Construction Quality Management Challenges: A Case of Public Building Projects in Jimma Zone Twelve Selected Woreda

Abstract

This research was mainly set out with general purpose of the research to assess the quality management challenges in public building construction projects in Jimma zone twelve selected woreda. Targeted evaluate quality management, identified the major quality management challenges and find out the way to overcome the quality management challenges in public building construction projects in the Jimma Zone. The study employed descriptive research and both primary and secondary data were used Questionnaires, interview, and document review were used as data collection tools and employed purposive sampling techniques. The survey questionnaire was designed and distributed to 48 project implementer team members who were selected purposively among them 46 responded, which represented a response rate of 95.8%. The data gathered through the questionnaire and interview was analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Relative Impotence Index (RII). The result of the study indicated that public building construction projects employed at all stages of quality management process. The quality management currently used and practiced no prepared separate strategic document for quality management standard. Used Inspection and statistical sampling are as major quality management tools and techniques. Un qualified and non-experiences personnel (84.78), low quality of materials and equipment used in the project construction (84.35) and non-full contact documents (83.04) are identified as the top three factors in the determinant of the quality of public building construction projects. In the study also identified that some barriers of quality managements are market inflation (increase cost), insufficient resource management, inadequate management support, unrealistic deadline and problems with contractors were the major once. The study also recommended that to have product quality management strategy in order to undertake complete project quality management process. Then also the ways to overcome the challenges was developing separate quality strategy in the organization, develop adequate management, use efficient resources management, develop and use adequate technical skill, update knowledge and understanding by training, create quality assurance team leading, estimate realistic quantity, regular supervision and effective communication of all stakeholders.