Strategic planning & quality management in construction: a case study of the Greek construction sector [Thesis (M.Sc.)]

The concept of quality management is to ensure efforts to achieve the required level of quality for a product or service which are well planned and organized. From the perspective of a construction company, quality management in construction projects should mean maintaining the quality of construction works at the required standard so as to obtain customers’ satisfaction that would bring long term competitiveness and business survival for the companies. Quality management is critically required for a construction company to sustain itself in the current construction market which is highly challenging and competitive. This study aims to examine the application of the strategic treatise Sun Tzu's Art of War in relation to quality management principles in the construction industry of Greece. Two sets of 20 statements each from quality management principles and the Art of War were identified. A questionnaire survey on practising engineers participating in construction projects as employed by major Greek construction firms in Greece was conducted to establish the relative ratings as well as correlations in the rankings of these two sets of statements. The findings suggested that the Art of War as a handbook for military management appears somehow relevant to quality management thinking and practices for construction where appropriate lessons may be drawn. There are, however, limits to the analogy between war and construction. The value of this thesis is to synthesize the strategic issues encapsulated in an ancient military and management handbook with quality management principles in the construction industry.