Expanding the meaning of standardisation within construction processes

Critical factors for total quality management implementation in the Brazilian construction industry

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) that affect the implementation of total quality management (TQM) and to investigate, from the perspective of Brazil, the latent factors for TQM implementation in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology consists of two methods. First, a literature review was conducted to identify CSFs for TQM implementation. Then, empirical research was conducted from a survey questionnaire applied to 130 professionals who have experience in the Brazilian construction industry. SPSS version-25 was used for data analysis, using descriptive statistics, and, finally, principal component analysis for identifying the latent factors.

Findings

The study findings portray convergences regarding the practitioners' perception in the light of the 20 critical factors identified in the literature, which can serve to make construction professionals aware of the key factors to TQM implementation. In addition, two latent factors, quality practices and human factor were identified, and they can assist the leaders and decision-makers for the implementation of TQM in the construction industry of a developing country.

Originality/value

It fills the gap of practical studies that compare the academic and practitioners' perspectives regarding the CSFs for TQM implementation in construction industry.

Contradictions in TQM implementation: A proposed balance from the Ghanaian perspective

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to confirm the existence of contradictions in total quality management (TQM) implementation among some Ghanaian companies and to provide a framework for balancing these contradictions.

Design/methodology/approach

Closed-ended questionnaires were used as a survey instrument. A sample of 80 managers from 40 Ghanaian multinational companies implementing TQM responded to the questionnaires.

Findings

The results showed that the implementation of TQM comes with inherent contradictions, which may hinder the success of TQM if not checked. Three pairs of contradictions were established in this study, namely “Standardization vs Innovation,” “Manipulation vs Empowerment,” and “Collectivism vs Individualism.” A framework was proposed to balance these contradictions in order to ensure TQM success.

Research limitations/implications

The study used all the 40 ISO certified firms in Ghana, but this number is quite small relative to ISO certified firms worldwide. Further, the study was done in Ghana and, for these reasons, generalization to the rest of the world is limited.

Practical implications

The proposed framework when applied by managers to balance the contradictions will achieve success in TQM implementation.

Originality/value

Previous studies have talked about the existence of the contradictions. This paper proposes a framework to balance the existing contradictions. This framework is new and has never been proposed in the literature to minimize the adverse effects of these contradictions on a firm’s profit generation.

Quality in construction management: an exploratory study

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify the relative importance of factors affecting quality. This is important where great expenditures of time, money, and resources are wasted each year due to inefficient or non-existent quality levels.

Design/methodology/approach

– An exploratory approach is employed. After a literature review, six interviews are initially conducted with construction experts and then a simple survey of 328 questionnaires was administrated through structured personal interviews among contractors and architects in the Jordanian housing sector.

Findings

– The findings suggest that contractors and architects combined agreed that the highest important factors affecting quality are: human resource management, customer satisfaction, and construction specific factors. The findings also suggest that strategic planning, continuous improvement, resources are the lowest important factors. A conceptual framework encompassing the key quality factors is also developed.

Research limitations/implications

– This research has important implications for different level managers at construction companies. By understanding the quality factors, managers can focus on the highest factors and catch up with their lowest important factors in order to maintain a balanced and integrated quality approach.

Originality/value

– This is one of few studies that investigate the importance of quality factors. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper providing empirical evidence of the quality factors in construction management in a developing country.