Leadership and Top Management Influence on Total Quality Management Implementation in the Ghanaian Construction Industry

This study aims to determine the key and underlying Leadership and Top Management (LTM) factors that have a significant impact on sustaining the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) within the construction industry in Ghana. The research methodology employed in this study was a quantitative technique. Questionnaires were distributed to 641 participants within construction industry in Ghana. Questionnaires retrieved for the analysis were 536. Three steps approached were used for the data analysis. These include Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. After conducting the EFA and CFA, SEM was also used to analyze the construct validity. The SEM analysis helps to determine four key indicator variables for the leadership and top management construct. These include Leadership/Top Management approach to employees’ management, Leadership/Top Management understanding of TQM, Leadership/Top Management empowerment of employees to resolve quality issues, and Leadership/Top Management endorsement of TQM. All the four indicator variables were found to be good of fit and closely associated with the dependent variable. The study adds to the body of knowledge by using EFA, CFA and SEM techniques to establish key leadership and top management factors affecting TQM implementation in Ghana’s construction industry. The findings in general suggested that leadership and top Management factors identified have a direct positive impact on sustaining TQM implementation in the Ghanaian construction industry. Consequently, the leadership and top management factors identified in this study can help improve TQM in the Ghanaian construction industry.

Research on Key Points of Design of Standard Plants in Modern Industrial Parks Under the Background of Promoting the Development of New Quality Productive Forces

With the progress of science and technology and the acceleration of industrialization,the modern industrial park is an important carrier of industrial development.The importance of its standard plant design has become increasingly prominent.With the development of new quality productive forces as the background,this research deeply discusses the key points of standard plant design in modern industrial parks.This paper uses literature review and case analysis to systematically analyze the important role of standard plant design in developing new quality productive forces in modern industrial parks and puts forward suggestions for optimizing design.It is found that the rationality,intelligence,and environmental protection of plant design are the key factors affecting the development of new quality productive forces.The paper summarizes the core points of modern industrial park standard plant design to provide a reference for the future development of related industries.

Analysis of Professional Quality Cultivation Strategies for Infant and Child Care Service Talents from the Perspective of Collaboration of Medical Care,Parenting,and Education,and Integration of Industry and Education

The collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education aims to integrate nursing,midwifery,infant and child care services,and management with speech and hearing rehabilitation technology,among other elements related to the infant care industry chain.This integration targets pediatrics talent training in nine infant care positions,including nursing,infant health care and management,and child rehabilitation,to ensure that the capabilities and quality of professional talents can meet the health care needs of infants and young children.This article briefly explains the background of the“collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education,and integration of industry and education.”It analyzes the necessity of cultivating infant and child care service talents based on the perspective of“collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education,and integration of industry and education.”Based on this perspective,we conducted an in-depth study of the cultivation of professional qualities of infant and child care service talents.

Evaluation Study on the Level of High-Quality Development of the Construction Industry in Henan Province of China

Based on the data of the construction industry in Henan Province, China, from 2005 to 2020, the high-quality development level of the construction industry in Henan Province is measured. Firstly, this paper constructs the indicator system based on the high-quality development theory and the characteristic of the construction industry from seven dimensions: industrial scale, industrial efficiency, industrial benefits, industrial innovation, industrial risk, industrial potential, and the green development of the construction industry. Secondly, using the global principal component analysis (PCA) method to measure the high-quality development level. Thirdly, cluster analysis is applied to measure the relative changes of various dimensions in different stages. The results show that overall the high-quality development level of the construction industry in Henan province is increasing, but different indicators perform differently in various stages, and the changes in real estate policies have a significant impact on this. Finally, based on these findings, we think it is better to reduce real estate dependence, promote the application of new materials and technologies and maintain the stability of real estate policies.

Investigating the Air Quality Parameters in Louisiana’s Industrial Corridor: A Baton Rouge Case Study

In a local context, sustainable development entails utilizing the current resources—material and immaterial, measurable and immeasurable, popular and unpopular—of the community in a manner that avoids overexploitation and ensures intergenerational equity. This approach prioritizes the safety and health of local citizens, placing communal productivity above corporate profitability. This research aims to assess air quality surrounding 28 chemical industry sites in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to understand the environmental and health impacts of industrial pollutants, with a focus on environmental justice. Air quality pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, CO, and SO2, were monitored for 75 days during the Summer, using the BreezoMeter app. Python, Mapize, and QGIS software technologies were utilized for data analysis and visualization. Findings indicate a reduction in NO2 and CO levels, compared to existing literature. However, the persistent challenge of particulate matter suggests areas for further environmental management efforts. Additionally, the research suggests a significant disparity in air pollution exposure, probably affecting marginalized communities. Although the nature of the study might not fully capture annual pollution trends, the findings highlight the urgent need for the chemical industry to adopt efficient production methods and for policymakers to enhance air quality standards and enforcement, particularly in pollution-sensitive areas. The disproportionate impact of air pollution on vulnerable communities calls for a more inclusive approach to environmental justice, ensuring equitable distribution of clean air benefits and community involvement in pollution management decisions.

The impact of hearing impairment and noise-induced hearing injury on quality of life in the active-duty military population:challenges to the study of this issue

The objectives of this review were to 1)summarize the available evidence on the impact of hearing loss on quality of life(QOL)among U.S.active-duty service members,2)describe the QOL instruments that have been used to quantify the impact of hearing loss on quality of life,3)examine national population-level secondary databases and report on their utility for studying the impact of hearing loss on QOL among active-duty service members,and 4)provide recommendations for future studies that seek to quantify the impact of hearing loss in this population.There is a lack of literature that addresses the intersection of hearing impairment,the military population,and quality of life measures.For audiological research,U.S.military personnel offer a unique research population,as they are exposed to noise levels and blast environments that are highly unusual in civilian work settings and can serve as a model population for studying the impact on QOL associated with these conditions.This review recommends conducting a study on the active-duty service member population using a measurement instrument suitable for determining decreases in QOL specifically due to hearing loss.

To Vitalize the Northeast and Win by Quality Address at the Forum on the Strategy for Implement ing the Vitalization of the Northeast Old Industry Base Held by AQSIQ(selection)

The forum on the strategy for implementing the vitalization of the northeastold industry base was held on June 13^(th), 2005 in Shengyang by the General Adminitration ofQuality supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of P.R. China (AQSIQ). The leaders in charge of theState Council Office of Northeast Vitalization and the Provincial Office of Vitalization ofLiaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang were invited to attend the forum. At the forum, Director of AQSIQLi Changjiang made active response to the issues surrounding 'how the central government policy ofvitalizing Northeast can be fulfilled' and 'how the departments of quality inspection can fulfilltheir duty and play an active role'.

Regional difference and dynamic evolution of development quality of power industry in China

To achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and maintain high-quality economic growth,China is currently striving to improve the quality of development of its power sector.In this regard,revealing the regional differences and evolutionary trends in the development quality of China’power sector has a high value to inspire the next improvement direction toward how to integrate regional power recourses to an overall optimization level.Motived by this purpose,this paper uses the entropy method to evaluate the com‐prehensive and subsystem indices of the development quality of the power industry,and reveals their re‐gional differences and evolutionary trends with the help of the Dagum Gini coefficient and Kernel density es‐timation methods.The findings show that:There are obvious regional differences in the development quality of China’s power industry,and the differences are steadily declining in all regions except the West.Regional differences are mainly derived from inter-regional differences,with the largest inter-regional differences in the East-Northeast region.Intra-regional differences show a distribution pattern of East>West>North‐east>Center.

Assessing the Impact of Industrial Zones on the Environmental Pollution in Hai Phong’s Coastal Areas, Vietnam

Pollution in the coastal areas negatively affects biochemical indicators of seawater, human health and marine organisms. Hai Phong is a coastal city of Vietnam with the development of socio-economic activities, representing through an increasing number of industrial zones. This study is to evaluate the pollution of large industrial zones in Hai Phong city using numerical models. The numerical simulation (MIKE 21 SW, FM, ECO Lab) models were applied to simulate the wave propagation, hydraulic regime, water quality in coastal Hai Phong area. The MIKE 21 ECO Lab model was used to evaluate sources of waste from the large coastal industrial zones to some aquaculture zones. The calibration and validation results of wave propagation and the hydrodynamic models were resonably good, with Nash coefficient ranging from 0.65 to 0.90 and a percent bias (PBIAS) from 5.6% to 9.4%. The simulation results of water quality and concentration of pollutants (DO, BOD5, COD, TSS, Fe, and Coliform) in 2023 at the aquaculture locations show that the BOD5, COD, and TSS concentrations were higher than the allowable limits stated in the national technical regulation on surface water quality (QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT) and lower than the allowable limits stated in the national technical regulation on marine water quality (QCVN 10:2023/BTNMT). The outcomes of this study will provide more information to support managers to come up with a better socio-economic development plan for Hai Phong city to achieve sustainable development.

Factor input structure,environmental policies,and the export quality upgrade:a perspective of heterogeneity

In the analysis of how environmental regulation affects the comparative advantage of trade,existing literature ignores industry's inherent heterogeneity, which draws remarkably different conclusions. In view of this, the paper analyzed the mechanism of environmental regulation on the export quality of different industries from the perspective of factor input structure heterogeneity. Based on the panel data of China's manufacturing industry, the paper used the system generalized method of moments method to examine the heterogeneity influence of environmental regulation on manufacturing export quality. The study found that, first, environmental regulation affected the export quality upgrade of the manufacturing sector through offset effect and compensation effect, and the direction of the impact would mainly depend on the industry's factor input structure. Second, for industries with larger fixed-asset investment(FAI) ratio in the factor input structure, the current environmental regulation policy was not conducive to the export quality upgrading of the industries. However, there was a significant U-shaped dynamic relationship between them. As environmental regulations became stricter, when regulatory stringency went beyond the inflection point, the policy would promote the upgrading of export quality. But for industries with smaller proportion of FAI, environmental regulation exerted a favorable impact on the export quality upgrade, following a J-shaped marginal growth curve.Third, for industries with different factor input structure, their export quality had been effectively upgraded as expected by factors like human capital investment, independent R&D, technology introduction, and foreign direct investment; but raising per capita capital stock and expanding enterprise size did not produce significant direct impact on export quality upgrade. These conclusions remained robust after using different measurement methods and replacing with other variables. Therefore, this paper suggests that governments should take industry heterogeneity into consideration and formulate differentiated hierarchical environmental policies.Besides, they should strengthen the enforcement of the current environmental regulation policies. By doing so, enterprises are forced to improve their technology and product quality so that they can better cope with rising compliance costs, eliminate backward industries, and resolve excess capacity. In this way, the economic structure would be transformed and upgraded from the supply side.

Analysis on the Characteristics of Environmental Kuznets Curve and Assessment of Air Quality in Qingdao City

[Objective] The aim was to analyze the characteristics of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and assess air quality in Qingdao City. [Method] The EKC characteristics of Qingdao from 1996 to 2008 were studied based on air pollutant discharge indices, air pollution indices and economic data from the environmental quality reports and statistics yearbooks of Qingdao, and the air quality of Qingdao City was assessed. [Result] With the increase of GDP per capita, the total discharge of industrial waste gases improved remarkably, and its EKC showed inverted U type. Meanwhile, the discharge of SO2, industrial fumes and industrial dusts decreased on the whole, and the EKC of sulfur dioxide and industrial fumes was close to inverted N type. In addition, air pollution composite index also showed decrease trend, and its EKC showed inverted N type. In recent 13 years, the concentration of SO2, particles and NO2 in ambient air of Qingdao City showed decrease trend on the whole, especially particles. In addition, PM10 has replaced SO2 as the primary pollutant since 2001, and air pollution type has changed from coal smoke pollution to mixed mode pollution of coal smoke and motor vehicle. The mitigation of air pollution in Qingdao City could be attributed to the implementation of industrial waste gas management by the governments of Qingdao City. [Conclusion] The study could provide theoretical foundations for the establishment of environmental policies in Qingdao City.

Effects of Light Time, Light Intensity and Light Color on the Growth and Quality of Cordyceps militaris

Cordyceps militaris,which is a precious edible fungus,contains effective ingredients such as cordycepin and adenosine,and can treat a variety of diseases.However,light has the greatest effect on the growth of C.militaris in the process of artificial cultivation.In this study,the effects of light time,light intensity and light color on the growth,physiology,yield and quality of C.militaris were discussed to provide reference for the efficient artificial cultivation of C.militaris.

The Influence of Socio-Demographic, Health and Work-Related Factors on Health-Related Quality of Life among Iranian Industrial Workers

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been investigated among Iranian industrial workers. The present paper aimed to study the influence of the socio-demographic, health and work-related factors on HRQOL among Iranian industrial workers. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 280 workers of two factories. The Persian version of World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to assess the HRQOL. A questionnaire was developed to assess the socio-demographic, health and work-related factors. Results showed that the means (SD) of physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment domains of HRQOL were 13.2 (2.7), 13.3 (2.6), 14.2 (3.5) and 12.6 (2.5), respectively. A multiple linear regression showed that types of job, exercise activity, working schedule, sleep quality, smoking, and conflict between work and social life were significantly associated with physical health domain;whereas, working schedule, marital status, working demand, sleep quality, BMI, and conflict between work and individual life were significantly associated with psychological health domain. Working schedule, working demand, sleep quality, conflict between work and individual life, and having children over two years were significantly associated with social relationship domain;however, working demand, working schedule, smoking, sleep quality, working hour, job satisfaction, marital status and exercise activity were significantly associated with environment domain. Collectively, work-related factors including unhealthy working conditions, unsafe working environments, long working hours, irregular working schedules, and the lack of occupational training may negatively influence the HRQOL of workers. To improve workers’ HRQOL, intervention programs should focus on improving work environment, working schedule, occupational training and restricting working hours.

Improving the Construction Industry Quality Using the Seven Basic Quality Control Tools

The organizations used quality tools to develop their processes and gain satisfaction from the customers. The main objective of this study is to develop levels of quality in the construction industry through the use of the seven basic quality control tools. Such tools are extremely crucial tools which are used worldwide in the industries for continual improvement. The seven basic quality tools are Check Sheet, Histogram, Pareto Chart, Fishbone Diagram, Control Chart, Flowchart and Scatter Diagram. They were implemented in various steps of the process in order to define the problems, measure its impacts, find out its root causes and solve these problems to ensure the production of non-defective items. The study shows how the seven basic tools of quality are very useful and effective in identifying and removal of defects from the manufacturing process. These tools are helpful in every stage of the defect removal process. This study was conducted on Cleopatra Group Company. This company succeeded to serve the public and private projects in the Egyptian construction sectors.

Population Quality-based Demographic Dividend,Industrial Transformation and Sustainable Development of the Chinese Economy and Society

China is faced with a decreasing labor supply and therefore is losing its cost advantage.However,benefiting from continuous improvement of population quality,China's population quality-based demographic dividend begins to replace the quantity-based dividend to play a dominant role in economic development.Thus,in supply-side structure,rather than essential factors,it paves the way for the sustainable development of the Chinese economy.With the addition of the successful industrial transformation and upgrading,China still has the advantage to overcome the middle income trap and maintain the momentum of economic growth.

The Effect of Industrial Effluents on the Quality of Onukpawahe Stream, Tema-Ghana

Industrial effluents discharged into surface water body present a high percent of pollution in Ghanaian streams and rivers. The current study assessed the effects of industrial effluent on the quality of Onukpawahe stream which receives industrial effluents from the Tema Metropolis. Effluent samples were collected from six （6） selected industries and the water samples were collected from sixteen （16） different locations on the Onukpawahe stream. Various physico-chemical parameters such as BOD, TDS, Conductivity, COD, pH, TSS, Turbidity, Temperature, Colour, Sulphate, Phosphate, Ammonia and Nitrate were analysed during the current investigation. The average values of all the physico-chemical parameters （except pH and DO） were all above the EPA sector specific effluent guidelines. It was established in the study that the industries have polluted the stream and have grievously compromised the quality of the Onukpawahe stream. The surface water and industrial effluent must be monitored by the authorities in order to prevent further degradation of the river quality.

The Effect of Human Activities on the Quality of Water at UMhlathuze River （Northern Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, RSA）： The Case of Agricultural and Industrial Developments

UMhlathuze River is the main recipient of domestic sewage, industrial as well as agricultural waste from local industrial and agricultural practices. It is the effluent ＂dumping sites＂ for most human activity practices. Contamination of UMhlathuze River by agricultural and industrial developments makes communities around UMhlathuze area susceptible to potential outbreaks of water-borne illnesses as well as the risk of ingesting carcinogenic substances. In establishment of the effect of human developments on the UMhlathuze River, four different sites representing different human activities were used for sampling along the river. Temperature and pH were monitored in siitu and were found to vary between 19-21℃and 6.2-7.8, respectively. Chemical oxygen demand （COD） was found to be higher in areas affected by both industrial and agricultural activities. Spectroquadrant Pharo 300 （Merck） was used for chemical analysis of water. Agricultural waste recipient area had high concentration of phosphate, ammonia and nitrate. Parts of the river receiving effluent from treated wastewater had high sulphide, nitrate and ammonia concentrations. Industrial areas had high concentration of heavy metals （e.g., aluminium）. Microorganisms found in all sites included Escherichia coli and species of Salmonella, Shigella, Citrobacter, Serratia and Enterobacter, although their quantities differed from agricultural to industrial sites. There was a positive correlation between contamination levels and human activities which ascribe river pollution to activities around the area. Agricultural and industrial development activities practiced around UMhlathuze River have a huge contribution to the continued deterioration of the quality of water at UMhlathuze River.

Research and Development of New High-quality Short-season Cotton Varieties and the Industrial Application of High Efficiency Technologies in Shandong Province——Based on the Innovation of Building a Green and Efficient Farming System

Through the analysis of the impact of changes in the cotton planting industry on cotton production structure and benefit in Shandong under the national cotton production pattern in past ten years,based on the guarantee of food security and the overall ecological regional layout of Shandong s agricultural characteristic and advantageous industries,we proposed that through the development of high-quality short-season cotton and the industrial application of high-efficiency technologies,a green and high-efficiency farming system should be established to comprehensively reduce cotton planting costs,improve comparative benefits,and realize green and efficient optimization technologies that unify the stable production of cotton and high-quality cotton supply and the industrial path supported by the new industrial model.It is aimed to speed up the upgrading and transformation of the existing traditional cotton cropping system,reconstruct a ternary structure of grains,economic crops and fodder in the ecological suitable cotton areas and sub-suitable cotton areas in Shandong,and maintain a series of new green and ecological cotton rotation industrial models including the“double security”of the grain and cotton industries,the ecological“double superiority”of "cotton and fodder",and the high-efficiency"double increase"of cotton and garlic,providing a certain foundation for the research on technological integration innovation and industrial structure optimization of the green,efficient and high-quality development and transformation of the cotton industry in Shandong during the"14 th Five-Year Plan"period.

Research on the Motives of the Qualification Problem of Assets Valuation Industry in China——Study Based on Questionnaire and Factor Analysis

The assets valuation industry in China is the product, which comes from the reform and open policy and the development of the socialist market economy. Under more than 20 years of development which begins to bud in the beginning of the nineteen nineties, the assets valuation industry has become the indispensable Intermediary trade of the socialist market economy system in China. With the scale of assets valuation agency enlarging and its rapidly growing business in recent years, however, some problems have been exposed gradually, which harm the social image of the industry of asset valuation seriously. So the social public and the relevant administrative departments pay close attention on the quality of the asset valuation. To know about what are the essential causes that affect the assets valuation industry managers＇ decision, this paper, through using some means which include literature research, interview and questionnaire investigation and utilizing the method of the factor analysis, relegates 24 questions which come from some answers of the respondents to three factors which are the practicing quality factor, the sting factor of an organization and the internal management factor of valuation organization. Furthermore, it will analyze the features of these factors which are divided into two factors that are internal motivation and external motivation, looking for the key cause of the assets valuation industry quality problem of China which purposes in order to promote the healthy development of valuation profession and much better standard the internal quality of valuation industry of China.