Assessing quality relationships in public housing : An empirical study

Purpose – Quality management in construction has received increasing attention in recent years. Numerous studies have been carried out which have highlighted the factors affecting quality of construction. Each study has contributed to identifying factors affecting quality. However, there is little published work that comprehensively addresses the factors specifically affecting the quality of Hong Kong public housing, which has long been criticized as having poor quality performance. This paper aims to identify the factors affecting the quality outcomes of public housing projects. Design/methodology/approach – Potential quality attributes affecting quality performance was identified from the literature. A five‐page questionnaire was then developed to determine how these identified factors affect the quality scores of public housing projects. Factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the data obtained from the questionnaire survey. Findings – Analysis of 54 cases indicated that the project manager's experience in running public housing projects was the most important factor affecting the quality scores. Other important factors include a proactive quality culture; the extent of using direct skilled labour; a comprehensive subcontract inspection system; the competency of site labour, and the client's emphasis on quality, safety and environment. Research limitations/implications – The empirical results were based locally in Hong Kong, however, the lessons learnt are generally applicable. For future research the methodology adopted can be replicated elsewhere to facilitate international comparison of quality practices. Originality/value – A predictive model for quality performance has been developed. The findings can assist project managers to better manage public housing projects and achieve higher quality performance.