Some observations on the management of quality among construction professionals in the UK

The management of quality in construction is an important factor in determining the competitive edge of a construction business. Most companies in the UK construction industry are aware of the significance of BS 5750 Quality systems, but there is no indication of how successful the implementation of quality systems has been. A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of professionals involved in implementing quality systems in the UK construction industry to validate previous observations in an investigation on quality management and cost. This paper describes the results of the quality management aspect of the survey, and discusses several issues raised during the investigation. Amongst others, the findings show a significant awareness of quality management in civil engineering construction.