QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FUNDED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
Keywords:
Quality Management Practices, Moe-Funded Building Construction Projects, Top Management Commitment, Continuous ImprovementAbstract
Ensuring the consistent completion of construction projects in public secondary schools is a matter of significant concern for education stakeholders and contractors alike. The primary reasons and causes of project/task failure encompass four key dimensions: time, cost, quality, and content. Time and cost overruns are commonly observed features of project failures, resulting in delays in service or product delivery. The prevalence of failed, incomplete or abandoned building construction projects significantly undermines the performance of these projects. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of quality management practices on the performance of MoE-funded building construction projects in secondary schools in Machakos County. The study’s objectives were to evaluate the influence of top management commitment on the performance of these projects, to assess the influence of continuous improvement on performance. The quality management theory and the resource-based theory guided the study. It employed a descriptive research design. The population included the 32 MoE-funded building construction projects in secondary schools in Machakos County. The unit of observation comprised the project staff of these projects, including project managers and project team members. Simple random sampling was employed to select project managers from each category of projects, with a sample size of 224. Data was collected using a questionnaire. A pilot sample was selected from a classroom block project at Olkejuado High School in Kajiado County. The analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 26. The gathered data was tested for multicollinearity, normality, and heteroscedasticity. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, while multiple and simple linear regression analysis were utilized to analyze the quantitative data that was collected and coded. The study’s findings were presented in tables, interpreted, and discussed. Additionally, narrations were used to report qualitative data, providing a comprehensive understanding of the influence of quality management practices on the performance of MoE-funded building construction projects in Machakos County. The study revealed a significant and positive influence of top management commitment on performance of building construction projects in secondary schools in machakos county (β = 0.377, p = 0.000).The relationship between continuous improvement on performance of building construction projects was positive and significant (β = 0.343, p = 0.000). The study concludes that top management commitment enhances project objective clarity, continuous improvement boosts performance monitoring. This study recommends that project managers should ensure top management's active involvement, adopt continuous improvement practices to uphold high standards in construction projects.
Key Words: Quality Management Practices, Moe-Funded Building Construction Projects, Top Management Commitment, Continuous Improvement
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