Rahman, H A (1993) The management and cost of quality for civil engineering projects. PhD thesis, University of Manchester, UK.
Abstract
The terms quality cost and quality management are relatively new to the construction industry. Their successful use in manufacturing and other service industries has helped reduce quality related problems, improved customer-supplier relation and increased productivity and profitability. In this thesis the author describes an examination of the applicability of quality cost, especially the cost of non-conformance, to construction and the development of a practical method to capture this cost. The research also covered quality management and project management issues that influence and improve project quality. Two hypothetical case studies, using computer simulations, helped establish the use and effect of quality costs. Research of two real case studies focused on quality from the contractor's perspective and two others related more to design. Another case study related to the use of good management practices throughout a project. A questionnaire and interviews were used to validate issues raised from the case studies and preliminary investigations. The author also examines the need for quality management and how this should be implemented in the construction industry of a developing country by taking Malaysia as an example. Results of the investigations into quality cost indicate the applicability of a matrix developed to capture the cost of non-conformance and the effect of poor quality on project cost and time. Poor quality cost is found to be inevitable under current project environment but most of the nonconformances identified were found to be avoidable. The investigation into quality management issues reveals that while every aspect of a project affects quality there is an urgent need to address certain aspects of construction practices including: cooperation between all members of the project team, client's role and involvement, the use of good management practices throughout construction and the need to employ personnel committed to quality. More use of design-and-build or partnering is advocated (when applicable) to increase cooperation and to reduce conflict between construction and design stages. It is vital for a project team to improve and maintain a consistent quality management approach in order to remain competitive in the free market.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | developing country; partnering; personnel; project team; manufacturing; productivity; project cost; quality management; client; supplier; market; case studies; case study; interview; simulation; Malaysia |
| Index terms: | management practice, questionnaire, design stage, cooperation, interview, personnel, developing country, computer simulation, project cost, profitability, investigation, construction industry, quality management, project team, project management, partnering, Malaysia, case study, productivity |
| Subjects: | management, economics, Geography, development economics, project management theory and practice, partnership management, industry analysis, quality assurance, data collection methods, psychology, modelling and simulation, professional practice, project delivery, economic analysis |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Digital Applications, Design Practice, International Construction, Quality Management, Human Resources, Stakeholder Management, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management |
| 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