Applying total quality management to the North American construction industry

Abstract

The theory of {open_quotes}if the customer is happy, your business will prosper,{close_quotes} has been around for a long time. It has been applied with a large measure of success to many diverse organizations. This theory has come to be known as total quality management (TQM) and has been credited with turning around some national economies. This may or may not be correct, but there is no doubt that TQM can be very useful when applied properly. There is a great concern among construction professional, researchers, and professional societies about the overall direction of the North American construction industry with respect to its unwillingness or inability to change. Its deficiencies range from planning and design through to project completion. The North American construction industry could be left behind in the global marketplace unless the industry as a whole changes some fundamental aspects. The following is a study of the effectiveness of some TQM principles when applied to a rough framing subcontractor from using traditional construction management principles through the implementation of certain TQM principles. This evolution of the basic methods of doing business demonstrates the effectiveness of TQM. 5 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.