Julius Berger operates in the construction industry, meaning that the company’s functions are mostly project-based. Moreover, the success of its projects relies on the quality of construction, meaning that building is a critical process affecting the company’s success. Based on this information, there are several techniques discussed in the previous section that would be beneficial for the organisation. On the one hand, in case of issues with the building process, the company could apply process mapping and quality circles to understand the source of the problem and invent effective solutions. Process mapping using a flow chart would help Julius Berger management to determine the source of the problem by evaluating quality at each process stage and marking the step where the quality decreases.
Once the process step causing the issue is identified, the company would benefit from using a TQM technique called fishbone analysis, which offers “a structured approach to identifying the root causes of a problem.” A fishbone diagram maps and categorises the factors contributing to a problem, thus offering a view of its probable causes. For instance, a problem with reduced structural load could be influenced by factors related to materials, human resources, techniques, and machinery. When the probable causes of an issue are clear, the company could create a quality circle consisting of managers, team leaders, architects, and engineers, present a problem and its root causes to them and ask for possible solutions. This would be an effective way of engaging the team in quality improvement because of the insight and ideas offered by members of the quality circle.
On the other hand, the company would also benefit from a well-structured approach to quality management using one of the tools for continuous improvement. For example, total quality management would help to address and prevent issues during construction by incorporating quality assurance and control into every step of the process. To implement total quality management, managers of Julius Berger should create a clear framework that uses TQM tools for evaluating the quality of products and processes involved in construction.
Another useful method that would assist the company in improving quality throughout its operations and processes is the EFQM model of business excellence. As explained above, this approach is focused on all organisational activities that help in building and maintaining competitive advantage, and thus, the model could be applied to the entire organisation, including the construction processes. According to Gómez, Costa & Lorente, the application of the EFQM model provides many benefits for organisations, including improved financial performance, greater creativity and innovation, and sustainable competitive advantage. Since quality improvement is among the key goals of the model, it could also contribute to the success of construction projects and promote stakeholder satisfaction. The EFQM model also benefits employees by creating a healthy organisational culture and promoting commitment and engagement. Hence, Julius Berger should consider using this approach to improve current processes and improve quality, thus achieving better overall performance.