QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FIRMS IN GHANA

Project Abstract

<p> ABSTRACT&nbsp;</p><p>The construction industry has been heavily criticized in recent times for its performance and productivity in relation to other industries. With the turn of time, it appears that the construction industry is going through an intense period of introspection, which is worsened by increased technological and social change. These changes are altering the tempo of the environment within which construction operates. Besides, such changes significantly affect the way business is conducted. Many of the management practices used to support construction organizations are being challenged. The industry’s clients are moving forward and demanding improved quality service, faster project delivery and innovations in technology. It is no accident that the construction industry has turned to the manufacturing sector as a point of reference and source of innovation. Quality Management has increasingly been adopted by construction companies as an initiative to solve quality problems and to meet the needs of the final customer. This research therefore aims at evaluating the Quality Management Practices of Ghanaian Contractors with emphases on D1 K1 contractors registered with the Ghana Cocoa Board and to achieve this aim, three specific objectives were set for the study and they are; to determine whether Ghanaian contractors are committed to Quality Management Planning in the delivery of construction projects; to determine the challenges encountered by contractors while implementing quality assurance during the execution of projects and proposing measures for effective quality assurance practice. The study was situated in the positivist paradigm which enabled the researcher to make an objective analysis. This stance facilitated the researcher to use the quantitative research strategy and also questionnaire survey as the main data collection instrument for soliciting information from construction firms registered with the Ghana Cocoa Board. It was found out that while most respondents were familiar with quality management practices; its application was relatively low. Several authors also pointed out that most of the hindrances to the application of quality management practices is the lack of information in the area. Further to this, it came to light that the potential barriers to the attainment of project quality among construction firm are lack of effective Supervision, lack of effective Communication, lack of Management’s Commitment to Quality Assurance, lack of Proper Equipment available for use and lack of a Quality Assurance Team to lead the process.&nbsp;</p><p>More importantly, in curbing the above mentioned potential barriers the study revealed the following as measures for effective quality management practices, namely Management Commitment, Communication between Managers and Employees, Employee Involvement, Detailed and Logical Work Program, Regular Inspection and Audit of Quality Report, Training and Education of Team Members and Review/Analysis. Substantial evidence again in literature suggests that construction problems relating to Ghana are similar to the situations in many African and some Asian countries.</p><p>The research therefore recommended that construction companies should create a flexible and conducive organizational atmosphere which encourages the development of quality management practices in all aspect of their work. Further, construction firms should be encouraged to apply quality management techniques during the execution of project and engage/include personnel in charge of Quality as part of an integrated team in the Project Management and Delivery process. In addition, training programs and refresher courses in Quality Management should be instituted among construction firms to broaden the knowledge of their employees in this regard and also enhance timely delivery of projects. Keywords Construction industry, Construction project, Quality Management, Practices &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Project Overview

<p> <b>1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY&nbsp;</b></p><p>The concept of quality management is to ensure efforts to achieve the required level of quality for a product which is well planned and organized. From the perspective of a construction company, quality management in construction projects should mean maintaining the quality of construction works at the required standard so as to obtain customers’ satisfaction that would bring long term competitiveness and business survival for the companies (Tan &amp; Abdul-Rahman, 2005). Further to this, Olatunji et al (2012) also reiterated that the term quality management as used in the construction industry is all encompassing and embedded in the phenomenon itself and are concepts such as quality control, quality assurance, quality improvement, quality standards etc.&nbsp;</p><p>The authors revealed that the earliest form of formal quality management practices in construction can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. In addition to the aforementioned, Harris and McCaffer, (2001) opined that quality management practices include all the means employed by managers in an effort to implement their quality policies. These activities include quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement. Construction quality according to Battikha, (2002) is a critical factor in determining project acceptance and resultant contractual payment levels. This has made participants in the construction industry to become notably conscious of the role of quality as an essential means to achieve client satisfaction and gaining competitive advantage in the industry. It was revealed that acceptable quality levels in construction have long been a problem in attaining on time and within budget projects in a highly dynamic, complex, and competitive environment. Kanji &amp; Wong, (1998) as cited in Hoonakker (2006, p.1) advanced the view that Quality management has increasingly been adopted by construction companies as an initiative to solve quality problems and to meet the needs of the final customer. As suggested by Oakland and Aldridge (1995, p.1) cited by Hoonakker et al (2010, p.953) ‘if ever an industry needed to take up the concept of Total Quality Management it is the construction industry’. <br></p><p> Quality has remained in the forefront amongst factors used to determine the degree of success or failure of a project. This long term development has made it imperative for all parties involved in construction projects to strive at all times to produce commendable structures (Feigenbaum, 1993). Naoum, (1994) cited in Olatunji et al (2012) indicated that performance on a global level represents results of activities undertaken. He proceeded further to explain that performance of a project is measured as its ability to deliver the building or structure at the right time, cost and quality as well as achieving a high level of client satisfaction. It therefore stands to reason that quality performance in construction is results oriented and seeks evidence of quality awareness within the operations and output of a building/construction team. Quality performance is also defined over the long term for the effect to be permanent Yasamis et al (2002).In other words, quality performance improvements are expected to increase the productivity and profitability of contractors as well as increasing client satisfaction. <br></p><p> 1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM&nbsp;</p><p>With inefficient or nonexistent quality management procedures, significant expenditures of time, money, and resources are wasted on construction projects (Rounds and Chi, 1985) cited in (Battikha, 2002). In addition, the lack of quality due to deficient construction quality management is detected through nonconformance to established requirements. In construction, non-conformance occurs when the finished state of a project and its components deviates from the established requirements. Quality-related problems during construction can be projected on the operating life of the finished project. To a contractor, nonconformance can yield penalties as well as cost time burdens for re-work, which can convert into productivity loss (Battikha, 2000a). <br></p><p> During the last fifty years the construction industry has been heavily criticized for its performance and productivity in relation to other industries. With the turn of the new millennium, it appears that the construction industry is going through an intense period of introspection which is exacerbated by increased technological and social change. These changes are altering the tempo of the environment within which construction operates. Loushine et al (2006).In a related study, Oyegbile et al (2012) revealed that over the last 10 years, the incidence of building collapse in Nigeria has become so alarming and does not show any sign of abating. A Graphic online (2013) report also states that a section of the Methodist Church building under construction at Sakaman, a suburb of Accra had collapsed. Subsequently, a two storey building was also reported to have collapsed at “Asene Dzornshie” near Old Accra or Bukom Square, while another three-storey structure also collapsed in the Ashanti Regional town of Obuasi (ghanaweb, 2013). In a similar manner The Chronicle (2012) reported the collapse of the entire verandah of a two-storey building at Krofrom, a suburb of Kumasi. The (GBN, 2013) also reported the collapse of a two-storey building under construction at Antwirifu, near DormaaAhenkro, in Brong Ahafo Region. A Structural Engineer at the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GIE), Dr Desmond Aryee-Boi, has attributed the collapse of the Melcom Shopping Mall on the Achimota road to the lack of supervision and the use of substandard materials (Ghana.gov.gh, 2013).Similarly it was discovered that the possible causes of the collapse of the six-storey melcom building is largely due to the inferior quality of materials used in construction. (myjoyonline, 2012). In a related development Osei Assibey (2005) found that a lot of concern has arisen over the quality of construction projects being executed at the district level in Ghana, similarly in Bangladesh a Government investigation has established that extremely poor quality construction materials coupled with series of violations caused the collapse of a garment factory building now regarded as the worst garment-industry disaster in history (The journal, 2013). <br></p><p> The aforementioned study and reports clearly demonstrates the value of Quality on the performance of a building/structure. It is against this background that this study seeks to identify the effect of quality on the performance of a project and offer some recommendations where appropriate. <br></p><p> <b>1.3 DISSERTATION QUESTIONS&nbsp;</b></p><p>To enable the researcher undertake this study, the research questions below were formulated;&nbsp;</p><p> Do Ghanaian Building Contractors commit themselves to Quality management Plans during the execution of projects to deliver structurally sound buildings?&nbsp;</p><p> Do Ghanaian Contractors encounter challenges in their effort to adhere to Quality Assurance during execution of projects?&nbsp;</p><p> Does Quality Assurance have any bearing on the durability of completed Buildings?&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.4 AIM OF STUDY&nbsp;</b></p><p>The aim of this study is to evaluate the Quality Management Practices of Ghanaian Contractors with emphases on D1 K1 contractors registered with the Ghana Cocoa Board. 1.5 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY The objectives of this dissertation are;&nbsp;</p><p> To determine whether Ghanaian contractors are committed to Quality Management Planning in the delivery of construction projects&nbsp;</p><p> To determine the challenges encountered by contractors while implementing Quality Assurance during the execution of projects.&nbsp;</p><p> Proposing measures for effective quality assurance practice <br></p>