Course Projects: Ishikawa Research Paper & Fujiyama Electronics Case Study

The course project for this course involves two tasks.

• The first task is the Ishikawa Research Paper, where you will research and write a short biography on Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa. This paper is due end of Week 3.
• The second task is the Fujiyama Electronics Case Study, where you will study the Fujiyama Electronics case and answer a couple of questions. This paper is due end of Week 7.

Go to each section below to see the detailed requirements for each task.

Ishikawa Research Paper – Due Week 3

Objective | Project Deliverables | Grading Rubrics | Best Practices

Objective

This project involves researching and writing a short biography on Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa. Our text addresses many of the areas in the management and control of quality and has provided a great amount information on a number different quality concepts. However, the authors only mention Dr. Ishikawa is passing. Just who is Kaoru Ishikawa? Prepare a 500 word biographical paper on Ishikawa describing his contributions to quality. You should not limit your research to only online materials. Two of his books are excellent sources: (1) What is Total Quality Control: The Japanese Way (1985) and (2) Guide to Quality Control (1976). Submit the completed paper to your Dropbox.

The student will research this person’s life and work to determine the impacts that he has had in the world. The student will define the quality leader’s significant contributions to modern quality practices in terms of major impacts in a specific organization. The project will enable the student to understand:

• the key ideas of Ishikawa,
• how this person has influenced quality practices throughout the world,
• how this person’s ideas fit into Total Quality Management, and 
• the implications of Ishikawa’s ideas for the future of quality.

The project will require sustained research effort until the paper is submitted. The student is encouraged to begin work on the project during Week 1 so she or he will be prepared to submit the required project deliverables by the end of Week 3. A basic APA tutorial can be found in the Webliography and a paper template can be found in Doc Sharing. 

Project Deliverables

The paper will be a short biography on Kaoru Ishikawa. It will adhere to the grading specifications as described below. The student will submit a paper of at least 500 words, not including title page and references, by the end of class Week 3. The student will use at least two sources plus the course textbook for a minimum of three references. All references are be from academic journals, professional or academic textbooks, authored websites, or standard business publications, such as The Wall Street Journal. Not more that 30% of the content will be from direct quotations. The final score will be reduced by 1 point for each percentage point the direct quotations are over 30% of the content.

NOTE: Wikipedia and un-authored websites are not acceptable sources. Do not use these types of sources or you will lose points.

The format of the paper should conform to the Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association (APA), 6th edition, for title page, text, citations, references, etc. A basic APA tutorial can be found in the Webliography and a paper template can be found in Doc Sharing. Completed papers will be submitted to your Dropbox as MS Word documents. All graphics will be a part of the Word document and submitted as a file. Documents authored in other applications such as WordPerfect or MS Works will not be accepted.

This project is to be accomplished individually, and will reflect the work of each student. All DeVry University policies are in effect including the plagiarism policy. Late papers will not be accepted without prior permission.

Submit your Ishikawa research paper to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page by the end of Week 3. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these Step-by-Step Instructions or watch this  Dropbox Tutorial.

See Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information.

Grading Rubrics

 

 

Best Practices

The following are the best practices in preparing this paper. Sample papers, using the APA format, are located in Doc Sharing. Other useful information has also been provided there, including an APA paper template.

• Cover Page – Include who you prepared the paper for, who prepared it, and the date.
• Introduction – In the APA format, the introduction is understood to be the first content of your work and thus does NOT require a title. 

  The purpose of an introduction or opening:

• Introduce the subject and why the subject is important.
• Previews the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered.
• Establish a tone of the document.
• Include in the introduction a reason for the audience to read the paper. Also, include an overview of what you are going to cover in your paper and the importance of the material. (This should include or introduce the questions you are asked to answer on each assignment.)
• Body of Your Work – Include titles to identify different areas that you address. State the main ideas, major points in each idea, and supporting information. Break down each main idea you will use in the body of your paper. Show some type of division like separate sections that are labeled, separate groups of paragraphs, or headers. You would include the information you found during your research and investigation.
• Summary and Conclusion – Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support points from the body of your report. Minor details are left out. 

  Additional hints on preparing the best possible project.

• Apply a three-step process of writing… Plan, Write, and Complete.
• Prepare an outline of your research paper before you go forward.
• Complete a first draft and then go back to edit, evaluate, and make any changes required.
• Use visual communication if it will help clarify and support your work. Any material that can be removed and not affect the clarity of your work is essentially filler, and should be avoided. Filler distracts from the flow of your work and will most likely cause you to lose points.
• References – Use the APA format.

A possible outline of the paper is provided below.

• Cover Page
• Introduction
• Overview of the paper
• Purpose and importance of the effort
• Background
• Personal background and life history (education, family life, living situations, etc.)
• Primary work and significant accomplishments
• Summary of his philosophy
• Summary of what he was focused on accomplishing in terms of quality
• Reviews and highlights of his books, articles, and manuscripts
• Detailed description of his key ideas, concepts, and quality approach
• Describe what results he achieved personally from their life work
• Summary of his influence on quality and Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Conclusion
• Summarize the key points of your paper
• References