Assessment Of Quality Management Of Building Construction

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A construction project is considered successful when it is completed on time, within budget, following specifications and to stakeholders’ satisfaction. However, levels of project performance and project successes are low in the construction industry especially in developing countries such as Nigeria where owners are generally dissatisfied according to Odediran (2013). One of the significant reasons for owners’ dissatisfaction with building projects is their poor quality (Abdulrahman, 2007). Every customer wants a quality product that meets its needs and worth the value of money it has invested unto the product (Achi et al., 2007). Therefore customers tend to be satisfied when quality products and services are delivered to them. Project executors need to understand customer’s need and requirement so that both their stated and implied quality levels can be met at all times. Understanding customers need, and requirement could enable organisations to implement quality management practices and imbibe cultures which guarantee their customers’ satisfaction. A strong commitment to quality and continuous company- wide quality improvement will lead to significant improvement in quality performance and increased profit margins for any construction organisation. Poor performance has adverse effects which transcend the industry to impact on national growth and sustainable development (Windapo, 2006). Structural failure seems to abound in developing countries (Afolami, 2010) with worst cases resulting in building collapse with major causalities (Windapo & Rotimi, 2012). In a nutshell, quality management practices have a direct impact on the level of client satisfaction, quality enhancement, elimination of rework, and the enabling synergy between different project parameters (Smallwood & Rossouw 2008).

Building construction has become more complex, partly due to project owners’ increasing demands and expectations. Hoonakker (2006) reported that the construction industry’s clients are demanding improved quality of service, faster buildings and innovations in technology. As a result, building products and systems have had to become more innovative to meet the owner’s demands. However, newer and innovative procurement processes bring about challenges which building contractors need to manage effectively while delivering value to the project owner. Also, with the advent of globalization, construction firms are striving to achieve internationally accepted quality levels to ensure their forefront position in emerging international markets. Hence the need for a proper system that provides more quality when compared to other project objectives (Abdul Rahman et al.; 2010).
According to Kalindi (1992) who described quality as the conformance to certain performance requirements. This entails meeting up the legal, aesthetic and functional requirements (Arditi & Gunaydin, 1997). A more universally accepted definition of quality, however, is the one provided by the International Standard Organization (ISO8042, 1994). The ISO defines quality as the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. From a construction perspective, quality could be defined as the totality of characteristics that a constructed facility and the process involved in its construction should have; and enables the facility to meet or exceed customers’ needs, requirements and other performance criteria (Love & Irani, 2002). The preceding shows that determining and achieving customer requirements and expectations require proper quality management practice so that organisations can manage their current situation and future needs. Particularly in the new global economy, quality management practice has become a central issue for performance improvement within construction industries. However going by abysmal practices in developing economies such as Nigeria, it is pertinent that an assessment of quality management practices will benefit its construction industry. The current study investigation is, therefore, relevant as it provides a snapshot of current practices and identifies why and how quality management can be improved in the Nigerian context.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
From the definitions from researchers, quality management has been known as an important management system to be considered by construction firms in order to improve the level of their performance. It is required for a construction firm that seeks to sustain itself in the current construction market which is highly challenging and competitive. The construction industries in the developing countries such as Nigeria have been struggling with quality issues for many years; while the construction firms have been wasting resources as a result of faulty building construction which has lead many building to collapse.
Development of an effective quality assessment system for a given industry begins with the identification of quality indicators relevant to the industry. The building construction industry is one of the significant pillars in Lagos economy. In recent years, this industry has been characterized with a myriad of problems including low levels of customer satisfaction, increased competition, and heightened safety concerns. In order to overcome these challenges and increase performance, building contractors need to change how they manage quality.

1.3 AIM OF THE STUDY
The main aim of this is to study examined quality management practices by construction firms in Lagos State of Nigeria, assess the impact of quality management practices on the building construction firms and determine factors affecting quality management practices in construction firms.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research work has been carried out in other to found out how quality management systems are being practiced among construction firms but not in a standardized manner as the firms indicated different quantity management systems. The opportunity to get continued work from clients was found as the most significant impact of quality management practices on construction firms. This study concluded that no standard quality management system existed among the construction firms and that construction firms lack the resources and training to manage quality and are being affected by the corruption climate in Nigeria.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study has taught me how quality management is required for a construction firm that seeks to sustain itself in the current construction market which is highly challenging and competitive. It has also exposes us how quality management practice can help minimize material wastage, cost overrun and delay.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i. Do all building construction firms practice quality management systems?
ii. How does quality management assessment is been carried out in Nigeria?

1.7 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Ho: Building construction firms in Lagos State in Nigeria do practice quality management assessment
Hi: building construction firms Lagos State in Nigeria do not practice quality management assessment

1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In the course of carrying this study, numerous sources were used which most of them are by visiting libraries, consulting journal and news papers and online research which Google was the major source that was used.

1.9 PROJECT ORGANISATION
The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.