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- ItemThe application of total quality management on Ghanaian construction site: a case study of Tema port(KNUST, 2019-06) Akurigo. Abel AyamgaIn the manufacturing and service industries, it has been testified that the implementation of TQM has led to improvements in competitiveness, quality and productivity in only 20-30% of the organizations that have applied it. However, the evidence of improvements in companies applying TQM practices is quite low, particularly in the construction industry in Ghana. The main objective of the study was to ascertain the challenges of effective TQM practices on construction sites within the Tema Port. Specifically, the study sought to establish the extent of application of TQM principles on construction sites at the port, to determine the extent of TQM practices; and then to ascertain the challenges faced in effective TQM implementation. Data was collected from a sample of 50 construction project personnel at the GPHA in Tema using questionnaires and the Relative Importance Index technique (RII) was applied to be able to rank the factors under each objective. The overall RII for evidence of the existence of RII principles was 0.585 (medium). This means that generally TQM principles were not very evident in the activities of construction companies at the Tema Port. Generally, the RII for TQM practices was 0.45 (low). Generally the RII for Challenges against effective TQM implementations was 0.766 (high). This means that challenges against effective TQM implementation were high at the Tema Port. The findings indicate that implementation TQM practices are still at nursery stage within the construction industry as principles and practices were found to be at medium level of observation. There is low evidence of the principles and observation of TQM practices within the activities on construction sites. The low level of practice can be attributed to the high level of challenges experienced in ensuring effective implementation of TQM practices. The study therefore recommended management commitment, education and training for staff, as well as government initiative to make TQM standards mandatory.
- ItemAn Aproach to Selectively Block Mobile Phone Communication within a Mobile Phone Restricted Area(2019-06) Agyare, MichaelThe use of mobile phone jammers to discourage mobile phone usage in mobile phone restricted areas has some limitations. One major limitation is that, once the jammer is activated no mobile phone can be able to function within the restricted area. For that reason, in the case of emergencies, no mobile phone can either make or receive phone calls or perform emergency calls (police, fire and ambulance services). Works done in literature can detect and block phone calls in a certain way but depends on the mobile switching centre in order to block communication in the restricted area. Therefore, in this thesis, a selective mobile phone communication blocking system is proposed which does not depend on the mobile switching centre in order to perform blocking of communication. The proposed system seeks to allow privilege users access to communication and block non-privilege users with respect to a specific user location. Some mobile phone user locations were considered in this thesis (Hospitals, Banks and Schools). A user from a particular user location cannot enjoy the same privileges at a different location provided that user is privileged. The selective blocking nature of the system was simulated using Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) toolbox (mamdani). The inference method is based on a set of IF-THEN rules and membership functions of the input variable and output variables of the system. Users for the different locations were converted into input triangular membership functions. The output is the decision (“allow” and “not allow”) for each of the inputs. S-shape and Z-shape membership functions were used as the output decision variables. The set of IF-THEN rules were used to link the input variables to the output variables. The fuzzy inference system was able to perform selective blocking of communication services for privileged and non-privileged users. The results in this work shows that when the proposed system is implemented mobile phone communication service can be prioritised to suit privilege users in specific mobile phone restricted areas
- ItemAnalysis of electrical power usage in houses using smart electrical distribution switch(KNUST, 2019-10) Fofie,KofiThere is high demand for electrical energy because electrical energy is very important in both industrial and domestic activities and that has call for the introduction of different energy meters by various electricity companies. In Ghana families living in large and compound houses wish to have separate energy meters from other occupants. This is because individual’s cannot monitor and control the energy consumption of each individual and that brings misunderstanding in energy bill sharing which also brings about a household having about ten energy meters causing overcrowding of energy meters on the wall of a building which makes the wall loses its beauty and there is likelihood of fire outbreak in the house because the wires are not well arranged. Moreover, energy companies need huge sum of money and labour to produce more energy meters and this can cause financial loss to the energy companies. This has therefore call for the introduction of smart distribution switch which will enhance the monitoring and adequate sharing of energy purchased by the household base on the amount paid by each of the users of the meter. The amount paid will be entered into the system that will be stored on EPROM of a microcontroller that will reduce each consumer’s energy base on the rate of consumption. The smart distribution switch may have different switches allocated to each user which monitor the consumption rate of each user. It will then isolate the user connected to a line out when he /she completely consumes his share.
- ItemAssessment of Land use Induced Land Surface Temperature Changes in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana(KNUST, 2019-08) Agbozo,MathiasThis study explored the application of geospatial technology in understanding change pattern of Land use/Land cover (LULC) and associated Land Surface Temperature (LST) variability in the Greater Accra region between 1986 and 2018. Landsat satellite imagery between the months of December and February (dry season) were used for LULC analysis and LST Estimation. MODIS LST data for 1986, 2002 and 2018 were also utilized for the validation of satellite derived LST. The aim of this research was to investigate how LULC changes affects LST. The results of analysis show that LULC in Greater Accra region has changed significantly over the 32-year period. Four major LULC types identified were; vegetation, built-up, bare land and waterbody. Bare land cover type indicated decrease from 1986 to 2018 of 60.22%. Water bodies experienced varying trend of 7.84% decrease representing 9.11 Km2. Vegetation cover indicated 16.20% increase in 2002 and 28.02% decrease in 2018. This amounted to a total of 11.82% decrease in vegetation cover. On the contrary, built-up increased by 654.03% (724.3 Km2) between 1986 and 2018. LST was observed to have increased by 3.05 over the 32-year period of this study across the Greater Accra region. with the highest LST of 36.95 and the lowest of 20.19 , both recorded in 2002. The trend however indicated a significant increase between 1986 and 2002 but a decrease in LST from 2002 to 2018. The increasing trend in LST over time was found to be consistent with the observed urban expansion of the study area. High temperatures are also more apparent along the coastal belt of the region stretching northwards as development spread in the same direction. Total change in LST for the entire period of the study show increases of 3.53 , 3.04 , 2.78 and 2.65 for bare land, vegetation, built-up and waterbody land use/land cover types respectively. LULC association with LST shows that bare land experienced the highest negative change of 60.22% and this corresponded to the highest increase in LST of 3.53 over the same period. Correlation analysis and Coefficient of variation indicated largely that, MODIS LST data validated derived LST from Landsat satellite imagery. Trend of both LST values follow identical pattern with few instances where derived LST is greater than MODIS LST. Both NDBAI and NDBI exhibited a positive correlation with LST. NDVI demonstrated a negative linear correlation while NDWI indicated the strongest negative linear correlation with LST. Land use/Land cover change can be linked to rising Land Surface Temperature Changes in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The research stresses the need to ensure effective land use planning by relevant regulatory bodies to control urban development and address anthropogenic causes of surface temperature changes.
- ItemStakeholder Management Practices: Case Study of Marine rehabilitation Project at Ghana Ports and Harbour authority (Takoradi Shipyard)(KNUST, 2019-10) Charles Alampahii ABSTRACT Stakeholder management is a vital activity, using simple procedures and investing a modest effort can make a big difference to the eventual success of the project simply by understanding the stakeholders and what they want. Communications with stakeholders who have high levels of interest and influence will be managed differently from those with stakeholder of low interest and influence. This study seeks to examine the stakeholder management practices implemented in marine rehabilitation projects activity in Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority – Takoradi shipyard, challenges of stakeholder management, causes of the identified challenges as well as to provide recommendations on strategies for effective stakeholder management. The research design for this study is of quantitative type, this study used descriptive statistics to achieve its objectives. The key findings of this study are: the critical challenges of stakeholder management practices at Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Takoradi shipyard in their order of ranking of occurrence include unclear stakeholders, negative community reactions to the project, Inadequate resources assigned to the project, changes in scope of work and lack of support from stakeholders. The study found several causes of the identified challenges which includes poor planning, lack of human personnel and lack of effective communication. The study also found several proposed strategies for effective stakeholder management including effective planning, effective communication and effective stakeholder engagement.