Understanding the Key Quality Factors in Construction Projects—A Systematic Literature Review

Sławomir Wawak,Žanesa Ljevo,Mladen Vukomanović

doi:10.3390/su122410376

Abstract

Project management frameworks describe the preferred approaches to project quality management, as well as applicable methods and tools. Despite this, quality problems in the construction project are still widespread. This study aimed to identify crucial quality-related factors in construction project management and find relations between them, to help researchers and project managers better respond to quality issues. A systematic literature review (SLR) was used to identify previous studies on quality-related factors. Literature review and further quantitative analysis revealed that quality-related factors are related to three categories: Quality of project process, quality of organisational processes, and quality of results (products), which together create the quality of the whole construction project. The results highlight quality-related factors (14 related to the quality of processes, 6 to quality of an organisation, and 13 to quality of products) that should be taken into account in further research, as well as planning and executing construction projects. Their inclusion at the planning stage should help project managers, sponsors, and steering committees avoid or minimise quality-related problems. Moreover, this study sheds an interesting light on quality. We found that the quality of processes and quality of an organisation has precedence over the final product quality. Based on the results of the study, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to create a null model that will be the starting point for further research in the construction enterprises.

Highlights

Construction companies have to improve their competitiveness continuously, in order to achieve success in the market, and it is possible mainly through better performance of construction projects
The majority of standards are oriented on procedures and processes such as PRINCE2 and MSP by Axelos, PMBoK by Project Management Institute (PMI) [2–4]
Important areas of study in construction project management are the wastages and defects during work, which are caused by low quality

Summary

Introduction

Construction companies have to improve their competitiveness continuously, in order to achieve success in the market, and it is possible mainly through better performance of construction projects. For many years success of that kind of project was associated with high-quality material products. There are many studies about project management, quality management, process, project life cycle, project products, and stakeholders requirements in the literature. Modern project management processes have to be adaptable, and an experimental approach to the project cycle should be taken in many cases. The other literature trend highlights the impact of the quality management system on cost-saving and making processes more efficient [10,11]. Multiple authors refer to the life cycle management’s significant role in the construction, project quality management (as a general idea), cost management, and schedule management [12]. Important areas of study in construction project management are the wastages and defects during work, which are caused by low quality. Studies suggest that the teamwork and the implementation of quality management systems could help lower those costs [13]

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion