Total quality management in Oman

Abstract

A case study of two construction companies in the Sultanate of Oman has been considered in order to study the extent of the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) and to know the barriers that impede its application in the construction industry. TQM have been compared with the tolerable organizational cultural barriers that have been endorsed and documented by many authoritative literatures related to this topic. Quantitative and Qualitative analysis of questionnaire and interviews respectively are carried out from the construction industry sector in Oman in order to identify barriers to implementing the TQM concept. The results obtained showed that the two companies' models are still in their infancy in the application of TQM and there are many aspects of improvement that would overcome the barriers. Therefore, one of the most appropriate solutions is to allocate people who have experience in how to implement and benefit from the TQM concept, while giving them the powers to help them implement it within the organization. The results of this research presented can be used as a conceptual framework that helps in planning and proactive management to improve TQM accreditation, and these results can also serve as a guide for further academic research.