Delgado-Hernandez, D J; Cruz-Cruz, C C and Vences-García, P Y (2017) Improvement management tools in the construction industry: Case study of Mexico. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 143(4): 05016024, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The utilization of management tools by the construction industries in developed countries has demonstrated to be a relevant aspect of continuous improvement activities. To establish whether the same is true in developing nations, a survey was conducted in Mexico for evaluating both the level of use and perceived importance of such tools. The influence of the International Organization for Standardization quality system on these levels was also determined. The data-collection instrument was based on a similar one used in the United Kingdom a decade before, which included more than 30 tools. Reliability and factor analyses were performed to demonstrate the validity of the findings. The three groups of tools, commonly recognized as important in the sample of construction companies, were Technology, Quality Control, and Planning Tools. In terms of the international quality standard, it was revealed that certified companies used the following groups: Gathering Customer Needs and Formal Methods. The main contribution of this paper is that the findings can help organizations in the global construction industry to improve their quality practices.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction projects; improvement management tools; Mexico; organizational issues; survey; total quality management |
| Index terms: | factor analysis, standardization, global construction, organizational issue, construction industry, quality control, level of use, case study, quality standard, international organization, validity, continuous improvement, developed country, construction project, total quality management, developing nation, Mexico, survey, construction company, United Kingdom |
| Subjects: | quality assurance, statistical analysis, industry analysis, development economics, production management, Geography, performance management, performance measurement, project delivery, evaluation methods, business, organization, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, strategic management |
| Topics: | Geographical Context, Project Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, International Construction, Quality Management, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here