TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The present study provides with an overview of the concepts and principles of modern approaches to total quality management (TQM) and the relationship between cost and quality. TQM, which has been the key to success for world class manufacturing companies, can be successfully detailed for application to the service and construction process. The term TQM describes quality coined with top management commitment, input from customer, involvement of workers at every levels, emphasis on design quality and process improvement, decisions based on information instead of opinion, and continuous improvement through reducing variability. It is important to remember, and to constantly remind others, that in the long run quality improvement efforts will result in lower costs because the costs of poor quality will be reduced or eliminated. As organizations, including the construction companies, learn how to concentrate quality improvement efforts on construction project planning, design and execution procedures,inspection and testing are becoming a smaller part of much more comprehensive quality improvement efforts. To improve quality it is necessary to engage in activities directed toward diagnosing and correcting existing process problems and preventing future quality problems. The members of quality improvement teams (QIT) require membership of the people who have the organizational authority to bring about change. TQM in the construction projects is much more than merely QA/QC programs carried out by the project participants. Actually, it is a state of mind of all involved in the project that places quality foremost. TQM requires determination by all parties to resolvequality problems equitably as they occur. Continuous quality improvement can be achieved only if a strong commitment to quality exists at all levels of the organization