Title: Using system dynamics to better understand quality management in the construction industry

Authors: Anna Hulda Olafsdottir; Harald Sverdrup; Gunnar Stefansson; Helgi Thor Ingason

Addresses: School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 2-4, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland ' School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 2-4, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland ' School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Iceland, Hjardarhagi 2-4, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland ' School of Science and Engineering, Reykjavik University, Menntavegur 1, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland

Abstract: System dynamics was applied to evaluate the use of quality management in the construction industry. Results were reached with the following: 1) a background study; 2) group model building; 3) a case study of a construction project; 4) a simulation model. The main objective of the study is to assist in minimising the total quality cost for a construction project with the holistic approach system dynamics offer. The model offers a unique contribution to the possibility to be adapted to other projects. It can then be used to minimise cost with suggested dynamic policies. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first to offer a system dynamics approach to evaluate the cost of quality in a construction project. The results give a link to the literature with a comparison between simulation outputs and Juran's (1988) graphical representation of the total cost of quality.

Keywords: system dynamics; construction industry; case study; quality management; project management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2019.097768

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2019 Vol.26 No.2, pp.223 - 245

Received: 06 Mar 2017
Accepted: 04 Dec 2017
Published online: 07 Feb 2019 *

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