Teo, R A (2006) Continuous improvement to the construction industry: Enhancing quality through learning. PhD thesis, Heriot-Watt University, UK.
Abstract
Quality-driven Continuous Improvement Programmes (CIP) in construction organisations require extensive research to better examine links between characteristics of total quality management (TQM) and aspects of CI via organisational learning (OL), that will lead toward adaptability, efficiency, quality and satisfaction. The basis of CI in the global construction context focuses fundamentally on time, cost and quality. A thorough comprehension and exploitation of the mechanism of ‘learning' and ‘quality' will remain the pivotal root to an evolving industry, inclining towards the principles of CI. Critical aspects have been identified as key to CI that could be pragmatically implemented in general construction organisations, via a top-down approach with a focus on the enhancement of OL to achieve performance and quality via cultural change. Qualitative analysis confirms the general focus of CI would hinge mainly on (1) the financial bottom-line (i.e. ) cost (survivability/profitability), (2) innovation (to endear the market and solicit business opportunities) and (3) efficiency (to maximise results with minimal resource input). In view of current industrial trends worldwide, the adaptive rate at which construction entities learn may become the only sustainable source of competitive advantage and should precede (the significance of) (any CI endeavour, especially so for developed Far Eastern economies from where principles of CI and TQM arguably propagated to global commercial recognition; countries wherein the same principles have been ironically stigmatised due to the prolonged economic plateau following decades of immense industrial progression.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | commercial; competitive advantage; continuous improvement; innovation; organisational learning; total quality management; efficiency; qualitative analysis |
| Index terms: | satisfaction, competitive advantage, construction organization, efficiency, exploitation, continuous improvement, profitability, global construction, construction industry, organizational learning, total quality management, programme, qualitative analysis, adaptability, cultural change |
| Subjects: | market analysis, project controls, sociology, industry analysis, performance measurement, management, performance management, professional development, evaluation methods, economic analysis, project delivery, strategic management, research design and methodology, user focus, organization |
| Topics: | Project Management, Quality Management, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Time Control, Organizational Design, International Construction, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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