Contractors' perception of the use of costs of quality system in Malaysian building construction projects

Abstract

While conforming on the findings of prior researches regarding quality cost system in building companies, current research successfully illustrates the contractors' perceptions on the importance of the quality cost system and the barriers that may constrain the implementation of the system for recording and collecting quality cost data. A postal and email surveys were undertaken on Malaysian building companies, focusing on the benefits and difficulties associated with the implementation of quality cost system. Statistical analyses based on Chi-Squared test and Relative Importance Index techniques were used to investigate the significance of the findings and determine the relative importance of the factors. The most important benefit of measuring quality costs is "getting management attention and increase quality awareness" as perceived by the sample of the study. The possible barriers that may affect the management's decision to implement quality cost system are identified and grouped into three categories, which are culture and knowledge; system; and company. The study suggests that the level of the site staff's knowledge should be as important as that of the management to successfully collect and record quality costs data. The findings of this research will raise the level of awareness and sensitize managers and those involved with building industry about the importance of quality cost system and collecting quality costs data.