Client satisfaction and quality management systems in contractor organizations

The construction industry is predominantly project based and quality is one of the client's prime concerns in their construction projects. Many clients, especially those in the Hong Kong public sector, require their contractors to have a Quality Management System (QMS) certified under ISO9000. Also, several contractors as well as clients themselves voluntarily implemented an ISO9000-based QMS in their respective organizations in order to target the various benefits perceived from such initiative. It was considered timely and worthwhile to explore the effectiveness of ISO9000-based QMSs in the Hong Kong. This paper portrays the key findings from a focused study that relate to the client satisfaction aspects from implementation of the ISO9000-based QMSs in the contractor organizations.     

ISO 9000 in construction: An examination of its application in Turkey

ISO 9000, the quality management system standards developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), is widely used in the construction industry, as it is in all industries in the world. Recently, a growing interest has been paid to the use of this system in the construction industry. Despite the growing interest, ISO 9000 use of construction firms has not been sufficiently studied from the perspective of developing countries. In this article, with regard to the ISO 9000 quality management system (QMS) in Turkey, the characteristics of contractor firms in the construction industry, the perceptions, behavior and experiences of the firms in regard to ISO 9000 QMS are discussed. A field study has been executed, and a questionnaire has been carried out. In total, 138 construction firms, members of Turkish Contractors Association and representing the top-level firms operating both in Turkey and in the international market, have been selected for this study. The evaluation of the data points to the fact that the surveyed construction firms generally have a positive approach toward ISO 9000 QMS and that ISO 9000 QMS provides important advantages for the firms. However ISO 9000 QMS cannot be made widespread and applied effectively due to certain disadvantages and difficulties in practice.     

An Expert System for Auditing Quality Management Systems in Construction

Abstract: This article introduces a system called Construction Quality Management Audit (CQMA) Expert that assesses the performance of a quality management system (QMS) implemented in a construction firm. CQMA Expert is programmed by using MATLAB's GUI components and its Fuzzy Logic Toolbox. CQMA Expert's rule base is constructed using information obtained from auditors of QMSs. CQMA Expert imports the quality requirements relative to the many quality management processes specified in ISO 9000, processes audit inputs, and generates consistent decisions relative to conformance to standards. It provides an interactive user interface for recording evidence collected during the audit and clearly states the reasons for the conclusions. It contributes to continuous quality improvement because (1) it enhances the maintenance of a QMS by quantifying its performance, (2) it assists with and facilitates the implementation of the duties of auditors in charge of assessing the performance of a QMS, (3) it simplifies the burdensome process involved in keeping track of the audit results of the many quality management processes investigated, and (4) it reduces the impact of the variability caused by the use of different auditors assessing different quality management processes. Case studies based on Section 4.11 of the ISO 9000 standard entitled “Control of inspection, measuring and test equipment” are used to illustrate the system and verify its usability and validity.     

项目管理在房地产开发工程实践中的应用

随着许多境外项目管理公司进驻中国之后把“项目管理"的概念引入了中国建筑市场;本文以本公司在鑫泉公寓项目工程中试行内部项目管理为例,对项目管理在房地产开发工程实践中的应用作相应探讨。     

Implementing environmental management systems in construction: lessons from quality systems

Quality has been a key issue in Singapore's construction industry since the late 1980s. ISO 9000 certification is now compulsory for large construction enterprises and is an important feature of the industry. Following the global trend, environmental issues are gaining prominence in the country. A few companies have been certified to the ISO 14000 standard. It is predicted that this standard will have an impact which is similar to that of ISO 9000. Organisations are being urged to implement integrated management systems (IMS).

A study was undertaken to assess the perceptions and expectations of contractors concerning ISO 9000 certification and the costs and benefits in practice. Contractors’ expectations of ISO 14000 certification were also ascertained, together with their environmental awareness, policies and current practices, and their views on measures which could promote its widespread adoption. The study was based on a postal survey. It was found that contractors had derived benefits from ISO 9000 but were driven by short-term cost-benefit considerations. Their attitude to ISO 14000 certification was generally similar. Suggestions for increasing the likelihood of a high uptake of ISO 14000, and IMS are made.     

Integrating buildability in ISO 9000 quality management systems: case study of a condominium project

Productivity and quality are two inter-related issues of utmost importance in the construction industry. The buildability concept and ISO 9000 quality management systems are used to help raise productivity and quality standards in construction. However, both buildability principles and ISO 9000 quality system elements are frequently considered separately in many consulting and construction firms. Many of these firms have also developed and implemented ISO 9000 quality management systems in their organisations. To achieve synergy, this paper argues by means of a case study of a private condominium project that buildability principles can be integrated within ISO 9000 quality management systems.     

工程建设监理与ISO9000族标准

本文通过论述工程建设监理和ISO9000《质量管理和质量保证》标准,将ISO9000族标准引入工程建设监理,通过质量计划达到提高工程质量、控制建设工期和建设投资的目的。     

通过ISO9000认证不等于质量无忧

针对当前ISO9000认证活动效益不高的原因,指出要使得ISO9000认证活动能够更加有效,政府应当正确引导ISO9000认证活动,企业应当正确的认识ISO9000认证活动,并采用多种方法弥补ISO9000标准自身的缺陷来进行质量管理。     

Exploring the value of project management: Linking Project Management Performance and Project Success

The literature on Project Management (PM) shows that, in spite of advancement in PM processes, tools and systems, project success has not significantly improved. This problem raises questions about the value and effectiveness of PM and PM systems. This paper reports a research study which tests the relationship between PM performance and project success drawing from empirical data on PM professionals working in UAE project-based organisations.     

When will we learn? Improving lessons learned practice in construction

Purpose

The aim of the research is to improve lessons learned practices within construction contractor organisations. This will result in contractors' project teams having access to the most relevant lessons at the most appropriate time, in the most appropriate format.

Scope

The research was based on the responses of 41 large UK contractor organisations to a questionnaire survey, detailed interviews with nine companies and three focus groups. The respondents were senior and middle managers variously involved in business improvement, knowledge management, and technical services.

Results

The questionnaire survey identified methods, tools and processes used to collect lessons learned. The interviews and the focus groups uncovered the diverging requirements of corporate vs. site-based staff. The data contributed to the development of a project learning model and a conceptual model from which a Project Learning Roadmap was derived to support business leaders to improve their project lessons learned processes. This will enable organisations to develop individual solutions tailored to stakeholders' needs.     

综合网络计划和质量体系管理的探讨

尝试把网络计划法、ＩＳＯ９０００ 质量体系管理两大体系综合起来用于工程项目管理，通过实际应用，其具有较强的可操作性。并提出两个模式进行施工过程管理和材料过程管理     

Understanding project interdependencies: The role of visual representation,culture and process

Project portfolio management is central to many organizations' strategic processes and requires consideration of multiple factors and the ability to envision alternative future consequences to support strategic project portfolio decision making. Complex project portfolios with multiple project interdependencies are characteristic of many project environments, yet existing methods do not provide the clear understanding of project interdependencies that is required.     

城市轨道交通建设工程质量管理体系研究

从我国轨道交通建设工程的特点和质量管理现状出发,基于ISO9000提出一套科学系统的城市轨道交通建设工程质量管理体系,包括全寿命期管理、全过程管理、全要素管理及全方位管理并提出质量管理体系的实施建议。     

探讨建筑施工企业的项目管理

项目管理是反映企业管理水平高低的窗口,是建筑企业形象的体现。项目管理是施工企业其他各项基础管理工作的出发点和落脚点,是建筑施工企业经济效益和社会效益的源泉。项目施工水平的高低、施工质量的优劣、文明施工的好坏与项目管理有直接的关系,所以,建筑企业应把项目管理作为企业管理的重中之重。     

Overcoming the problems associated with quality certification

Serendipitous findings are reported from an on-going research project that seeks to determine the effectiveness of quality assurance systems certified under the ISO 9000 series in Australian contracting organizations. In Australia, certification has become mandatory for all organizations wishing to do business with government agencies and major private companies. While certification was designed so that purchasers could have confidence in the quality of the vendor's product or service, not all organizations have been able to implement certification processes in a way that supports this original intent. Instead, most construction organizations have opted to go through the motions without an underlying sustainable continuous improvement philosophy. They simply wish to gain marketing benefits, while others have been overcome by the mass of paperwork required for achieving the quality ‘seal of approval’. This paper uses a case study to examine the experiences of a major building and engineering contractor threatened by the paperwork dilemma. However, by adopting a radical shift in the management of the certification programme the contractor was able to implement a quality system that reduced rework significantly and brought about marketing benefits. This case study is used to present a company's experiences in solving problems associated with the certification process, and offers a learning opportunity for other organizations facing similar difficulties.     

ISO 9000 and beyond: from a Hong Kong construction perspective

Client driven ‘pushes’ for ISO 9000 certification in Hong Kong are observed to have overtaken any spontaneous ‘pull factors’ (motivators) towards quality improvements ‘for their own sake’. For example, the need for ISO 9000 certification as a prerequisite for even being considered for public sector construction works appears to have distracted some organizations from a more comprehensive organization-specific development of their quality management systems. Both positive (beneficial) and negative (detrimental) outcomes from ISO 9000 certification, as observed from relevant previous studies, are summarized herein. These provide a useful background against which to present perceptions derived from the current study in Hong Kong construction. The target groups were predominantly from consultants in the initial survey and all from contractors in the second and more comprehensive survey. The more significant positive and negative outcomes from ISO 9000 certification as derived from the two current surveys are identified. Recommendations are made for realigned approaches to ISO 9000 certification and for seamless integration with other quality management approaches such as TQM, as well as with other management subsystems, such as for productivity improvement and dispute minimization.     

项目管理服务与代建制模式的比较分析

随着我国经济建设的快速发展,大型建设项目越来越多,工程技术也越加复杂化,大型建设项目管理显得格外重要。各种各样的管理模式随之应用在建设项目管理中,给项目管理带来一些问题。针对实际工程建设过程中,项目管理从业人员对项目管理服务模式与代建制模式理解上的混淆情况,从两种模式的适用范围、管理本质与宗旨差异、合同关系以及两种合同中合约双方的权力、责任、风险等方面进行对比分析,比较两者之间的迥异之处,最终提出解决该问题的几点建议。     

我国工程咨询公司的发展趋势

介绍了我国工程咨询公司的现状 ,指出我国工程咨询公司目前存在的问题 ,研究解决这些问题的建议。我国工程咨询公司要能向业主提供全过程、全方位的项目管理咨询服务 ,探讨我国工程咨询公司的发展趋势 ,并建立了项目管理咨询公司的三种模式 ,对工程咨询公司在项目建设各阶段的服务内容做了详细阐述     

The three roles of a project portfolio management office: Their impact on portfolio management execution and success

Project portfolio management offices (PPMOs) are a subset of project management offices (PMOs) that handle collections of multiple single projects and programmes, i.e. portfolios. PPMOs are centralised organisational units that cater to the demands of various stakeholders by performing specialised tasks. They are initiated by their organisation's leadership in response to increasing management challenges originating from project portfolios. Although there has been considerable research on PMOs in general, not only a clear understanding of multi-project PMOs' activity patterns set in specific contexts like project portfolio management, but also both existence and mode of multi-project PMOs' contribution to successful performance are still lacking. By quantitatively analysing PPMOs in 278 portfolios, we identify three different activity patterns, which are interpreted as distinctive roles. We show a significant positive effect of PPMOs' coordinating and controlling roles on performance in terms of project portfolio management quality, which is a predictor of portfolio success.     

Learning from international development projects: Blending Critical Project Studies and Critical Development Studies

This article aims at making international development (ID) projects critical. To that end, it shows that project management (PM) in ID has evolved as an offshoot of conventional PM moving like the latter, but at varying speeds, from a traditional approach suited to blueprint projects where tools matter (1960s–1980s); towards eclectic and contingent approaches suited to process projects where people matter the most (1980s–now); and finally pointing towards the potential contribution of a critical perspective which focuses on issues of power (1980s–now). Consequently, it points to a confluence between the Critical Project Studies movement and Critical Development Studies movements. More specifically, it argues that the postdevelopment, the Habermasian, the Foucauldian and the neo-Marxist lenses may be effectively called upon in that scholarship. Thus, it suggests a framework to encourage project actors to reflect on their personal positions in light of the power relations which shape PM in ID.