Khadour, L and Darkwa, J (2008) Tqem in the UK construction industry: Some key findings from a survey. In: Dainty, A (ed.) Proceedings of 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Cardiff, UK.
Abstract
As building projects get larger and more complex, clients are also increasingly demanding higher standards for their delivery. Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) has been recognized as a successful management philosophy in the manufacturing industries. TQEM can likewise be embraced in the construction industry to help raise its environmental standards, quality and productivity. Construction firms have been continually struggling with TQEM implementation. Historically, construction has been an industry reluctant to implement change. Consequently, it has remained behind where it should be on the implementation of TQEM. Generally, the principles of TQEM are not applied beyond management levels within general contractors. This paper reports on a study to identify those factors that hinder the implementation of TQEM principles in the actual field operations of a construction jobsite. This paper presents a survey result on UK construction companies. It investigates the key successful factor, barriers, benefits that may result form implementing TQEM. The results illustrate TQEM can be successfully implemented in the construction industry towards sustainable development (SD). The benefits experienced include reduction in quality costs, better employee job satisfaction because they do not need to attend to defects and client complaints, recognition by clients, work carried out correctly right from the start, subcontractors with proper quality management systems, and closer relationships with subcontractors and suppliers. TQEM performance measures were also reflected through top management commitment, customer involvement and satisfaction, employee involvement and empowerment, customer–supplier relationships, and process improvement and management. Finally, a conceptual framework for implementing TQEM in construction is recommended.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction; environment; quality; total quality environmental management |
| Index terms: | top management, quality management system, construction industry, implementation, conceptual framework, environmental management, subcontractor, process improvement, employee involvement, empowerment, satisfaction, general contractor, productivity, sustainable development, performance measure, commitment, complaint, manufacturing industry, construction firm, survey, job satisfaction, construction company, philosophy |
| Subjects: | conflict resolution, philosophical studies, industry analysis, performance measurement, management, sustainability assessment, theoretical framing, health safety and environment, psychology, project delivery, contractual arrangements, organization, data collection methods, practitioner |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Procurement, Sustainability, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Quality Management, Human Resources, 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