Factors Affecting the Implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in Contractors

Abstract

Maintaining quality in construction projects is critical to project success, which is achieved through total quality management (TQM) techniques. Total quality management (TQM) is a systematic management technique for developing a process-driven culture within an organisation to achieve quality and customer satisfaction. Contractors, as the main actors in this industry, have a central role in ensuring the quality and success of a construction project. Thus, it is essential to identify the factors that influence the implementation of TQM to determine which factors can improve construction quality from the contractor's perspective. Therefore, this study aims to identify, rank, and analyse the factors that influence TQM implementation in North Moluccas contractor companies. A case study approach was utilised, and a survey data was collected from 96 respondents.  Validity and reliability tests were conducted to ensure each indicator was valid and reliable. Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to identify factors affecting TQM implementation. As a result of the RII analysis of the 11 research variables, the most critical factor affecting the implementation of TQM based on all respondent groups (directors, site managers, quality control, and field implementers) was teamwork with an RII value of 0.820, identified as the most crucial factor. Despite the critical factor identified, all contributing factors significantly influence successful performance.