Improvement management tools in the construction industry: Case study of Mexico

The utilization of management tools by the construction industries in developed countries has demonstrated to be a relevant aspect of continuous improvement activities. To establish whether the same is true in developing nations, a survey was conducted in Mexico for evaluating both the level of use and perceived importance of such tools. The influence of the International Organization for Standardization quality system on these levels was also determined. The data-collection instrument was based on a similar one used in the United Kingdom a decade before, which included more than 30 tools. Reliability and factor analyses were performed to demonstrate the validity of the findings. The three groups of tools, commonly recognized as important in the sample of construction companies, were Technology, Quality Control, and Planning Tools. In terms of the international quality standard, it was revealed that certified companies used the following groups: Gathering Customer Needs and Formal Methods. The main contribution of this paper is that the findings can help organizations in the global construction industry to improve their quality practices.