Thinking Outside the Box to Improve Infrastructure Project Supply Chain Network

Thinking outside the box to improve

infrastructure project supply chain network

John Constance

MSc in Project Management, University of Liverpool

Introduction

Infrastructure projects fail due to schedule and/or cost overruns and poor quality. Most times this overrun is due to poor supply chain networking. However, close engagement between infrastructure project teams and their network of suppliers can create possibilities to decrease costs of infrastructure project construction operations.

Project managers must gain profits in infrastructure investment. From the many surveys and results it is clear this is possible. There are several strategies for achieving profit margins and project success. The conclusions from these surveys recommend infrastructure project managers combine quality and control in supply chain network to manage their projects more profitably, advising the construction industry adapt examples from other industries and make similar changes in the management of infrastructure projects. These examples include, planning and executing project through live-cycle management (LCM) methodology (Guo & Skitmore (2010), applying flexible technology systems based on the project characteristics (Scheepers et al. (2010), selecting and constructing through appropriate decision-making framework (Kumaraswamy, et al. (2004); conducting infrastructure project-related risk assessment (Zou & Fang (2008), incorporating agility in the management of the supply chain network (Collin & Lorenzin (2006); and adding quality into the management of infrastructure projects (Koh and Low (2010).

This paper will address two key paradigms project managers can incorporate quality management and control processes into infrastructure project supply chain network to achieve success.

Example # 1 - Quality

Apply TQM and risk management

The American Society of Quality considers Total Quality Management or TQM as quality improvement for long-term customer satisfaction through process improvement, product services and cultural practices, involving all organization members. According to Koh & Low (2010) the key elements of TQM are leadership, customer management and process management. TQM must involve senior management's commitment and leadership through the organization's values and goals, project managers and department heads accept TQM by evaluating quality in planning and in construction cost and schedule, considering adequate resources for quality management, and keep quality in the organization through total communication.

Making TQM a management philosophy compels organizations to pay attention to its network of suppliers