Ahaotu, S M (2018) Effective implementation of total quality management within the Nigerian construction industry. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
Today’s commercial environment demands the adoption of Total Quality Management (TQM), which a managerial approach that aims to achieve customer satisfaction and global competitiveness. Therefore, TQM is a systematic approach that views quality as the result of the integration of many organisational activities, i.e. engineering/construction, manufacturing, marketing and administration. Nevertheless, construction sector projects have long suffered from high fragmentation, considerable waste, poor productivity, cost and time overruns, and conflicts and disputes. This study develops a framework for the effective implementation of TQM within the Nigerian construction industry. The research focuses on construction projects undertaken by local construction organisations in Nigeria that originates locally and operates within the immediate project vicinity, state or country. It explores the significant contribution of the TQM philosophy to the Nigerian construction industry. The epistemological positioning of this research leans towards interpretivism, where an opinion survey with expert (interviews with expert) and a more general questionnaire survey were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts based on their experience in the construction sector, and 173 completed questionnaires were analysed. The questionnaire survey explores the capacity and the understanding of TQM amongst the indigenous firms within the Nigerian construction industry. Research findings highlighted two main challenges, which are leadership and communication. The data analysis informed the development of a framework for effective TQM implementation, which is intended to function as a guideline for construction industries in Nigeria. The development of a framework helped to identify impediments to the effective implementation of TQM within the Nigerian construction industry. This research highlights that such barriers are similar to those amongst similar organisations from different parts of the world. However, the impacts of some notable indicators, such as undesirable organisational behaviour regarding communication and leadership, have never previously been identified as impediments to TQM adoption. It is anticipated that the framework will help to improve the awareness and understanding of individuals and organisations about the implementation of TQM in the Nigerian construction industry and its potential impact on project performance.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Pathirage, C |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | competitiveness; construction sector; fragmentation; market; organisational behaviour; construction project; communication; conflicts; disputes; integration; leadership; manufacturing; marketing; productivity; quality management; total quality management; Nigeria; project performance; interview; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | project performance, marketing, competitiveness, customer satisfaction, quality management, construction industry, implementation, construction organization, time overrun, dispute, productivity, organizational behaviour, Nigeria, construction project, integration, questionnaire, construction sector, interview, total quality management, data analysis, interpretivism, fragmentation, survey, philosophy |
| Subjects: | evaluation methods, data analysis and analytics, business, data collection methods, dispute resolution, project controls, organizational analysis, industry analysis, philosophical studies, management, project management theory and practice, service delivery, contractual arrangements, organization, market analysis, quality assurance, theoretical framing, Geography, production management |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Time Control, Stakeholder Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Quality Management, Legal Issues, Procurement, 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