| Author: | Leong, Benedict Wilfred |
| Title: | Case study : engineering consulting firm : impact of ISO9001 year 2000 version |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2000 |
| Subject: | Construction industry -- Quality control -- Case studies ISO 9000 Series Standards Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Multi-disciplinary Studies Institute of Textiles and Clothing |
| Pages: | viii, 105 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | The impact of ISO9000 quality management standards on a construction engineering consultant firm is case studied. This includes the new ISO9001:2000 standard inspired by Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) of The Deming Cycle with emphasis on continual improvement and customer focus due for release in the final quarter of 2000. Quality management systems based on ISO9000 for the construction industry in Hong Kong is a recent phenomenon, implementation became popular only within the last eight years; previously, repair of faults found during inspection was the normal practice which was a major drain on resources. Government directive had been a major reason for its general acceptance. A quality construction is a product which satisfies client desires and meets its intended use; dissatisfaction is the result of mis-communication. The construction process differs from the manufacturing process because each product is unique from the last. The quality of each process step relies on the previous processes standard, therefore, it is difficult to rectify problems from earlier stages if not done correctly first time. Total Quality Management (TQM) could resolved many of the problems faced, however, it is rarely used in construction due to contracts award to lowest bidder, unrealistic work programme, time spent on claims instead of building better relationships, sub-contracting and cost constraints which encourage the use of unskilled workers. In the case studied, non-compliance (NC) found during internal quality audits are most common under ISO9001:1994 clause related to document and data control, and design control, this is understandable as consultant firms business is design work, production of drawings and reports. External auditors reports less NC as the system mature, this is due to the Company experience gained from previous audits, therefore can prepare towards auditors' expectations. It is expected under the impact of each of the ISO9001:2000 eight principle of quality management, the number of NC from internal audits can be reduced significantly. A survey and interview of engineers found that ISO9001:1994 had been successful in improving procedures and processes, but only in selected areas in administration, record maintenance and project planning. Areas where greater benefits had been expected included design and workmanship. ISO9001:2000 should have a greater impact on processes, the eight principles of quality management is a positive step towards better engineering. Training and communication are seen as vital to successful implementation of management system. Monitoring of costs should also be given greater attention. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b15289382.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.51 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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