Using quality circles to raise productivity and quality of work life

The participative-creative approach of quality circles, for simultaneous enhancement of productivity and quality of work life, has been introduced in many leading manufacturing and service corporations in the West within the general trend of adopting so-called Japanese managerial approaches. The construction industry, however, by and large has failed to use the potential of this powerful approach, apparently due to the mismatch commonly seen between the participative, long-term, people-building process of quality circles and the “hostile” environment of the construction industry, which features instability, temporary employment, and an ever-changing work setting. This paper presents a counterintuitive hypothesis arguing that construction also features several unique conditions that impart special merit to the quality-circle approach: The combination of low initial efficiency and dynamic, multiphase projects guarantees a continuous flow of significant and challenging problems for treatment by the circles, while the authority of site managers to implement significant modifications without further approval can save the frustration observed in many quality-circle programs. The main part of the paper deals with actual field treatments. Findings are presented in statistical terms as well as in case studies and benefit/cost analyses.