"TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .2Table of ContentsIntroduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3Problem Statement .......................................................................................................................... 4Research Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 4Research Hypothesis ....................................................................................................................... 5Literature Review............................................................................................................................ 5Overview of the Research ........................................................................................................... 5Importance of Total Quality Management .................................................................................. 6Implementation of TQM and the Challenges Faced ................................................................... 7TQM and Construction Management .......................................................................................... 7Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 9Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 9 TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .3IntroductionThe world market has become increasingly competitive, a factor that is coaxing all thestakeholders mainly in the construction industry to adhere to quality standards. Adherence to thestandards makes them produce quality and market the market demands. When they meet themarket demands, they satisfy the needs of the customers in what is universally known ascustomer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is primarily a goal of Total Quality Managementwhich has in the past years gained popularity in the management sector and the constructionmanagement. From the literal meaning of quality which means “the degree of excellence,” TQM,therefore, seeks to bring excellence in the management of construction to improve the generalquality of the end products. The move helps organizations gain a competitive advantage over thecompetitors to helps them acquire and command a huge market share (GRIFFITH & WATSON,2004 pg. 150). From the preceding, scholars around the world have described the management approach amodern and formal one. It encompasses all the construction management techniques that existedbefore by bringing them together under its umbrella. They include Quality Assurance (QA) andQuality Control (QC). The construction industry is marred with myriad fluctuations a conditionthat is always described as the non-steady. The industry stakeholders have therefore borrowedthe TQM idea from the Manufacturing sector to help them manage the fluctuations and ensurelong-term prosperity. Some of the elements of TQM that are effective to management across theboard include advocacy for teamwork, involvements of company suppliers. Others include thecommitment to management, effective communication with all the stakeholders and departmentsof the organization, shifting focus to the target customers, customer satisfaction and thecontinuous improvement of processes.TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .4Problem StatementThe dynamism of the construction industry has called for the construction managers to up theirmanagement skills so that they do not become obsolete in the market. They have thereforerapidly incorporated Total Quality Management in their management strategies to help them liveup to the required standards. It has proved to turn around the management setback in all theplaces that it has been used and so the positive past give insights of good prospects into thefuture of construction management (TANG, 2003 pg. 32). Can it erase the fluctuations and theuncertainties that have been witnessed before in the construction sector? The approach advocatesfor the adoption of technology in all the management operations of the industries. It additionallyseeks to improve stakeholder involvement and inclusion all the decision-making process by themanagement team to help build the sense of worth and ownership among the employees. Theaim of the study paper is, therefore, to explore whether the management criteria of TQM canhelp improve construction management to help build a healthy future for the constructioncompanies (THORPE & SUMNER, 2005pg. 97). Construction management oversees the wholeprocess of construction from the conception to completion, and the process is an integrated onethat requires effective management skills and policies. The also seeks to determine whetherTQM can offer those mentioned above. Research ObjectivesThe study aims to meet the following objectives of the research:i.To determine the importance of Total Quality Management to Construction Management.ii.To determine the difficulties faced in implementing the TQM during its incorporation as theprimary management strategy for most companies. TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .5iii.To determine how the management approach (TQM) affects the Human Resourcecapabilities and functions of most of the companies and the corporations that adopts its use. iv.To determine both the tangible and the intangible positive and negative effects thataccompany the adoption or that a company faces due to the sudden change in managementstrategies. v.To determine the general market view on the quality of products that the companies offer tothem along with the customer satisfaction. Research Hypothesis“Incorporation and implementation of Total Quality Management in the Management ofConstruction is the path towards the new dawn in the human resource functions of constructioncorporations.” The hypothesis is the basis statement of the study and all the research works. Literature ReviewOverview of the ResearchThe study will mainly concentrate on Total Quality Management and Construction Management.It will also briefly touch on the change and change management because the process ofincorporating a new management strategy to boost an already existing strategy.TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .6Importance of Total Quality ManagementSome of the famous objectives of TQM is to foster customer satisfaction for every service andproduct delivered. It also looks to minimize the cost of construction and increasing the quality ofdeveloped structures as earlier stated. Its significances include; I.Effective Cost Management and Reduction. TQM constructions to apply modern skills ofmanagement and production that help reduce the general expenditure. When this is achieved, itsubsequently reduces the burden of cost on the customers hence improving purchase of houses orproduct. This leads to the subsequent increase in proceeds. II.Customer Satisfaction. TQM introduces management information system to management.The system is a technological method of managing services and the whole process ofconstruction including delivery and the customer information. All these activities converge toensure the company in question produces quality which can be viewed a total shift toward theconsumers. The quality presented to the market will always satisfy the customers and evenattract more making the market base to increase and so the demand. Companies and constructionones for the case can never dream of anything more. III. Minimization of Defects. The approach always pushes the management to pay key attentionto the inspection of the products and structures before they are released to the market. It hasreformed the quality control measures and the quality assurance measures that must be observedwithout compromise. In this manner, all the structures developed will be free of defects and safefor use by the people who use them (HELLARD, 1993 pg. 42).TQM AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT .7Implementation of TQM and the Challenges FacedIt has been proven that change is barred by even the very people who advocate for it. People fearthe results of the unknown. The process of full incorporation of the strategy in constructionmanagement calls for others structures of the CM to removed and become obsolete. It cansometimes prove difficult to tread the path when there is sufficient lack of expert advice. Thedifficulties that companies face when attempting to implement TQM bar growth of theconstruction industry. It prohibits adoption of practical management skills and even those thathave already been adopted from taking course. Some of the supportive reasons for thesedifficulties include insufficient knowledge concerning TQM and the general effect that can berealized owing to successful adoption (ignorance). Double standards by the key stakeholders.Lack of training and skills. The fallout can also be; as a result poor communication between themanagement and other departments which the approach seeks to correct itself. For effective implementation, the above-stated problems should be averted using the appropriatemeasures applicable to individual effects. The HR should consider training their employeesabout the looming change that are soon to be effected to facilitate the smooth transition. Theyshould hire experts to give expert advice alongside overseeing the whole process of change.They should also benchmark from the fellow companies that have fully implemented TQM tosuccess to know all the dynamics involved. TQM and Construction ManagementConstruction Management (CM) aims at achieving efficiency (set objective) in construction. Allthe stakeholders must contribute sufficiently to the formulation of the objective as they are thefactor that gauges the performances a construction venture. Construction management constitutesa management system that helps ease the construction procedures and activities and increases, to "