoto's stories, are of the moment. They are created spontaneously or even somewhat accidentally as is the case for Mikage in Kitchen who is taken in by complete strangers. They can also be dissolved spontaneously as Maria's father's marriage in Tsugumi.Without a value judgment ever being made, the close personal bonds, even if deep at the time, are not necessarily lasting. This is how Sakumi, the young female narrator of the no vel Amrita, describes her own family: Blood ties seemed unrelated to how we were living. (†¦ ) I believe that as long as there is someone in charge of the household, someone who can maintain order among its members, someone who is clearly mature and established as a person, someone, in other words, like my mother, then eventually all who live under the same roof, despite blood ties or lineage, will at one point become family.(Amrita 6) But Sakumi goes beyond this realization: â€Å"If the same people don't spend enough time in a home, even if they are connected by blood, their bonds will slowly fade away like a familiar landscape (Amrita 6). † This hints at the typical Japanese family situation of the 20th century industrialized society in which the husband considers the company he works for his family and spends hardly any time at all at home. People, even those connected by blood ties, are not necessarily an active and real part of a family anymore if they are never at home.Even if younger men are more open to change, they often are forced to put a preference on the company over their families. â€Å"It is the corporate system itself and the culture to which it has given birth which controls the men who work within it. † (Fujimura-Fanselow 231) As a result, men seem to have faded from family life, the result of which, a strong female community, can be seen in Yoshimoto's stories. The real families here seem to be non-biological ones, consisting of people who care for each other and are often centered on one central person, who seems to hold everything together, most frequently the mother.Thus, while men are not necessary anymore for a functioning family apart from their financial support, women are vital to the family. This is also demonstrated in the fact that Yuichi's father in Kitchen has a sex change after the death of his wife so that he can take on the role of the ‘mother' for his/her son. The fathers — if existent -are reduced to the role of the bread-winner and are otherwise emotionally and spiritually completely unattached to women's (or children's) lives. This in no true recreation of the traditional family.Members of the ‘new' families always remain single individuals to some extent, which allows for the spontaneous creation and dissolution of family bonds. This is also the case in Tsugumi where the family of the young female narrator, Maria, consists only of her mother. Together they live with the family of her mother's sister (husband, wife and two daughters), in Lzu, a small town at the ocean. Maria's father is married to another woman and lives, separated from her, in Tokyo. However, in this story, the father eventually divorces his wife.He marries Maria's mother and moves both Maria and her mother with him to Tokyo, trying hard to make up for the missed family life. Maria's family consisted mainly of her mother and her aunt's family in which the husband again played a minor role. It is a family of women who support each other and are best friends at the same time. While Maria and her mother are painfully aware of the fact that their busy and comfortable life among women before the marriage will always be missing from their new life in Tokyo, they both acknowledge the new husband's efforts to create a comfortable and harmonious family home for all of them.However, this traditional family consisting of a father, a mother and a daughter appears to be an artificial construct (albeit a happy one) in comparison to the ‘natural' family both women lived in before. In Tokyo they all must make an effort to be a happy family together while this was a natural given before. Because the three of us were involved in such an uncommon situation, we treated each other so kindly like members of a ‘typical happy family' on a billboard. Every one of us tried not to show the mash of emotions that actually existed in the depths of our souls. Life is a play. (Tsugumi 42)T hus, the traditional family is an artificial construct in contrast to the new concept of a family of women or peers, which is presented as the natural one. Again, Yoshimoto plays with the reversal of the ordinary and the extraordinary. The traditional family here is, however, based on love and care and thus, a positive one in this story. Maria's father explains that such emotions and such constructs as families can be and often are temporary. During the long time that I was separated from you and during which I often felt very lonely, I learned how important to me are the people who are closest to me: my family.It could happen, of course, that my opinion changed someday and that I will treat you and your mother unkindly — but that's life! Maybe someday the time will come when our hearts don't beat so closely together anymore, but exactly because of such times it is important to create many happy memories. (Tsugumi 43) Apart from the traditional family being something of an ar tificial construct, which all members have to work for in order to make it a happy one, here it also appears to be possibly a temporary one.Maria's father talks of the fleetingness of emotions and attachments to other people, similar to the narrator's remarks on various occasions. Maria's father concludes that the temporariness of things forces people to live life to the fullest and enjoy the happiness and friendship at the time you have them because they might be gone soon. This is not said with any feeling of bitterness. Rather, it seems to be a simple statement about certain unchangeable facts of life. The happiness or harmony of a good family life, thus, has to be cherished and all members here are clearly aware of this.In accordance with the life of shojo as a stage in Japanese women's lives, Maria remarks on the temporariness of friendships and the existence of separate circles in one's life. She realizes that life consists of different stages and that you have to finish one s tage in order to move on. One of these stages is her life at the seaside with Tsugumi and her family. When she returns to Tokyo for good after a wonderful summer with Tsugumi she realizes: â€Å"from this point onward my new life will begin (Tsugumi 170). † The experience of living life in separate stages or episodes is also a topic in Kanashii Yokan.After Yayoi's parents die, the first ‘episode' of her life ends. She is adopted into a family with a younger son, Tetsuo. While Yayoi's foster parents take good care of her, she also feels drawn towards her ‘aunt' Yukino, who later reveals herself as her older sister. Yayoi's following search for the memory of her lost family is a third episode in the life of Yayoi during which she manages to bring the past to closure with the help of Yukino. Yukino herself suffered tremendously from the loss of her parents. She was nearly an adult at the time of the accident and did not want to be adopted into a new family.After her parents' death, she was not willing to form close bonds with people anymore. A similar change within the family life takes place in Kitchen and in Amrita. In Kitchen, Mikage goes from having no family at the beginning of the story when her grandmother dies, to a substitute family of a boy, Yuichi, who had befriended Mikage's grandmother earlier in her flower shop and his father Yuji, who had an operation done which transformed him into a woman, Eriko, after the death of his beloved wife. Eriko works in a nightclub. While highly unconventional, these strangers take Mikage in and make her feel completely at home.They become her family. The closeness of this family stems from an initial sympathy, compassion and understanding for one another. On the other hand it is the result of a similarity of experiences of the two juveniles, the painful loss of a beloved family member and the difficulty of dealing with the resulting feeling of loss and loneliness. Both end up as orphans when a forme r customer in the second part of the story stabs Eriko to death. Both young people have to construct their lives completely anew, purely based on their own emotions and intentions. Society does not seem to intrude into these spheres (of the characters' lives).Society does not help these lonely young people, nor does it particularly obstruct their way of finding themselves and their way in life. It simply does not seem to exist anymore. There is no such all-embracing concept as a society anymore that has any lasting influence on the protagonists. People (at least the protagonists) exist only as individuals. Although they try to connect to other individuals and thus create new ‘families', they still remain often lonely individuals. A group identity can rarely be detected, as every individual seems to struggle along their own lonely and sometimes happy path.The only element in their lives they have in common is the necessity to deal with the death of a loved one and the awareness of their own loneliness. In this context it is remarkable how the news of the sex transformation of Yuichi's father is received. Mikage is surprised but, in fact, accepts this extraordinary fact quite easily. And Yuichi explains this surgery in a very calm and natural manner: After my real mother died, Eriko quit her job, gathered me up, and asked herself, ‘What do I want to do now? ‘ What she decided was, â€Å"Become a woman. ‘ She knew she'd never love anyone else. She says that before she became a woman she was very shy.Because she hates to do things halfway, she had everything ‘done' from her to face to her whatever, and with the money she had left over she bought that nightclub. She raised me a woman alone, as it were. ‘ He smiled. ‘What an amazing life story! ‘ (Kitchen 14) Again in Banana Yoshimoto's stories, someone was confronted with an extreme situation, the death of a beloved family member, and she shows his unusual way of dea ling with it. As a result of this situation, the protagonists once again create a ‘fatherless family', with Yuichi, his mother/father Eriko and Mikage. Thus, the juveniles are thrown into adulthood.They â€Å"are not children; they just dream like children. Instead of fathers and mothers, there are surrogate fathers and brothers, dressed in women's clothes† [in Moonlight Shadow] (Buruma 29). Cultural conventions and society are forces that are simply not taken into consideration: the decision to make such an immense change is purely up to the individual. Nowhere is the reaction of society – in form of former co-workers, other family members or friends – ever mentioned. Only Eriko's death in the second part of the story hints at an unusual life: an angry customer of the nightclub shoots her when he finds out she was formerly a man.Her violent death can also be related to the extreme extent and permanence of her change. Hiiragi's cross-dressing in Moonlight Shadow on the other hand is less extreme as it is not permanent. In Kitchen the family life is surely not a traditional one and it does not closely resemble Japanese life in reality. However, it goes beyond reality in a somewhat logical way. The concept of the father- or man-less family also exists in Amrita. In this story a group of women share a household and the only male member is a little boy.Yukiko lives in an apartment with her daughter from her first marriage, Sakumi (22), and her son from her second marriage, Yoshio (10). Other members of the household are Yukiko's niece (daughter of her younger sister), Mikiko, who is a student at a nearby women's college and Junko, a divorced childhood friend of Yukiko. This mostly female cast was created by unconventional situations as both the older adult women, Yukiko and Junko, are divorced single parents. Yukiko even divorced twice. Her first husband, who had died of cerebral thrombosis, was 21 years her senior, and six years after h is death she remarried.Explicit reasons for the split-up with her second husband are hardly given. Just like Eriko's sexual change in Kitchen, this is simply accepted as a fact of life. The focus of the story, thus, is on the â€Å"home brought together nicely like a woman's paradise. † And the narrator Sakumi finds herself â€Å"attracted to the lifestyle — Blood-ties seemed unrelated to how we were living (Amrita 5). † While this family situation does not claim to be ideal, it offers an alternative to the traditional lifestyle. The women in this story are not necessarily happier or more successful by living mainly with other women.It simply seems to be a concept that works better for them and that it is more convenient or harmonic. Premature death is also present in this story. Sakumi's younger sister Mayu, a beautiful young movie actress, dies in a car accident at 18. It is after her death that the story starts, thus showing the reaction of the other family m embers to this death and the searching and the healing process connected to it. However, this process is hardly taking place as a group effort. Rather, each person struggles alone and leads his or her life individually and separately from others.The strain on this family, created by loss and emotional stress, eventually threatens to drive the family members apart. Part of the reason for this is the fact that they hardly ever meet as they did in the past: sitting around the kitchen table in the middle of the night eating or drinking coffee (Simon 34). This fits very well with the concept of the change of the role of the dining table in Japan. In the past (traditionally), all family members would sit around the dining table to communicate, exchange their thoughts and feelings. This exchange holds a family together.In the postmodern society this concept changed as the traditional family lost its strength. Yoshimoto describes different stages of this connectedness of a family using the symbol of assembling around a table. Each story focuses on a different aspect: Tsugumi shows the more traditional concept, in Amrita the kitchen table as a symbol for the unity of the family is in danger of vanishing and in Kitchen it is virtually nonexistent at first but newly created by the new family member Mikage. Overall this concept reveals the dissolution of traditional, and the new creation of alternative families.In the search for structures and new institutions, the kitchen table, thus, plays an important role — it leads the way to a new unity among the family members who still stand somewhat alone as individuals. â€Å"The desertions are in a sense balanced by new unions, though, ultimately, a sense of longing remains (Galef 23). † Conclusion As a result of social, historical and economical developments and the internationalization of Japanese society, strict religious beliefs – whether Buddhist or Shintoist – and the Confucian value system are losing their significance within the lives of young Japanese.This generates a variety of problems including loss of a meaningful context of life and the lack of a social support system for the individual. Banana Yoshimoto describes the resulting feeling of instability in most of her novels, in which the individual often stands alone facing a sometimes threatening world of tragedies to cope with and difficult choices to make. Her characters have to deal with the death of loved ones and other challenging situations without having any support from either family or society. Her real interest is a psychological one.Banana Yoshimoto's characters have to endure hardships and suffering. This experience, however, also has its positive component: it initiates the process of searching for one's own identity and enables the individual to grow mentally. â€Å"Coping with problems and growing: I believe, those are the things that shape the mental and spiritual development of a person, with all his hopes and possibilities. â€Å"182 Thus, her stories describe a healing process after a tragic incident or difficult situation, which leads to personal growth.Yoshimoto makes the suffering of people who do not fit into the ‘system' of Japanese culture and norms and who, therefore, are confined to life at the margin of society, her cause. â€Å"I wanted to communicate the notion that such (troubled) people should be able to live as they please, without interference from others. Anyone should, for that matter. † (N. P. 194) She extends the struggle of her characters to a more general statement about the importance of individualist thinking and the denial of society's controlling function. By doing so she justifies also the dissolution of traditional gender roles in her stories.While it is possible in her stories for men and women to remain in the traditional roles, this is merely an option – and not a very desirable one at that. As most of her characters face extreme challenges in their lives, they search for and – eventually expose their innermost feelings, which — as a result – are often appropriately extreme. Without society as a regulating institution, people choose their individual paths, and it turns out that these paths include the discovery of a female side within the personality of some men.While this is based on purely individualist thought, it incorporates the idea that closer mental contact and understanding between the sexes, which is developing within the younger generations, is also a necessity for interpersonal relationships as young women are not willing anymore to stay within their traditional roles. Accordingly, they do not care to accept men who stick to the traditional male role either. Thus, within her concept of individualism, Banana Yoshimoto supports not a radical but a very strong feminist point of view. Her female characters stand alone and find their own way in life.