Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Devastating 2010 Earthquake On The United States

Executive Summary The devastating 2010 earthquake left Haiti in ruins. This meant Haiti would mostly rely on foreign aids to stand back to its feet. Most didn’t hesitate to come in to assist mostly the USA and other foreign aids which donated over $5 billion to help Haiti. However, so many questions have been raised on to how well these funds were used. This report includes facts to show how the funds were voluntarily misappropriated by a number of players including the foreign aids (both domestic and foreign), NGOs as well as the administration. This report also gives a summary of the election that happened the same year. This serves to demonstrate how the election was full of malpractices and fraud. The leaders elected especially the president and his government were not good enough in leading the nation to stability. The president before being elected acknowledged his political inexperience, but said he would seek expert international advice to guide him in developing foreign investments and tourism to stimulate the economy. Martelly, who also a businessman, had personal financial issues. He defaulted on over $1 million in loans and had three properties in Florida go into foreclosure, raising questions about his financial management skills long before he was even elected. This report demonstrates how his government failed in delivering their promises to the people of Haiti. The Election The Haiti’s November 28 election raised doubts on its expected credibility longShow MoreRelatedHaiti s Recovery Of Haiti1151 Words   |  5 Pagesan earthquake, recovery takes a lot out of the government, the people, and the allied countries. When an unexpected major earthquake hit Haiti, a country in the Caribbean, in 2010, at least 200,000 to 316,000 deaths occurred. The many deaths, displaced people, and destroyed buildings left Haiti in ruins. The government and the people were filled with dreadful sorrows as these truths about a ruined Haiti came to light. Immediately after this disaster, allied countries such as the United States andRead MoreSc300 Unit 4 Assignment Essay example1659 Words   |  7 PagesOf all the naturally occurring events on Earth, earthquakes are among the most devastating and bring a lot of truth to the statement, â€Å"Just because something is natural does not mean it is not dangerous.† Earthquakes are one of the most natural things I can think of that can cause massive damage and loss of human live in many instances, and the effects are sometimes long term. â€Å"Nothing happens without a force. Many geophysicists accept the theory that continents move as a result of the forcesRead MoreThe Haiti Earthquake Of Haiti1362 Words   |  6 Pages Haiti Earthquake 2010 Kayla Nickel, Victoria Federico, Riley Hicks Pioneer Heritage Middle School National Palace Introduction The Haiti Earthquake was one of the worst earthquakes in Haiti’s history. It killed about 316,000 people, and over 1 million people we’re removed from their homes, as â€Å"World Book Student† told us. This was very devastating to residents, to Government Officials, and to the world. On January 12, 2010 at 4:53 P.M. local time, the people of Port-au-Prince felt whatRead MoreHaiti Is Located In Central America, And Is Also Bordered1506 Words   |  7 Pagescomparable to the state of Maryland in the United States; however, it is marginally smaller. As of July 2016, the estimated population was 10,485,800. (CIA) Haiti is probably most well known for being the location where a devastating earthquake hit. This earthquake took place in 2010, and it killed more than 200,000 people. (BBC News) The earthquake completely destroyed not only the land, but also the economy. I chose this country because I was curious to find out exactly how the earthquake affected theRead Mo reAre Earthquake Disasters Caused by Humans?1118 Words   |  5 PagesAre Earthquake Disasters Caused by Human? Summary The intent of this paper is to prove that that the damages that are usually associated with earthquakes are actually created by a deficiency in the construction methods used around the world. First, the student will talk about the types of construction failures that contribute to damages in areas where earthquakes hit. The construction flaws include building on foundations that are prone to liquefaction and amplification of the foundation’sRead MoreHaiti s Recovery After The Earthquake857 Words   |  4 Pages Haiti’s Recovery After The Earthquake Five years after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Haiti is rebuilding gradually. Haiti, being one of the poorest countries, was always in need of improvement but the 2010 earthquake added to their concerns. With over 300,000 lives lost, houses, school and businesses destroyed and family and friends mourning, the country had no hope. Haiti started receiving help immediately all over the world after the earthquake. Food, medication and tents were sent to the countryRead MoreThe Earthquake Of The Valdivia Earthquake977 Words   |  4 Pages1.valdivia Earthquake The 1960 Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake is to date the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Earth’s history, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale. It occurred in the afternoon and its resulting tsunami affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. About 1,655 killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern Chile; tsunami causedRead MoreEssay on The Effect of Natural Disaster on a Society1176 Words   |  5 Pagesfar-reaching flood and earthquake, the death toll could be immense. It is estimated that the 1976 Tangshan earthquake caused more than 750 thousand deaths, making it rank the first among all earthquakes in the 20th century (BBC, Year unknown, internet). This figure indicates a correlation between population density and higher casualties. Furthermore, On April 20 2011, Edmond Mulet, the head of the UN mission in Haiti said, marked the 100th day since the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, leavingRead MoreImpact Of The Indian Ocean Tsunami990 Words   |  4 Pagesyou feel if you were told that you and your beloved ones will face a terrible disaster in only a few minutes and there was nothing you can do to survive? This is what happened in the Indian ocean tsunami that was on Decemb er 26, 2004 when a giant earthquake occurred in the Indian ocean and unleashed a series of killer waves towards more than thirteen countries in which the most affected ones were Sumatra in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Maldives. In this essay we will discuss the cause of thisRead MoreResearch on Haiti Essay1156 Words   |  5 Pages sugarcane, sorghum, yams, corn, and plantains. The main exports are coffee, cotton, sugar, sisal, bauxite, and essences. The most predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. â€Å"Catholicism is enshrined in the Haitian constitution as the official state religion, and between 80 and 85% of Haitians are Catholics.† The religion of Voodoo is also practiced. â€Å"Vodou encompasses several different traditions, and consists of a mix encompassing African, European and indigenous  Taà ¬no  religious elements.†

Monday, December 23, 2019

Hamlet Character Analysis - 729 Words

Will Hamlet accept the new changes in his life? What is he capable of to be happy? After his father’s death, Hamlet will have to face the new changes in his hometown, Denmark. Shakespeare develops Hamlet’s character in relation to other characters in these soliloquies. Shakespeare develops Hamlet’s character in relation to the ghost of king Hamlet. To start the ghost says, â€Å"I am thy father’s spirit†(Shakespeare 60). King Hamlet’s ghost had appeared in Hamlet’s life after his death. At first Hamlet thought it was just some ghost that was after him, but it introduced itself. The ghost then said, â€Å"If thou didst ever thy dear father love-- Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (Shakespeare 62). The ghost told Hamlet that he was†¦show more content†¦Hamlet said, â€Å"I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it† (Shakespeare 116). Hamlet knew that Polonius was watching him and following him everywhere. Polonius was stalking Hamlet to find out his every move. Everything Hamlet did, he told Claudius. They wanted to know what was wrong with Hamlet. Therefore Hamlet’s character relates to Polonius in many different ways. Shakespeare develops Hamlet’s character in relation to claudius. Claudius said, â€Å"We pray you, throw to earth this unprevailing woe, and think of us as your father† (Shakespeare 24). Claudius is telling Hamlet to forget about his father’s death and to start thinking of him as his father. He then said, â€Å"And we beseech you, bend you to remain here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son† (Shakespeare 26). Claudius wants to get close to Hamlet. So he wants Hamlet to stay in Denmark with them. He really wants a good relationship with him. But Hamlet is being odd and distant. He then said, â€Å"I entreat you both that, being of so young days brought up with him and since so neighbored to his youth and ‘havior, that you vouchsafe your rest here in our court some little time so by your companies to draw him on to pleasure and to gather, so much as from occasion you may glean, weather aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus that, opened, lies within our remedy† (shakespeare 28). Claudius wants to know everything about Hamlet. But he knows that HamletShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis of the Characters in Hamlet Essay1592 Words   |  7 PagesAn Analysis of the Characters in Hamlet Hamlet by William Shakespeare has been considered by many critics as one of the best plays in English literature. It has also been considered as one of the best tragedies among the many Shakespeare wrote. It is a story which revolves around this person called Hamlet, prince of Denmark. It is set in the Elizabethan times in the 16th century. It is a tragedy because it results in the deaths of many characters either accidentallyRead MoreHamlet Character Analysis Essay1014 Words   |  5 PagesNicole Ventzke Crystal Jensen 1102 T/H 2/14/11 Hamlet Character Analysis: Hamlet One aspect that makes William Shakespeare’s Hamlet alluring is how he broke the limiting mold of the one-dimensional character by representing characters in all of their human complexity. Hamlet, for example, is a compelling character because he is complicated. As Hamlet himself observes early in the play in, â€Å"Tis not alone my inky cloak/nor customary suits of solemn black, /Nor†¦forced breath/No, nor the fruitfulRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Hamlet1065 Words   |  5 Pageswill be explaining where and when Hamlet talks about certain characters, to help explain how he thinks about them (ex: King Hamlet, Claudius, and Gertrude). This essay will help to explain Hamlet as well as his thought process throughout the book (story). In Act 1, Scene 2 (Gertrude) (Lines 141-145) Quote â€Å"That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, Must I remember?† In this first part from line 141 to 143 Hamlet says â€Å"Oh God, do I have to rememberRead MoreThe Analysis of the Character Ophelia on Hamlet Essay1297 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia is the most static character in the play. Instead of changing through the course of the play, she remains suffering in the misfortunes perpetrated upon her. She falls into insanity and dies a tragic death. Ophelia has issues surviving without a male influence, and her downfall is when all the men in her life abandon her. Hamlet’s Ophelia, is a tragic, insane character that cannot exist on her own. In Elizabethan times, Ophelia is restricted as a woman. SheRead MoreHamlet Character Analysis Essay1408 Words   |  6 Pagesout at the bond of brotherhood with a lethal blow is to tear at the foundations of an entire family, as members scramble in reaction to the completely distorted dynamic. The Bard’s magnum Opus, Hamlet, attempts to deal with the effects of such a blow after Claudius, the proverbial Cain, slays King Hamlet, the stand in for Abel. However, the familial relations affected are significantly more complicated, being elevated to the political stage and invlovling a perverted inscet. Furthermore, after killingRead MoreAnalysis of Ophelias Character in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1159 Words   |  5 PagesIn the English play Hamlet, Shakespeare incorporates deep analytical thought in his writing by the use of character, symbolism, and motifs. Specifically, readers can find these characteristics through analytical reading of the character Ophelia. While initially r eading the story, Ophelia represents a character that is typical of the women in the 1600s, one who is too submissive and directed by the people around her. First impressions of Ophelias character seem much too simplistic- one that is emotionallyRead MoreEssay about A Character Analysis of Hamlet1897 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet fascinates many readers and the first thing to point out about him is that he is mysterious. Shakespeares work demonstrates Hamlets dilemma as the role of revenger showing a man of thought forced to be a man of action. Hamlet is extremely philosophical and introspective. He is particularly drawn to difficult questions or questions that cannot be answered with any certainty. Faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncles guilt beforeRead MoreCritical Analysis of Hamlet: Character Analysis and the Themes of Revenge and Manipulation1851 Words   |  8 PagesThe play Hamlet is a text that despite its age and Elizabethan linguistic style is still resoundingly relevant to today’s modern audience due to its ability to move past time related contextual barriers and capture the universality of the human condition with its infinite confusion as evident in the character of Prince Hamlet, its ability to influence and manipulate as well as its reaction to such manipulation, revenge. The character of Hamlet himself is very relatable today especially to youngRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Gertude in Shakespeares Hamlet607 Words   |  2 PagesI do believe that Gertrude is still a mother to Hamlet as well. Gertrude’s care for Hamlet is evident from her first lines in Act 1, wherein she begs Hamlet to â€Å"cast nighted color off† in an attempt to bring him out of two months of mourning. This shows her love for him in that she is concerned about him in his sad state of mourning. In Act 2, Gertrude asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern â€Å"instantly to visit too much changed son† in order that they might discover the cause of his seeming insanity. ThisRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Ophelia in Hamlet by William Shakespeare808 Words   |  3 Pagesidentify with. Of all the characters in the play Hamlet, the one I liked the most is Ophelia. Shakespeare portrayed her beautifully and put all his emotions into Ophelia’s character. Ophelia showed the exact image of the majority of women from my home country. In the play Hamlet, Ophelia was the most innocent, meek, but distraught character. Ophelia was a young, innocent girl, who was spirited and was the age of daydreamers. Her dreams were all about the young prince Hamlet; she believed he was the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Novel and Robinson Free Essays

string(97) " of informing the reader that in sheer quantity, he has written as much â€Å"Augustine and Calvin\." Religion: A Trivial Conundrum Religion in fiction, much like religion in politics, has grown to be considered taboo. Religious characters are often expected to be comedic and used only as experimental or secondary. Their only true attribute is that of piety, playing on old stereotypes to drive the characterization. We will write a custom essay sample on Novel and Robinson or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a world where being politically correct gets in the way of day-to-day talk, approaching controversial topics in any form of writing can be seen as potentially unprofitable, too risque. The competitive market of publishing doesn’t allow room for mistakes anymore and it’s easier to stay on the safe route than to stray on alternative, smaller – often more interesting – roads that may or may not lead to success. This makes literature that deals with the religious on a primary level all the more rare and exciting to read. Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead is one such example. Religion is indisputably in the forefront of this tale and, although it may not be the catalyst of the narrator’s writing, it is, without a doubt, one of Gilead’s main themes. The novel’s very format is even done in such a manner that its sole goal seems to emphasize the holy, the divine – religion, in particular, Christianity. The novel is written from the perspective of John Ames, an old Reverend, on his deathbed, writing his final words to his then seven-year-old son in the form of a letter. A writer his entire life, Ames uses his best tool as a measure to insure that his son know something of his life, even if Ames has passed away years before the son ever gets a chance to read the letter. The novel reads somewhat like a diary, a spiritual one at that. At every corner scriptures are referenced or Ames’ faith somehow fits into the narration. Robinson very easily transmits Ames’ constant remembrance of Christianity by plucking in allusions to God, the Church, or his work, not to mention the almost over-usage of the word â€Å"Christlike†. Religion very early on is dealt with as an important subject and as the book continues, it gains more and more time in the spotlight. While initially one could think that the novel would focus less with the nature of Christianity, since Ames even says that he does not with to persuade his son to follow his footsteps in the Ministry – even if he does point out some of its â€Å"advantages†[1] – as it roles forward, the focus drifts ever closer to God and how the world itself reminds Ames of the sacred. The narrator’s descriptive tendencies, in themselves are also a way Robinson finds to allude to the religious. They are Ames’ way of referencing God’s work, attempting to capture the magnificence that he sees in the world, and transmitting it to his son via words, much like God did to Moses. All that is beautiful, all that is right, it would there seem, is thanks to the Almighty. Robinson uses a very poetic tone in her writing of this novel, which helps connect the secular with the divine and emphasizes even more the novel’s religious nature. As Robinson herself said in an interview, â€Å"both poetry and theology push conventional definitions and explore perceptions that might be ignored or passed off as conventional, but when they are pressed yield much larger meanings, seem to be part of a much larger system of reality. † [2] A poetic diction, therefore, lends to the reader more easily identifying with the holy. It is easier to connect with the abstract when using a language that lends itself more readily to emotions and ideology rather than straightforward storytelling and facts. In this manner, the non sequitur tendencies of the novel also lend to the goal of lifting the reader to a theological level. Robinson also has Ames mention poets such as John Donne and George Hebert, stressing the importance of the lyrical. The poetic quality, additionally, is not presented in an overly romanticized fashion, but more as a part of Ames’ view of life. He speaks of the world as God’s masterpiece and, has small details such as, â€Å"smell[ing] the rain†[3] or â€Å"a bubble float[ing] past [a] window, fat and wobbly and ripening toward that dragonfly blue they turn just before they burst,†[4] take on holy connotations to the reader’s. The mortal and divine worlds seem to mesh in Ames’ head – perhaps the consequence of being so close to death. In fact, at times, Ames seems to speak as though he had already passed on, operating from a dead man’s point of view. For instance he says that â€Å"it is actually hard for [him] to remember how mortal [he] is those days. There are pains†¦but not so frequent or even so severe when they come that [he is] as alarmed by them as [he] should be. †[5] As a Reverend, Ames does not fear death, so he allows himself to be swept away with its beauty perhaps a little sooner than he should. His tone is therefore somewhat omniscient, which leads to his sounding rather obnoxious, although that may be a trait that one reserves the right to in old age. The father-son dynamic is also intrinsically important in Gilead. The whole point of Ames’ writing is to find a medium through which to communicate with his son. He aims, through storytelling and somewhat sporadic advice, to give his son some sort of a guide for life. Basically, Ames writes his son his very own, personal Bible. This may seem like a fairly conceited venture for a Reverend to undertake, and one can see from Ames’ voice that he is, even if he denies it, not the humblest of men. At many points throughout the novel, such as when referring to his wife and his grandfather as people God may like to spend time with,[6] Ames ends up comparing himself, to some extent, with Jesus Christ; essentially calling himself Godlike. Humble, he is not. He even reaches the point of informing the reader that in sheer quantity, he has written as much â€Å"Augustine and Calvin. You read "Novel and Robinson" in category "Essay examples" [7] He does so in the calmest of tones, yet still with an undeniable desire to spark some awe in his son. Confusingly, however, he still believes that his life â€Å"does not compare with [his] grandfather’s. †[8] It would seem that a man of the Church would hold God to the highest of esteems, but his grandfather seems to beat out the old white man in the sky at times. Ames views his grandfather in an almost unrealistic idealized view. Even when he criticizes him, the tone is lighthearted and almost playful. At one point Ames goes as far as relating the thunder and lightning striking in the sky with God â€Å"tipping [His] hat to [John Ames’ grandfather]. As if to say, Glad to see you here in the stands Reverend. †[9] Yet, their relationships are hard to pinpoint and Ames’ reverence and faith in God is indisputable; which lends to a quite confusing reading of the book. All the major conflicts and drives in this book seem to regard the father-son relationship. From the desire that leads John Ames’ to write his letter, to the multiple stories about his own father and grandfather, even to Jack Boughton’s struggled relationship with his own dad. Ultimately, it seems that all the referencing to father-son relationships is Robinson’s way of emphasizing the father-son condition human beings have with God. He is the ultimate parent – the nurturer and the punisher, the constant in one’s life. All the various conflicts, â€Å"daddy issues,† and stories in the novel are therefore metaphors and allusions to the larger, more important questions human beings are faced with and their own tribulations and worries with dealing with the theological. Religion is a family affair in the Ames’ household. As John writes his letter, he is already the third consecutive generation of Reverends in his family. He speaks of religion as his vocation, deems himself to have been lucky to have had the Church in his path. The only â€Å"stray† of the Ames is John’s brother, who was initially raised to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, after the brother’s turn to atheism, John seems to take it upon himself to fill his unworn shoes. And now, years later, when John is close to departing this earth, he once again takes it upon himself to continue his family legacy; eternalize his family’s contributions to Christianity in the form of a letter to his son. To John, his family life is undoubtedly linked inherently with his religious one. For example, Ames says that â€Å"A man can know his father, or his son, and there might still be nothing between them but loyalty and love and mutual incomprehension. †[10] Right before this phrase, he speaks of how there are things that he preaches but nonetheless truly does not understand. He very smoothly transitions from religion to family, almost as if in his mind, there were not a clear distinction. This goes to aid the idea that all the familial conflicts in the novel are there as a tool for Robinson to constantly remind the reader of Christianity and its importance in one’s life. Ames writes his letter to his son as his way of carrying on his existence, eternalizing his memory, emphasizing religion’s importance. Ultimately, it does seem that religion is infused in the story not only as plot device and characterization but also with deeper intents from Robinson’s part to spread her faith. The father/son dynamic therefore serves much more as a subtle way of perpetuating the divine in the mundane world. It is much easier for a reader to relate with human emotions and domestic troubles than directly with the divine and celestial. Gilead’s story therefore, is only a means to an end – the glorification of Christianity. While writing this book, Robinson may have very well set out with the intention of spreading the Protestant or Christian word, diffusing is subtly through fiction into the American subconscious. But even if she does, she manages to do so in a peculiar and original manner. She follows the school of the Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop which goes very much against Post-Modernism and believes that a plain style is preferable to an overly decorated one. Nonetheless, Gilead does not have the sound or feel of an obsolete book. The voice is meant to be that of a man from the 1950’s and the novel could have very well been written in that decade, but there is still something quite refreshing and original about Robinson’s style. The tranquility with which she treats the theme of Religion – like it’s just a fact of life – makes so that the preaching really does just sound like fatherly advice. This novel potentially could get quite overbearing with religious undertones but the human-relationships-factor retains enough vitality and presence to overpower it. The metafictional, first person narrative, also brings about the question of reliability. Ames speaks with a certainty that only age brings, he admits ignorance at many points, but they only seem to emphasize his own self-awareness. At some points in the novel, the first-person voice even seems to mix with that of Robinson’s herself. â€Å"I believe I’ll make an experiment with candor here†[11] says John Ames, yet as a reader, I find that Robinson’s own voice resounds through this phrase. It would thus be logical to conclude that Ames’ view of the world, and his desire to spread Christianity onward would coincide with Robinson’s own desires. Even if with ulterior motives, it takes audacity to take a subject as controversial as religion and place it in the limelight of a novel. In an age of Post-Modernism (or is it Post-Post-Modernism? it is almost uplifting to find a piece of work that isn’t trying to take satire and irony to the next level. By strictly following an old-school agenda and format, Robinson manages to be more innovative that most other modern writers – almost in the way fashion repeats itself every few decades and old styles manage to be more cutting edge and modern than that which used to be the next-new-trend. People may criticize Robinson for infusing too much religion and personal agenda into her novel, but in the end, she is still one of the few that manage to do this without sounding overly or even overtly preachy and patronizing. This in itself is modern and forward thinking. Taboo subjects are usually those that are most interesting and worth discussing, so we can’t let public perceptions and social fears impede us of sharing our opinions – whatever they may be. ———————– [1] Marilynne Robinson. Gilead. New York: Picador, 2004. 23 [2] Interview with Missy Daniel. Marilynne Robinson. Religion and Ethics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newsweekly. PBS. 9 Oct. 2006 . [3] Robinson 35 [4] Robinson 9 [5] Robinson 75 [6] Robinson 30 [7] Robinson 19 [8] Robinson 39 [9] Robinson 46 [10] Robinson 7 [11] Robinson 7 How to cite Novel and Robinson, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Romeo and Juliet Fate vs. Youth Essay Example For Students

Romeo and Juliet: Fate vs. Youth Essay In the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, fate controlls the characters. The idea is that there is a supernatural force that determines how the characters are going to act and feel in different situations. Both Romeo and Juliet think that they were destined to be together, and if they could not be together, there was no reason to live. Hasty actions rush Romeo and Juliets marriage into a dangerous event that kills them and other characters. Was it truly fate that brought these two young lovers to such an untimely death, or was it rather their impetuosity that drove their uncontrollable passion? Shakespeares idea that afear of fate itself can influence other themes in the play, thus altering the events of the plot. Shakespeare wrote a total of thirty-seven plays in his lifetime. The time period in which he wrote was called the Elizabethan era. Most Elizabethans believed strongly that their lives were influenced by supernatural forces that were out of their hands. They believed that astrology was a legitimate science and that fate was closely tied with the heavens, planets, and stars. This was called the, chain of being. In many plays, fate controls Shakespeares doomed lovers. Romeo and Juliet play that part in the tragedy and their death is blamed on destiny. On the way to the Capulet party Romeo states, I fear too early, for my mind misgives, some consequence yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin his fearful date which this nights revels and expire the term of a despised life, closd in my breast, by some vial forfeit of untimely death. But he that hath the steerage of my course direct my sail! On lusty gentlemen I. IV. 106 The ominous outlook both Romeo and Juliet have on their relationship keeps them from complete happiness. Despite their predictions, they truly believe they were meant to be together, even if it meant killing themselves. Romeo and Juliet killed themselves because they believed that their relationship would go beyond the grave and their love would be eternal. One of the major themes that evolve from fate is love verses death. There are many examples of this theme that foreshadow the tragedy at the end of the play. Romeo and Juliets feuding families made their relationship was difficult from the beginning. Yet, they defy the feud and fall in love. After the Capulet party, Juliet remarks, If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed. I. V. 133 Juliet is implying that if Romeo already belongs to another woman, than she can live no longer. Their forbidden love causes Romeo and Juliet to be associated with darkness and death. Both are sneaking behind the backs of their families and the townspeople at night in order to be together. When Romeo is banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, Juliet threatens to murder herself and Romeo complains that being banished is a far worse punishment than being killed. Even Juliet says that her entire family and herself could die, and it would not be as bad as Romeo being banished. In the end, both of them get their wish as they kill themselves so they can be together in heaven. Romeo and Juliets forbidden love resolves the endless fighting between the Capulets and Montegues after their tragic deaths. Romeo and Juliet believe so strongly that they are destined to be together, they feel there is no need to slow down and get to know each other. The theme of the impetuous youth appears in almost all the actions Romeo and Juliet take to become a couple. .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .postImageUrl , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:hover , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:visited , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:active { border:0!important; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 { 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; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:active , .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .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; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8 .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2a19d5a74fef09d2b46f0aeb04b8d9c8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Philippine Typhoons EssayThey meet at the Capulet party where they talk for only a couple minutes and already become madly in love. After finding out they are trapped between their feuding families, they start sneaking away through dangerous territory to pledge their love. Juliets parents have already arranged her marriage set with County Paris which forces her to take drastic actions. Friar Lawrence gives Juliet a vile filled with a sleeping potion that will temporarily stop her heart and five scenes so she can escape her marriage to Paris and run away with Romeo. Juliet is quick to accept the poison and falls under the medicinal coma until Romeo takes her away. Little did she know, Romeo was not aware of the plan. He rushes into Juliets tomb where he not only kills Paris, but himself because his dearest love is dead. Juliet soon awakens, finds Romeo has committed suicide, takes his dagger, and stabs herself. Quick actions lead to tragedy. We will never know if it was truly fate that brought such an untimely death to the two young lovers or just their impetuous decisions. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is influenced by Shakespeares idea that fate can cause the characters to act and feel differently. Romeo and Juliet are immature and their impetuous actions lead them to their graves. They believe that life on earth is not worth living if you dont have someone to love. The Elizabethan times was the period in which Shakespeare wrote his plays and where many people strongly believed that they had no control over their fate and that supernatural forces made all of their decisions. This belief greatly influenced his writing and is a major theme in Romeo and Juliet. Would there have been and alternate ending if Romeo and Juliet had taken fate into their own hands and married with the approval of both families, or was it truly destiny that turned their love story into tragedy? From past actions it is obvious that it was Romeo and Juliets fear of fate that resulted in their impetuas descions and drove them to their deaths.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Tel

Advantages, disadvantages and ranking TCT is a multinational firm that manufactures and sells a range of high quality office equipment in about 12 countries across the globe. The strategic management of the business establishment has enabled it to realize excellent performance outcomes.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Tel-Comm-Tek (TCT) Advantages and Disadvantages in Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With regard to its expansion endeavor, the company needs to hire a highly qualified managing director to head operations in India. It is important to analyze the merits and demerits of the six candidates that the committee for selection has identified within the company. Tom Wallace The employee is young and energetic to execute growth strategies adopted by the management. It is documented that he has worked with Mr. Kent on a number of key projects in the US. Thus, he has substantial knowledge in project ma nagement. In addition, Wallace has technical and sales skills that would help to drive up the sales of the firm. However, he cannot fit to work in India because he only speaks English and due to his lack of foreign exposure with regard to work. In addition, he is set to retire in seven years. Therefore, he is not the right candidate to set long-term goals of TCT in India. Brett Harrison The employee of TCT has a wealth of experience, especially in terms of line activities and supervision of junior workers. As asserted by his superiors, he is poised to move into upper-level management in five years time. In addition, he has toured Asia a few times in the past, a fact that makes him understand the geography, politics, customs, and outlooks of India. However, he might not be the right candidate for the vacancy because he cannot go to India with his wife who works for a company that does not have operations in any country in Asia. Atasi Das Academically, she is well qualified as support ed by her MBA. The 45-year-old employee has a wealth of experience in strategic management, which would help TCT to perform excellently in Asia. In addition, she speaks Hindi. However, she does not have adequate knowledge with regard to the management of many operations.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ravi Desai The employee of TCT is based in Asia and has a good knowledge of India, including Hindi language and local politics, among other factors that may influence business. However, he does have exposure of management in diverse business environments. Jalan Bukit Seng The 52-year-old managing director of TCT in Malaysia has excellent supervisory skills in different production lines. He has good knowledge of Asia, especially Malaysia and Singapore. He has consistent positive reviews. However, he cannot speak Hindi. Saumitra Chakraborty Saumitra has a wealth of experience i n operational matters and customer relationship management. He speaks both Hindi and English, but he does not have any experience in line management. The following is the rank of the candidates from high to low: Ravi Desai Atasi Dasi Brett Harrison Tom Wallace Saumitra Chakraborty Jalan Bukit Seng Challenges of a new managing director The recommended managing director, Ravi Desai, might encounter some difficulties when he assumes the role of the managing director of TCT in India. First, he might be faced by the challenge of overseeing operations in a different market away from Malaysia and Singapore, which he has a considerable wealth of experience with regard to market dynamics. Second, because he is used to managing sales and production in Singapore and Malaysia, he might find it tough to manage all operations of TCT in India, which might require some experience of strategic management. Third, he might also have the challenges of relocating with his family to In India. How the s elected candidate would minimize the challenges The recommended candidate would minimize the challenges by using several approaches. First, he would need to orient himself with regard to market dynamics in India.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Tel-Comm-Tek (TCT) Advantages and Disadvantages in Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Second, Ravi Desai would require to be mentored by the outgoing managing director of TCT in India who would offer him essential skills in strategic management. Third, he needs to explain to his family why they need to shift to India so that all family members would be psychologically prepared to go to a new country in the Middle East. Guidelines in designing the compensation package It would be important for the top management of TCT to offer a competitive compensation package so that the selected candidate would be motivated to achieve excellent performance outcomes. TCT needs to adopt specific guidelines when designing the competitive package. First, the package should reflect the educational level of the selected candidate. Second, it should focus on the experience of the new managing director. Third, it should concentrate on the age of the candidate and the expected number of years that he or she would serve the firm as the managing director in India or any other country. The idea of matrix organization There are benefits of appointing two individuals to the same post. In the context of TCT in India, Atasi Dasi would be appointed to lead internal operations of TCT in India, while Ravi Desai would be in charge of external markets. This approach would increase the efficiency of the business establishment Asia, increase in sales of office equipment and result in better approaches to market surveys. On the other hand, the strategy of hiring would be characterized by increased operating costs and overlapping of roles. Conclusion The candidate who will be sele cted to assume the roles of the managing director will determine the performance of TCT in India. The right candidate should have sufficient level of education, experience and technical expertise. The organization should offer a competitive compensation package. In addition, it can hire two candidates so that one can manage internal affairs and the other can handle external issues of the firm in India.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This report on Tel-Comm-Tek (TCT) Advantages and Disadvantages in Company was written and submitted by user Brody L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Sonya Sanchez essays

Sonya Sanchez essays To understand Sonia Sanchez, you must first understand her past to appreciate her drive toward the future. Sanchez, a militant and dominating voice in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, struggled through her early childhood while finding her voice when she needed it most. After her mother died when she was one year old, Sanchez was then raised by her grandmother that died when she was five. Soon after her death, Sonia began to stutter. Sanchez struggled with the problem for 12 years. She would later share that writing helped her organize her thoughts and helped her slow down and speak more deliberately, thus discovering her own form of poetry. I like Sanchezs form of writing because she experiments with form, spelling, beats, jazz scats, and more or less manipulates words with rhythms that roll syllable to syllable. Her first two collections of poetry, Home Coming (1969) and We a BaddDDD People (1970), reflect her militant, antiwhite stance, inspired in part by the example of Malcolm X. She incorporates dialect and profanity into her pithy, biting poems, and the tone is usually combative. Sanchez unleashed some of her rage at America's Anglocentric educational system. Her criticisms, however, were followed by suggestions, and she has become a powerful advocate of black studies programs. Sanchez's later poetry volumes are more specifically feminist in orientation, treating Sanchez's personal growth while celebrating women in general. One of her most celebrated volumes is Homegirls Sanchez continues to teach and write in Philadelphia. Black American Women Fiction Writers (Writers of English: Lives and Works), Harold Bloom, ed., 1995. Used by permission of Chelsea House Publishers. The "eye" devices (lowercase letters, speed writing, fluid lines) al...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Oprah Winfrey Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oprah Winfrey - Research Paper Example (Andrew Malcolm, â€Å"A surprise: Oprah pays a real cost for supporting Barack Obama†): According to a survey conducted in 1999 for the most admired and respected women of the 20th century; Oprah got 26 % of the votes coming at second place. Mother Teresa was voted No.1 in this survey. Another poll was conducted in 2003 by Fox News and the poll results showed that 60% of the people thought that Oprah was the most powerful woman. Whereas Hillary Clinton, who is a former first lady and senator was able to influence only 28% of the people who took the poll. (Thomas, â€Å"Oprah Winfrey- Bio Brief†) She was born on January 29, 1954 in Mississippi to Vernita Lee, a housekeeper, and Vernon Winfrey, who was a soldier. Her parents were not very rich people and she did not enjoy a luxurious lifestyle in her childhood. On the contrary, she saw many hard times which have made her the person she is now. Her full name is Oprah Gail Winfrey. (Thomas, â€Å"Oprah Winfrey- Bio Brief†) Her first job was of a news anchor at Nashvilles WTVF, she was the first African-American anchor there. After some time she was asked to co-host a show â€Å"People are Talking†. This was her first step on the road of much bigger things. Then, she finally landed in Chicago to host a low rated morning show â€Å"AM Chicago†. Her personality and interpersonal skills earned that show first place within a span of 12 months. After years of small jobs, she got the job of her dreams to host her own show â€Å"The Oprah Winfrey Show† which is one now of the top-rated shows of the world. Her easy to talk attitude has earned her a great fan following. The great part about her fame is that she uses it to influence people in doing well for the society and in making the planet a better place for everyone to live in. She is considered to be one of the richest people in the entertainment industry and is always involved in giving away donations and helping the poor. She has also made a charity

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

WORLD LITERATURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

WORLD LITERATURE - Essay Example of various aspects of life; yet it is through literature that we learn the main pillars of life – situations, examples, and lessons learnt and taught by the characters and heroes of various epics in literature. They take us through the course of and pessimism of oneself, war, rage, anger, rebelliousness, power, wealth, slavery, death, stolen human rights, greed, hatred to the extreme ends of romance, wild imaginations of seduction and erotic wishes between loved ones, and how they conquer all possible; yet unpredictable boundaries that would arise along the way in order to always protect, save, and live with one another no matter how impossible it might have been for them to unite and re-unite, but they were the heroic characters who taught us what love, devotion, loyalty, and sacrifice without thinking twice was truly all about – basically being the original edition. How the love grew much more between them during their hardest moments; when it would have been consider ed acceptable to some extent to fall apart and give up due to their difficult situations that obliged them to live apart from one another whether it was because of social class differences, religion, family standards, war, etc. It is through literature where we learn to expect the unpredictable whether good or bad. After all, nothing in life could ever be perfect even in literature; there were ups and downs of hardship that they experienced along their journeys, yet their lives; in terms of the stories and epics of their time that we still read, learn, and further enlighten our knowledge with until today are always going to be kept under a special umbrella of everything being creatively, beautifully portrayed and depicted. In my literature research paper, I will introduce, explain, and elaborate on various personalities, and situations, and how the characters and heroes acted and reacted in different incidents, and furthermore; I will; discuss differences and similarities throughout my

Monday, November 18, 2019

Where Is the Love by Black Eyed Peas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Where Is the Love by Black Eyed Peas - Essay Example Social or Political Context If the release date of the song â€Å"Where Is the Love† is followed and a thorough introspection within the lyrics of the song is focused, then an easy contention of the socio-political context of the song can be culminated. The song was released in the year 2003 when America was under the threat and trauma of post 9/11 event. The song was conceived almost as an anti-terrorism and anti-war anthem. The song captivated the issues pertaining to myriad social and political troubles across the world. The song does not only essentially focus on the issue of terrorism but it also highlighted the anti-terrorism policy undertaken by US government and its hypocrisy upon the issue. The song captivates the issues of intolerance, racism and extreme greed of mankind which are actually leading to the disaster of the civilisation. The song can be also perceived as the anti-terror and anti-war anthem which was pertinently culminated to set the protest against the American invasion of Iraq. In fact, the song followed the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Musical Influences The song of Black Eyed Peas, â€Å"Where Is the Love† can be treated as the signatory music creation of the band highly influenced by the hip-hop music. The song is also influenced by the early influences on the band of the songs â€Å"Called Quest† and â€Å"De La Soul†. The song, â€Å"Where Is the Love† featured Fergie and the pop instinct of the band can be perceived in the song at full length. Fergie also introduced Justin Timberlake and associated him with the song.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Satisfaction of Occupants in PV 10 Condominium

Satisfaction of Occupants in PV 10 Condominium The Study of Satisfaction Level of Occupants towards the Maintenance and Facilities in PV10 Condominium Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1  Background The population in Malaysia is on a rapid growth and this can be seen in the last three (3) years, 2007 – 2009. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the population growth was from 27.17 million (2007) to 28.31 million (2009). That shows an increase of 1.14 million within three (3) years. This population figure was last updated on the 31 st July 2009. (Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website, 2009) According to the International and National Context of Growth from the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020, the figure below illustrates the function of Kuala Lumpur and its conurbation (KLC). The figure illustrates ‘functional pyramid’ for the KLC with more specialised urban functions towards the apex of the pyramid, which represents Kuala Lumpur and more general functions towards its base, representing the remainder of the KLC. (DBKL International and National Context of Growth, 2009) From Figure 1, it is shown that the number of population increases. However, the land area still remains the same. Land scarcity is faced by the people of Kuala Lumpur as more construction works are carried out to meet the demand of the increasing population. The relationship between population and living standard is obvious as the graph shows that the living standard is proportional to the population. According to Datuk Michael Yam (2009), Kuala Lumpur’s 1.7 million population is expected to expand by 30% within the next decade and that the market is getting more sophisticated with consumers demanding more facilities, convenience and built quality to improve their quality of life. (The Star, 28 March 2009) Condominiums are on high demand in a high density area like Kuala Lumpur due to the population increase and at the same time this highly populated area is facing scarcity of land. However, the satisfaction of the occupants in a condominium is important to ensure that developers will be able to continue to expand such projects in their firm. This is because, liberalization or opening up of the market gives wider choices of goods or services for consumers which contribute to their satisfaction. (The Star, 6 July 2009) Therefore, the facilities and maintenance provided in a condominium are important to meet the occupants’ satisfaction towards the condominium they are staying. 1.2  Problem Statement In Malaysia, as the population rises through the years, the construction of condominium development also has to increase to meet the demand of increasing residents. As the latest statistic stated that there is a population of 28.31 million (in 2009), there will also be an increase in land use. (Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website, 2009) In Kuala Lumpur, despite the softer conditions in the property market construction will still be an on-going process. According to one of the top companies like Sunrise Sdn. Bhd, they expect to perform well in the next two to three years due to its high unbilled sales of RM 1.36 billion. As at July, Sunrise had sold 93% of 10 Mount’ Kiara (MK10) units, 45% of 11 Mount’ Kiara (MK 11), 92% of Solaris Dutamas, 9% of The Residence Phase 2B, 90% of Mont’ Kiara Meridin, 95% of Mont’ Kiara Banyan, and 100% of Kiara Designer Suites-Kiara Walk. (The Star, 29 October 2008) As Sunrise is focusing more on the condominium residential type of construction, it is shown that condominium is still in high demand despite the slow economic flow at the moment. However, there must be certain factors which cause the homebuyers to set their mind on purchasing the condominium of their choice. To successfully compete in the long term, the company must be sure that existing customers are satisfied. Providing superior quality and keeping customers satisfied are rapidly becoming the ways for companies to stand out among the other companies. (Zeljko M. Torbica  and  Robert C. Stroh., 2001) According to the National House Buyers Association, management and maintenance ranked second in the types of complaint in the complaints statistics. (National House Buyers Association, 2006) The complaints statistics is as illustrated in Figure 2. Therefore, it is important to carry out the research about the satisfaction of the occupants in the aspect of the maintenance and facilities provided in a condominium. Besides that, ways of improving the maintenance and facilities from the occupants’ point of view will also be carried out in this research. 1.3  Aim Objectives Aim To look into the satisfaction levels of occupants towards the maintenance and facilities of the condominium. Objectives To determine the satisfaction of occupants in PV 10 Condominium with the maintenance and facilities provided. To determine the ways to improve the maintenance and facilities to increase the satisfaction of occupants in PV10 Condominium. 1.4  Benefits/Importance of Study This study will benefit three parties; consisting of the developer, the management of the condominium and the occupants of condominiums. The developers will be able to plan their construction wisely to increase the demand in houses and preserve the developer’s reputation as it is one of the essential key to success for a developer. On the other hand, occupants or homebuyers will benefit when they are able to purchase and stay in the type of house they wish to have, and to own a worth buying piece of property. Besides that, the management of the condominium will be able to plan their management in the maintenance and facilities offered to the occupants as this is the key to customer satisfaction. 1.5  Scope of Study This case study will be carried out in PV 10, Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak. There are 4 blocks of condominium in PV10 and they will be taken into consideration for this research. This place is chosen because it is one of the latest condominiums built in one of the highly populated area. Maintenance and facilities offered will be further looked into. The maintenance in the condominium will cover the cleanliness and collection of rubbish maintenance, the lifts operation and lighting maintenance and water maintenance. On the other hand, the facilities in the condominium will cover the recreational facilities such as play ground for children, health facilities and the safety facilities. In addition, another facility which will be looked into will be the car parks provided. Maintenance of facilities will also be explained. 1.6  Research Methodology 1.6.1  Introduction The increase in condominium construction is proportional to the rapid growth of the population in Malaysia. Besides that, land scarcity in high density areas of Kuala Lumpur forces the people to go further into the development of condominiums. 1.6.2  Literature Review Data collected will be secondary type of data collection. They consist of: Books Relevant books will be from the Tunku Abdul Rahman Library and National Library. The type of books will be those under building maintenance, facility management, economy, development, research and dissertation studies, property management and other relevant books to the research study. Magazines and Newspapers Magazines and newspapers used will be from local newspapers and magazines. Newspapers search will be the online type of newspaper. News and updates will be taken based on current issues regarding construction, development, property, and maintenance and facilities management that are reported in the newspapers and magazines. Online resources and Journals Online resources will be from reliable sources which provide reference of research papers such as online journals and articles. Relevant sources to the research studies will be taken into consideration through these websites. Online journals will also be those which are regarding with the research study and are available through the college library website which linked to reliable sources such as Emerald.   1.6.3  Background PV10 will be the place of case study for this research. This condominium is situated at Jalan Genting Kelang. Resources will be obtained from the management of the condominium and the developer of the condominium. 1.6.4  Analysis Primary data will be used in this research and data through this type of data will be analysed. Questionnaire will be selected in order to scrutinize the feedback from the respondent. First, a set of questionnaire will be set. After that, the set of questionnaire will be distributed to occupants in PV10 to get their responds. A selected sample size of 200 will be chosen randomly. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software will be used to analyse the data. Snowball sampling type will be used to determine the satisfaction of occupants in PV10. This type of sampling is chosen as this sampling design will be given out randomly. Besides that, this study design will increase the number of participants in process. 1.6.5  Conclusion Recommendation Ways of improving the condominium will be suggested base on the data that will be collected. References Author unknown, Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website. 2009. Population (updated 31 July 2009). Viewed on 2 August 2009. Available from: Author unknown, DBKL. 2009. Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020: International and National Context of Growth. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Ng, A. 2009. Raising KL’s living standards. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat, 2009. Making sense of liberalisation. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Author unknown, 2009. Sunrise is confident RM1.3bil in unbilled sales can sustain performance over three years. Viewed 10 July 2009. Available from: Torbica, Zeljko M. and Stroh., Robert C. 2001. ‘Customer satisfaction in home building’. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 127(1), pp.82. Author unknown, 2006. Complaints Statistics. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1  Introduction Looking into the population of the world, it is clear that the population will increase as the years go by. The population in the urban areas will increase while the population in the rural areas will decrease through the years. This can be proven when the United Nations (2008), when the World Urbanization Prospects the 2007 Revision corroborates that the world population will reach a landmark in 2008 for the first time in history, as the urban population will equal the rural population of the world and, from then on, the world population will be urban in its majority. The United Nation (2008) also stated that from the year 2007 to 2050, the world population is expected to increase by 2.5 billion, passing from 6.7 billion to 9.7 billion. At the same time, the population living in urban areas is to gain 3.1 billion in 2007 to 6.4 billion in 2050. Thus, the urban form has interdependently affected the development and the governance of the city. Generally, the population in Malaysia will increase as the years go by. The population in the urban areas will increase and this can be seen in the increasing population of the World – Class City of Kuala Lumpur. The Draft Kuala Lumpur (KL) City Plan 2020 has five (5) core guiding principles that will frame the draft, and one of these principles is Planning ‘For and With’ the People (DBKL, 2009). Density Structure of Kuala Lumpur Strategic Zones Area Sq. Kms Population 2005 Density 2005 (person/ sq. km) Population 2020 Density 2020 (person/ sq. km) City Centre 17.7915 143,000 8,038 245,611 13,805 Figure 4 shows the density structure of Kuala Lumpur. The figure also shows that Wangsa Maju – Maluri which is within the Setapak area, rank the highest in the 2005 data on population. At the same time, the population is expected to increase and become the third highest in population by the year 2020. According to the DBKL (2009), Kuala Lumpur is a city that houses 2.2 million populations and provides employment to 1.4 million people. The City will thus ensure whatever its plans, builds or develop are based on the wants and needs of the people. Furthermore, the Future Population of Kuala Lumpur in DBKL (2009) stressed that Kuala Lumpur must be liveable in order to encourage people to live in the City comfortably and through the plan allows for an additional 600,000 people in the next 12 years. From the Draft KL City Plan 2020, it shows that the satisfaction of the occupants is also taken into consideration when planning of the city is done. Therefore, this research will focus on the satisfaction level of occupants in one of the most populated area, Setapak. In this chapter, there will be reviews on some key words definition regarding the research study from various sources and the various maintenance and facilities which may also include explanation on some of the types of maintenance and function of maintenance. Reports and case studies on maintenance and facilities will also be included in this chapter. 2.1.1  Definitions The satisfaction level of occupants towards the maintenance and facilities in a condominium can be defined as the repair works and the upkeep of a condominium together with the functional things and services provided which fulfil the needs, claim or desire that gives gratification to the occupants or residents of the condominium. Further clarification of this statement can be found through the definition of the key words such as satisfaction, occupants, maintenance, facilities and condominium. 2.1.1.1  Satisfaction Finch (2004) proposed that customer satisfaction with facilities is determined not only by technical performance, but also by â€Å"an intricate set of exchange process†, such as effective communication and management of expectations.  Salleh and Abdul Ghani (2008) also mentioned that residential and neighbourhood satisfaction is an important indicator of housing quality and condition, which affects individuals’ quality of life. Besides that, according to the MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009), satisfaction means happiness with arrangement, which can refer to the happiness with the way that something has been arranged or done. On the other hand, Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) defined satisfaction is the state of being satisfied and by the law, it is the payment of a debt of fulfilment of an obligation or claim. In addition, Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) further defines that satisfaction is a feeling of happiness or pleasure when someone gets something that they want, need or have demanded. 2.1.1.2  Occupant The Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) defines occupants as someone who lives in a house, room etc. Meanwhile, MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines occupant as a resident of a place. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further clarifies that occupant as a person who occupies a place at a given time. Besides that, according to the Laws of Malaysia (2007), occupier means the person in actual occupation of the building, but, in the case of premises for lodging purposes, does not include a lodger. 2.1.1.3  Maintenance Maintenance is synonymous with controlling the condition of a building so that its pattern lies within specified regions as defined by Lee (White, 1969). The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines maintenance as the continuing repair work where work that is done regularly to keep a machine, building or piece of equipment in good condition and working order. Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further defines maintenance as the process of maintaining or being maintained. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) also clarifies in depth that maintenance is the repairs, painting etc. that are necessary to keep something in good condition. In fact, Chanter and Swallow (1996) identified maintenance as actions that relate not only to the physical execution of maintenance work, but also those concerned with its initiation, financing and organisation, and the notion of an acceptable condition. This implies an understanding of the requirements for the effective usage of the building and its parts, which in turn compels broader consideration of building performance from the definition of BS3811 (1984), as it defines maintenance as a combination of any actions carried out to retain an item in, or restore it to an acceptable condition. Besides that, Singh (1996) further defined building maintenance as work undertaken in order to keep, restore or improve every facility, i.e. every part of a building, its services and surrounds to a currently accepted standard, and to sustain the utility and value of facility. 2.1.1.4  Facilties The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines facility as something with particular function, in which something is designed or created to provide a service or fulfil a need. Besides that, Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) defines facility as a building, service, or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) further defines facility as a place or building used for a particular activity or industry, or for providing a particular type of service. With these definitions explained from the dictionaries, facilities can be define as services or equipments provided to improve the effectiveness of a building. However, facilities are further clarified by the Charted Institute of Building (CIOB) with the definition that facilities management is an umbrella term under which a wide range of property and user – related functions may be brought together for the benefit of the organisation and its employees as a whole (Flanagan et al., 1995). Meanwhile, Alexander (1996) mentioned in his paper that facilities management is first and foremost about organizational effectiveness. 2.1.1.5  Condominum The House Buyers Association (2009) mentioned that the word â€Å"condominium† comes from the Latin word â€Å"con† which means â€Å"together† and â€Å"dominium, meaning â€Å"property†. There are two parts in this type of property ownership. They are the ownership of the individual unit and joint ownership of the common property, in which the property is shared with other unit owners in the project. The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines condominium as an individually owned apartment, which is an individually owned unit of real estate, especially an apartment or town house, in a building or on land that is owned in common by the owners of the units. Meanwhile, the Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further defines condominium as a building or complex containing a number of individually owned flats or houses. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) later defines that condominium is one apartment in a building with several apartments, each of w hich is owned by the people living in it. 2.2  Maintenance In Condominium For the maintenance in condominium in Malaysia, there is an act that was specially gazetted on 12th April 2007 for the purpose of maintaining the condominium and its surrounding, together with the facilities available in the condominium. According to the Laws of Malaysia (2007), under the act 663 building and common property (maintenance and management) act 2007, the act is to provide for proper maintenance and management of building and common property, and for matters incidental thereto. Maintenance in the condominium comprises maintenance of all the common property area in the condominium. The building and common property (maintenance and management) act 2007 further defines common property as development area not comprised in any parcel, such as the structural elements of the building, stairs, stairways, fire escapes, entrances and exits, corridors, lobbies, fixtures and fittings, lifts, refuse chutes, refuse bins, compounds, drains, water tanks, sewers, pipes, wires, cables and ducts that serve more than one parcel, the exterior of all common parts of the building, playing fields and recreational areas, driveways, car parks and parking areas, open spaces, landscape areas, walls and fences, and all other facilities and installations and any part of the land used or capable of being used or enjoyed in common by all the occupiers of the building. Charges which means any money collected by the owner, developer, Body or managing agent from the purchaser for the maintenance and management of the building or land intended for subdivision into parcels and common property, will be taken from the building maintenance account which is also known as building maintenance fund after the account is passed to the Joint Management Body (Laws of Malaysia, 2007). 2.2.1  Types of Maintenance According to Gurjit Singh (1996), generally, maintenance management can be approached in the following ways: Cyclical maintenance: this is maintenance for recurring items such as redecoration. Non-cyclical maintenance: this will apply to the items identified in the condition survey and includes items that need major repairs and replacements. Planned preventive maintenance: this is maintenance which is carried out on regular basis to prevent breakdowns. It has the advantage of predicting the loss of facility to the owner and down-time. Emergency maintenance: this is maintenance which is carried out only when there is a breakdown. It is normally expensive and increases the amount of non – productive time. Chanter and Swallow (1996) further explained the types of maintenance according to definitions given in BS 3811 and produced flow charts to summarise the types of maintenance and decision based types of maintenance as below: (1)  Planned maintenance: This is maintenance organised and carried out with forethought, control and the use of records to a predetermined plan. (2)  Unplanned maintenance: Ad hoc maintenance carried out to no predetermined plan. (3)  Preventive maintenance: Maintenance carried out at predetermined intervals, or corresponding to prescribed criteria, and intended to reduce the probability of failure, or the performance degradation of an item. (4)  Corrective maintenance: Maintenance carried out after failure has occurred, and intended to restore an item to a state in which it can perform its required function. (5)  Emergency maintenance: Maintenance which it is necessary to put in hand immediately to avoid serious consequences. (6)  Condition – based maintenance: Preventive maintenance initiated as a result of knowledge of the condition of an item from routine or continuous monitoring. (7)  Scheduled maintenance: Preventive maintenance carried out to a pre – determined interval of time, number of operations, mileage, etc. Figure 5  Decision based types of maintenance Source: Chanter and Swallow (1996) 2.2.2  Maintenance Function Miles and Syagga (1987) mentioned that the function of maintenance can be divided into three groups. These three groups consist of cleaning and servicing, rectification and repair, and replacement. Both authors also added that cleaning and servicing should be carried out regularly and may be combined with a system of reporting faults, so that repairs can be carried out soon after faults become apparent, thereby avoiding the need for more expensive repairs or even replacement at a later stage. 2.2.3  Malaysias Report On Poor Maintenance According to the report from National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2005), residents of Mount Karunmas Condominium fret over cracks in car park. Residents want the developer or maintenance company of the building to rectify the cracks that have appeared on the beams in the car park. Besides the cracks, there was a water leak from the extension joints which were connected to the slabs. In this case, the developer and the maintenance parties did not deliver their duty and responsibility well despites the complaints from the residents and had pin point each other to take hold of the work. In such case, the matter was brought to the press and the local council and the developer in the end stood up rectify the defects and mentioned that defects were only minor cracks.   In another report regarding to maintenance, there was a statement stating that one of the many issues of public concern is how to develop a strong maintenance culture in Malaysia in the interest of public safety and convenience. There was also an addition stating that Malaysia is known as a country which prides itself on the provision of First World infrastructure but not in terms of its maintenance (The Star,24 June 2009) The Star (2009) also mentioned that poor maintenance of children’s playground can result in accidents and injuries. Besides that, poor maintenance of public buildings and infrastructures can also cause accidents, injuries and also flash floods when roads and public drains are not properly maintained. (The Star, 24 June 2009) When maintenance are not done properly, image of the country is also not preserved as tourist would come to Malaysia to visit and this give a bad image to the country when maintenance are poorly done. According to the Star (24 June 2009) improving a country’s image is not only the responsibility of the Government but also the duty of each citizen who must be civic – minded. According to the Star (7 May 2009) former squatters moved into the Putri Laksamana apartments in Batu Caves had to deal with poor maintenance, cracking tiles, water leakages, sewage problems and even snakes entering their houses for four years. According to Sundramoorthy Veerasamy (2009), when they moved into the apartment which comprises of 400 units, many of the units had cracked floor tiles and water leaking from the roof and pipes. There were also drainage and garbage problem, and even though the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) promised to solve the problem, it has been eight months since the problem have not been solved (Sundramoorthy Veerasamy, 2009). Sundramoorthy (2009) also mentioned that they are losing faith in the councillors and state government finding a solution. From this, Government should be able to come out with a solution to help these residents as they are also the citizens of Malaysia and deserve to live in a properly maintained place. Poor maintenance can also lead to criminal activities. According to the Star (7 May 2009) criminal activities like snatch thefts, break-ins, and motorcycle and car thefts are rampant there and drug addicts and pushers also haunt the area of the apartment. MPS councillor Gopalan Krishnan Rajoo (2009) also mentioned that because there is no Joint Management Body (JMB) for the apartment, it is difficult to solve the problems and residents were urged to form the JMB to bring up the residents’ problems so that they can be solved easily. From this report, it is shown that forming a JMB in a community is important to solve certain problems and that increase in poor maintenance also would increase the crime rate in the area. 2.2.4  Case Study of Poor Maintenance Abdulmohsen Al – Hammad, Sadi Assaf and Mansoor Al – Shihah (1997) in their research which outlines the defects and faults during the design stage that affect building maintenance in Saudi Arabia and their relative degree of importance, came out with a table on the level of importance of design defects on building maintenance. The following tables show the result from the questionnaire done from their research on the defects. From the table above, the maintenance practicality and adequacy which is one of the defect groups rank the highest among the owners. When maintenance are not planned and done adequately, there will be defects and the defects will worsen causing the building to be not safe for the occupants and even aesthetically affected. 2.3  Facilties In Condominium In Malaysia, there are many types of facilities available in a condominium. The National House Buyers Association (2009) mentioned that there are many facilities and services in a condominium, such as lifts, swimming pool, gym, tennis court, landscaped gardens and even security services. Further explanation was that these facilities and services are expensive to maintain. Facilities are actually one of the important key aspects which purchasers will look into when buying a condominium. This is because purchasers have to understand that they when purchasing a unit of the condominium, two things are bought. These two things are the individual unit and the common property which includes all the facilities available in the condominium. Nowadays, facilities play a big role in portraying the image of the condominium. Besides that, facilities available in a condominium also determine and set a standard to the condominium. This can be seen when the low – end condominiums and high – end condominiums are being compared. Types of facilities available will be very different for both types of condominium, where the facilities in the high – end condominiums are more and much better than those of low – end condominiums. 2.3.1  Malaysias Report On Facilities National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2008) reported that hairline cracks have appeared on pillars and car park areas of the Sri Gotong apartment block in Batu Caves for the past year. One of the occupants, Abd Rahman Suraiman, mentioned that the management company Benih Kencana Sdn. Bhd. Should act fast to prevent the situation from getting worse. According to Rahman, who is secretary of the Sri Gotong Apartment Batu Caves Pro – tem Committee, the apartment was supposed to have condominium facilities like swimming pool, recreational area and sauna, but such facilities were lacking and the place was not properly maintained. Rahman also mentioned that the sauna room is locked, the gymnasium equipment is damaged and ever since he started staying there, one of the lifts stopped working and has yet to be repair. This report shows that lacking of facilities in a condominium will also cause dissatisfaction to the occupants. Thus, this kind of problem gives the condominium a bad image. In another report from the National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2004) stated that the local authorities are often hampered in their efforts to build sports facilities when developers, in fulfilling the requirement of providing open areas, allocate land that is too small or narrow. The report also added that local authorities wanted to provide more recreational facilities, especially in housing estates, but were unable to do so in some areas due to the lack of land. Developers would usually tell local authorities that they had carried out their responsibility by providing recreational through building playgrounds which are meant for younger children and this leaves teenagers without a proper place for recreation. According to the report, this could more likely cause teenagers. Therefore, it is wise that the developers to allocate Satisfaction of Occupants in PV 10 Condominium Satisfaction of Occupants in PV 10 Condominium The Study of Satisfaction Level of Occupants towards the Maintenance and Facilities in PV10 Condominium Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1  Background The population in Malaysia is on a rapid growth and this can be seen in the last three (3) years, 2007 – 2009. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the population growth was from 27.17 million (2007) to 28.31 million (2009). That shows an increase of 1.14 million within three (3) years. This population figure was last updated on the 31 st July 2009. (Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website, 2009) According to the International and National Context of Growth from the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020, the figure below illustrates the function of Kuala Lumpur and its conurbation (KLC). The figure illustrates ‘functional pyramid’ for the KLC with more specialised urban functions towards the apex of the pyramid, which represents Kuala Lumpur and more general functions towards its base, representing the remainder of the KLC. (DBKL International and National Context of Growth, 2009) From Figure 1, it is shown that the number of population increases. However, the land area still remains the same. Land scarcity is faced by the people of Kuala Lumpur as more construction works are carried out to meet the demand of the increasing population. The relationship between population and living standard is obvious as the graph shows that the living standard is proportional to the population. According to Datuk Michael Yam (2009), Kuala Lumpur’s 1.7 million population is expected to expand by 30% within the next decade and that the market is getting more sophisticated with consumers demanding more facilities, convenience and built quality to improve their quality of life. (The Star, 28 March 2009) Condominiums are on high demand in a high density area like Kuala Lumpur due to the population increase and at the same time this highly populated area is facing scarcity of land. However, the satisfaction of the occupants in a condominium is important to ensure that developers will be able to continue to expand such projects in their firm. This is because, liberalization or opening up of the market gives wider choices of goods or services for consumers which contribute to their satisfaction. (The Star, 6 July 2009) Therefore, the facilities and maintenance provided in a condominium are important to meet the occupants’ satisfaction towards the condominium they are staying. 1.2  Problem Statement In Malaysia, as the population rises through the years, the construction of condominium development also has to increase to meet the demand of increasing residents. As the latest statistic stated that there is a population of 28.31 million (in 2009), there will also be an increase in land use. (Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website, 2009) In Kuala Lumpur, despite the softer conditions in the property market construction will still be an on-going process. According to one of the top companies like Sunrise Sdn. Bhd, they expect to perform well in the next two to three years due to its high unbilled sales of RM 1.36 billion. As at July, Sunrise had sold 93% of 10 Mount’ Kiara (MK10) units, 45% of 11 Mount’ Kiara (MK 11), 92% of Solaris Dutamas, 9% of The Residence Phase 2B, 90% of Mont’ Kiara Meridin, 95% of Mont’ Kiara Banyan, and 100% of Kiara Designer Suites-Kiara Walk. (The Star, 29 October 2008) As Sunrise is focusing more on the condominium residential type of construction, it is shown that condominium is still in high demand despite the slow economic flow at the moment. However, there must be certain factors which cause the homebuyers to set their mind on purchasing the condominium of their choice. To successfully compete in the long term, the company must be sure that existing customers are satisfied. Providing superior quality and keeping customers satisfied are rapidly becoming the ways for companies to stand out among the other companies. (Zeljko M. Torbica  and  Robert C. Stroh., 2001) According to the National House Buyers Association, management and maintenance ranked second in the types of complaint in the complaints statistics. (National House Buyers Association, 2006) The complaints statistics is as illustrated in Figure 2. Therefore, it is important to carry out the research about the satisfaction of the occupants in the aspect of the maintenance and facilities provided in a condominium. Besides that, ways of improving the maintenance and facilities from the occupants’ point of view will also be carried out in this research. 1.3  Aim Objectives Aim To look into the satisfaction levels of occupants towards the maintenance and facilities of the condominium. Objectives To determine the satisfaction of occupants in PV 10 Condominium with the maintenance and facilities provided. To determine the ways to improve the maintenance and facilities to increase the satisfaction of occupants in PV10 Condominium. 1.4  Benefits/Importance of Study This study will benefit three parties; consisting of the developer, the management of the condominium and the occupants of condominiums. The developers will be able to plan their construction wisely to increase the demand in houses and preserve the developer’s reputation as it is one of the essential key to success for a developer. On the other hand, occupants or homebuyers will benefit when they are able to purchase and stay in the type of house they wish to have, and to own a worth buying piece of property. Besides that, the management of the condominium will be able to plan their management in the maintenance and facilities offered to the occupants as this is the key to customer satisfaction. 1.5  Scope of Study This case study will be carried out in PV 10, Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak. There are 4 blocks of condominium in PV10 and they will be taken into consideration for this research. This place is chosen because it is one of the latest condominiums built in one of the highly populated area. Maintenance and facilities offered will be further looked into. The maintenance in the condominium will cover the cleanliness and collection of rubbish maintenance, the lifts operation and lighting maintenance and water maintenance. On the other hand, the facilities in the condominium will cover the recreational facilities such as play ground for children, health facilities and the safety facilities. In addition, another facility which will be looked into will be the car parks provided. Maintenance of facilities will also be explained. 1.6  Research Methodology 1.6.1  Introduction The increase in condominium construction is proportional to the rapid growth of the population in Malaysia. Besides that, land scarcity in high density areas of Kuala Lumpur forces the people to go further into the development of condominiums. 1.6.2  Literature Review Data collected will be secondary type of data collection. They consist of: Books Relevant books will be from the Tunku Abdul Rahman Library and National Library. The type of books will be those under building maintenance, facility management, economy, development, research and dissertation studies, property management and other relevant books to the research study. Magazines and Newspapers Magazines and newspapers used will be from local newspapers and magazines. Newspapers search will be the online type of newspaper. News and updates will be taken based on current issues regarding construction, development, property, and maintenance and facilities management that are reported in the newspapers and magazines. Online resources and Journals Online resources will be from reliable sources which provide reference of research papers such as online journals and articles. Relevant sources to the research studies will be taken into consideration through these websites. Online journals will also be those which are regarding with the research study and are available through the college library website which linked to reliable sources such as Emerald.   1.6.3  Background PV10 will be the place of case study for this research. This condominium is situated at Jalan Genting Kelang. Resources will be obtained from the management of the condominium and the developer of the condominium. 1.6.4  Analysis Primary data will be used in this research and data through this type of data will be analysed. Questionnaire will be selected in order to scrutinize the feedback from the respondent. First, a set of questionnaire will be set. After that, the set of questionnaire will be distributed to occupants in PV10 to get their responds. A selected sample size of 200 will be chosen randomly. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software will be used to analyse the data. Snowball sampling type will be used to determine the satisfaction of occupants in PV10. This type of sampling is chosen as this sampling design will be given out randomly. Besides that, this study design will increase the number of participants in process. 1.6.5  Conclusion Recommendation Ways of improving the condominium will be suggested base on the data that will be collected. References Author unknown, Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Website. 2009. Population (updated 31 July 2009). Viewed on 2 August 2009. Available from: Author unknown, DBKL. 2009. Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020: International and National Context of Growth. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Ng, A. 2009. Raising KL’s living standards. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat, 2009. Making sense of liberalisation. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Author unknown, 2009. Sunrise is confident RM1.3bil in unbilled sales can sustain performance over three years. Viewed 10 July 2009. Available from: Torbica, Zeljko M. and Stroh., Robert C. 2001. ‘Customer satisfaction in home building’. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 127(1), pp.82. Author unknown, 2006. Complaints Statistics. Viewed on 10 July 2009. Available from: Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1  Introduction Looking into the population of the world, it is clear that the population will increase as the years go by. The population in the urban areas will increase while the population in the rural areas will decrease through the years. This can be proven when the United Nations (2008), when the World Urbanization Prospects the 2007 Revision corroborates that the world population will reach a landmark in 2008 for the first time in history, as the urban population will equal the rural population of the world and, from then on, the world population will be urban in its majority. The United Nation (2008) also stated that from the year 2007 to 2050, the world population is expected to increase by 2.5 billion, passing from 6.7 billion to 9.7 billion. At the same time, the population living in urban areas is to gain 3.1 billion in 2007 to 6.4 billion in 2050. Thus, the urban form has interdependently affected the development and the governance of the city. Generally, the population in Malaysia will increase as the years go by. The population in the urban areas will increase and this can be seen in the increasing population of the World – Class City of Kuala Lumpur. The Draft Kuala Lumpur (KL) City Plan 2020 has five (5) core guiding principles that will frame the draft, and one of these principles is Planning ‘For and With’ the People (DBKL, 2009). Density Structure of Kuala Lumpur Strategic Zones Area Sq. Kms Population 2005 Density 2005 (person/ sq. km) Population 2020 Density 2020 (person/ sq. km) City Centre 17.7915 143,000 8,038 245,611 13,805 Figure 4 shows the density structure of Kuala Lumpur. The figure also shows that Wangsa Maju – Maluri which is within the Setapak area, rank the highest in the 2005 data on population. At the same time, the population is expected to increase and become the third highest in population by the year 2020. According to the DBKL (2009), Kuala Lumpur is a city that houses 2.2 million populations and provides employment to 1.4 million people. The City will thus ensure whatever its plans, builds or develop are based on the wants and needs of the people. Furthermore, the Future Population of Kuala Lumpur in DBKL (2009) stressed that Kuala Lumpur must be liveable in order to encourage people to live in the City comfortably and through the plan allows for an additional 600,000 people in the next 12 years. From the Draft KL City Plan 2020, it shows that the satisfaction of the occupants is also taken into consideration when planning of the city is done. Therefore, this research will focus on the satisfaction level of occupants in one of the most populated area, Setapak. In this chapter, there will be reviews on some key words definition regarding the research study from various sources and the various maintenance and facilities which may also include explanation on some of the types of maintenance and function of maintenance. Reports and case studies on maintenance and facilities will also be included in this chapter. 2.1.1  Definitions The satisfaction level of occupants towards the maintenance and facilities in a condominium can be defined as the repair works and the upkeep of a condominium together with the functional things and services provided which fulfil the needs, claim or desire that gives gratification to the occupants or residents of the condominium. Further clarification of this statement can be found through the definition of the key words such as satisfaction, occupants, maintenance, facilities and condominium. 2.1.1.1  Satisfaction Finch (2004) proposed that customer satisfaction with facilities is determined not only by technical performance, but also by â€Å"an intricate set of exchange process†, such as effective communication and management of expectations.  Salleh and Abdul Ghani (2008) also mentioned that residential and neighbourhood satisfaction is an important indicator of housing quality and condition, which affects individuals’ quality of life. Besides that, according to the MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009), satisfaction means happiness with arrangement, which can refer to the happiness with the way that something has been arranged or done. On the other hand, Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) defined satisfaction is the state of being satisfied and by the law, it is the payment of a debt of fulfilment of an obligation or claim. In addition, Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) further defines that satisfaction is a feeling of happiness or pleasure when someone gets something that they want, need or have demanded. 2.1.1.2  Occupant The Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) defines occupants as someone who lives in a house, room etc. Meanwhile, MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines occupant as a resident of a place. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further clarifies that occupant as a person who occupies a place at a given time. Besides that, according to the Laws of Malaysia (2007), occupier means the person in actual occupation of the building, but, in the case of premises for lodging purposes, does not include a lodger. 2.1.1.3  Maintenance Maintenance is synonymous with controlling the condition of a building so that its pattern lies within specified regions as defined by Lee (White, 1969). The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines maintenance as the continuing repair work where work that is done regularly to keep a machine, building or piece of equipment in good condition and working order. Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further defines maintenance as the process of maintaining or being maintained. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) also clarifies in depth that maintenance is the repairs, painting etc. that are necessary to keep something in good condition. In fact, Chanter and Swallow (1996) identified maintenance as actions that relate not only to the physical execution of maintenance work, but also those concerned with its initiation, financing and organisation, and the notion of an acceptable condition. This implies an understanding of the requirements for the effective usage of the building and its parts, which in turn compels broader consideration of building performance from the definition of BS3811 (1984), as it defines maintenance as a combination of any actions carried out to retain an item in, or restore it to an acceptable condition. Besides that, Singh (1996) further defined building maintenance as work undertaken in order to keep, restore or improve every facility, i.e. every part of a building, its services and surrounds to a currently accepted standard, and to sustain the utility and value of facility. 2.1.1.4  Facilties The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines facility as something with particular function, in which something is designed or created to provide a service or fulfil a need. Besides that, Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) defines facility as a building, service, or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) further defines facility as a place or building used for a particular activity or industry, or for providing a particular type of service. With these definitions explained from the dictionaries, facilities can be define as services or equipments provided to improve the effectiveness of a building. However, facilities are further clarified by the Charted Institute of Building (CIOB) with the definition that facilities management is an umbrella term under which a wide range of property and user – related functions may be brought together for the benefit of the organisation and its employees as a whole (Flanagan et al., 1995). Meanwhile, Alexander (1996) mentioned in his paper that facilities management is first and foremost about organizational effectiveness. 2.1.1.5  Condominum The House Buyers Association (2009) mentioned that the word â€Å"condominium† comes from the Latin word â€Å"con† which means â€Å"together† and â€Å"dominium, meaning â€Å"property†. There are two parts in this type of property ownership. They are the ownership of the individual unit and joint ownership of the common property, in which the property is shared with other unit owners in the project. The MSN Encarta Dictionary (2009) defines condominium as an individually owned apartment, which is an individually owned unit of real estate, especially an apartment or town house, in a building or on land that is owned in common by the owners of the units. Meanwhile, the Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009) further defines condominium as a building or complex containing a number of individually owned flats or houses. Longman English Dictionary Online (2009) later defines that condominium is one apartment in a building with several apartments, each of w hich is owned by the people living in it. 2.2  Maintenance In Condominium For the maintenance in condominium in Malaysia, there is an act that was specially gazetted on 12th April 2007 for the purpose of maintaining the condominium and its surrounding, together with the facilities available in the condominium. According to the Laws of Malaysia (2007), under the act 663 building and common property (maintenance and management) act 2007, the act is to provide for proper maintenance and management of building and common property, and for matters incidental thereto. Maintenance in the condominium comprises maintenance of all the common property area in the condominium. The building and common property (maintenance and management) act 2007 further defines common property as development area not comprised in any parcel, such as the structural elements of the building, stairs, stairways, fire escapes, entrances and exits, corridors, lobbies, fixtures and fittings, lifts, refuse chutes, refuse bins, compounds, drains, water tanks, sewers, pipes, wires, cables and ducts that serve more than one parcel, the exterior of all common parts of the building, playing fields and recreational areas, driveways, car parks and parking areas, open spaces, landscape areas, walls and fences, and all other facilities and installations and any part of the land used or capable of being used or enjoyed in common by all the occupiers of the building. Charges which means any money collected by the owner, developer, Body or managing agent from the purchaser for the maintenance and management of the building or land intended for subdivision into parcels and common property, will be taken from the building maintenance account which is also known as building maintenance fund after the account is passed to the Joint Management Body (Laws of Malaysia, 2007). 2.2.1  Types of Maintenance According to Gurjit Singh (1996), generally, maintenance management can be approached in the following ways: Cyclical maintenance: this is maintenance for recurring items such as redecoration. Non-cyclical maintenance: this will apply to the items identified in the condition survey and includes items that need major repairs and replacements. Planned preventive maintenance: this is maintenance which is carried out on regular basis to prevent breakdowns. It has the advantage of predicting the loss of facility to the owner and down-time. Emergency maintenance: this is maintenance which is carried out only when there is a breakdown. It is normally expensive and increases the amount of non – productive time. Chanter and Swallow (1996) further explained the types of maintenance according to definitions given in BS 3811 and produced flow charts to summarise the types of maintenance and decision based types of maintenance as below: (1)  Planned maintenance: This is maintenance organised and carried out with forethought, control and the use of records to a predetermined plan. (2)  Unplanned maintenance: Ad hoc maintenance carried out to no predetermined plan. (3)  Preventive maintenance: Maintenance carried out at predetermined intervals, or corresponding to prescribed criteria, and intended to reduce the probability of failure, or the performance degradation of an item. (4)  Corrective maintenance: Maintenance carried out after failure has occurred, and intended to restore an item to a state in which it can perform its required function. (5)  Emergency maintenance: Maintenance which it is necessary to put in hand immediately to avoid serious consequences. (6)  Condition – based maintenance: Preventive maintenance initiated as a result of knowledge of the condition of an item from routine or continuous monitoring. (7)  Scheduled maintenance: Preventive maintenance carried out to a pre – determined interval of time, number of operations, mileage, etc. Figure 5  Decision based types of maintenance Source: Chanter and Swallow (1996) 2.2.2  Maintenance Function Miles and Syagga (1987) mentioned that the function of maintenance can be divided into three groups. These three groups consist of cleaning and servicing, rectification and repair, and replacement. Both authors also added that cleaning and servicing should be carried out regularly and may be combined with a system of reporting faults, so that repairs can be carried out soon after faults become apparent, thereby avoiding the need for more expensive repairs or even replacement at a later stage. 2.2.3  Malaysias Report On Poor Maintenance According to the report from National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2005), residents of Mount Karunmas Condominium fret over cracks in car park. Residents want the developer or maintenance company of the building to rectify the cracks that have appeared on the beams in the car park. Besides the cracks, there was a water leak from the extension joints which were connected to the slabs. In this case, the developer and the maintenance parties did not deliver their duty and responsibility well despites the complaints from the residents and had pin point each other to take hold of the work. In such case, the matter was brought to the press and the local council and the developer in the end stood up rectify the defects and mentioned that defects were only minor cracks.   In another report regarding to maintenance, there was a statement stating that one of the many issues of public concern is how to develop a strong maintenance culture in Malaysia in the interest of public safety and convenience. There was also an addition stating that Malaysia is known as a country which prides itself on the provision of First World infrastructure but not in terms of its maintenance (The Star,24 June 2009) The Star (2009) also mentioned that poor maintenance of children’s playground can result in accidents and injuries. Besides that, poor maintenance of public buildings and infrastructures can also cause accidents, injuries and also flash floods when roads and public drains are not properly maintained. (The Star, 24 June 2009) When maintenance are not done properly, image of the country is also not preserved as tourist would come to Malaysia to visit and this give a bad image to the country when maintenance are poorly done. According to the Star (24 June 2009) improving a country’s image is not only the responsibility of the Government but also the duty of each citizen who must be civic – minded. According to the Star (7 May 2009) former squatters moved into the Putri Laksamana apartments in Batu Caves had to deal with poor maintenance, cracking tiles, water leakages, sewage problems and even snakes entering their houses for four years. According to Sundramoorthy Veerasamy (2009), when they moved into the apartment which comprises of 400 units, many of the units had cracked floor tiles and water leaking from the roof and pipes. There were also drainage and garbage problem, and even though the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) promised to solve the problem, it has been eight months since the problem have not been solved (Sundramoorthy Veerasamy, 2009). Sundramoorthy (2009) also mentioned that they are losing faith in the councillors and state government finding a solution. From this, Government should be able to come out with a solution to help these residents as they are also the citizens of Malaysia and deserve to live in a properly maintained place. Poor maintenance can also lead to criminal activities. According to the Star (7 May 2009) criminal activities like snatch thefts, break-ins, and motorcycle and car thefts are rampant there and drug addicts and pushers also haunt the area of the apartment. MPS councillor Gopalan Krishnan Rajoo (2009) also mentioned that because there is no Joint Management Body (JMB) for the apartment, it is difficult to solve the problems and residents were urged to form the JMB to bring up the residents’ problems so that they can be solved easily. From this report, it is shown that forming a JMB in a community is important to solve certain problems and that increase in poor maintenance also would increase the crime rate in the area. 2.2.4  Case Study of Poor Maintenance Abdulmohsen Al – Hammad, Sadi Assaf and Mansoor Al – Shihah (1997) in their research which outlines the defects and faults during the design stage that affect building maintenance in Saudi Arabia and their relative degree of importance, came out with a table on the level of importance of design defects on building maintenance. The following tables show the result from the questionnaire done from their research on the defects. From the table above, the maintenance practicality and adequacy which is one of the defect groups rank the highest among the owners. When maintenance are not planned and done adequately, there will be defects and the defects will worsen causing the building to be not safe for the occupants and even aesthetically affected. 2.3  Facilties In Condominium In Malaysia, there are many types of facilities available in a condominium. The National House Buyers Association (2009) mentioned that there are many facilities and services in a condominium, such as lifts, swimming pool, gym, tennis court, landscaped gardens and even security services. Further explanation was that these facilities and services are expensive to maintain. Facilities are actually one of the important key aspects which purchasers will look into when buying a condominium. This is because purchasers have to understand that they when purchasing a unit of the condominium, two things are bought. These two things are the individual unit and the common property which includes all the facilities available in the condominium. Nowadays, facilities play a big role in portraying the image of the condominium. Besides that, facilities available in a condominium also determine and set a standard to the condominium. This can be seen when the low – end condominiums and high – end condominiums are being compared. Types of facilities available will be very different for both types of condominium, where the facilities in the high – end condominiums are more and much better than those of low – end condominiums. 2.3.1  Malaysias Report On Facilities National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2008) reported that hairline cracks have appeared on pillars and car park areas of the Sri Gotong apartment block in Batu Caves for the past year. One of the occupants, Abd Rahman Suraiman, mentioned that the management company Benih Kencana Sdn. Bhd. Should act fast to prevent the situation from getting worse. According to Rahman, who is secretary of the Sri Gotong Apartment Batu Caves Pro – tem Committee, the apartment was supposed to have condominium facilities like swimming pool, recreational area and sauna, but such facilities were lacking and the place was not properly maintained. Rahman also mentioned that the sauna room is locked, the gymnasium equipment is damaged and ever since he started staying there, one of the lifts stopped working and has yet to be repair. This report shows that lacking of facilities in a condominium will also cause dissatisfaction to the occupants. Thus, this kind of problem gives the condominium a bad image. In another report from the National House Buyers Association (The Star, 2004) stated that the local authorities are often hampered in their efforts to build sports facilities when developers, in fulfilling the requirement of providing open areas, allocate land that is too small or narrow. The report also added that local authorities wanted to provide more recreational facilities, especially in housing estates, but were unable to do so in some areas due to the lack of land. Developers would usually tell local authorities that they had carried out their responsibility by providing recreational through building playgrounds which are meant for younger children and this leaves teenagers without a proper place for recreation. According to the report, this could more likely cause teenagers. Therefore, it is wise that the developers to allocate