Quality Assurance System of Vietnam to Manage Public Infrastructure

In recent years, Vietnam has been undergoing a very rapid and drastic economic and managerial reform so as to approach the world integration. For a developing country from the poor and long past agriculture like Vietnam, construction is obviously required as the tidal force to build stepping stones. In fact, construction is account for about one – third of gross capital formation to any economy in transition. It is reported that expenditures on infrastructure construction in Vietnam have increased by 6.4%, from US$17.1 million in 2004 to US$18.2 million in 2005. From 2005 to 2009, the volume of investment in infrastructure is estimated to increase two times. More and more, the Asian Development Bank had sanctioned loans worth US$997.5 million to the government for deploying activities in transport and energy, leading to active growth in infrastructure spending over the past few years. It is the vigorous construction of key infrastructure that has laid an essential foundation for the development of the country.

Furthermore, the rate of urbanization is supposed to increase from 26.5% in 2005 to 31.6% in 2015. However, the development also reveals a deficiency of human resources’ capacity and technology to assure the quality of construction works. The number of accidents at construction sites and poor-quality infrastructure works has reached alarming figures. It is reported that accidents in construction, transport and industry projects make up the major proportion of labor accidents causing deaths in Vietnam. In 2008, the figure was almost 30% but it increased sharply to above 50% in 2009 (MOLISA). Occurrence of serious construction accidents or even the collapse of some large-scale infrastructure has caused huge financial and human loss and cast doubt on the reliability of construction works. Especially, when the public infrastructure is mentioned, it involves in the control and reputation of the government. Hence, enhancing construction quality assurance and labor safety is one of the top concerns of leaders of Ministry of Construction and concerned agencies.

Mr. Le Quoc Anh made a case study aimed to: (i) study the current quality management regulation in Vietnam; (ii) discuss the strength and weakness of quality control & quality assurance system in Vietnam; and (iii) study and analyze the application of this quality in a project

Conclusion

 As playing an important role in construction management, the quality assurance system of Vietnam government is supposed to audit and certify the quality of public infrastructure in the true and actual fact, not in theory or paperwork. As a developing country with the economy in transition and the huge volume in fundamental infrastructure construction, Vietnam is calling for the foreign investment, even in the state owned works, so the legal framework of Vietnam is hoped to become comfortable and integrated with the common playing – ground for all inbound and out bound investors. A transparent legal framework can assure the quality of construction from the commencement to the finish.

On the analytical base, it can be seen that the quality of construction works in Vietnam has been influenced by many factors, happening in every phase of construction process or commission process. Human or non-human factors have both direct and indirect influence on the quality of construction works.

Besides, the legal system in Vietnam has overlapped among regulations related to the quality. Vietnam government makes law impractical, resulting in complicate mending or misunderstanding application, even contrary among construction units.

Recommendation For Ha Noi – Hai Phong Expressway Project

The VIDIFI recommendations that can be proposed are as follows:

1. Increase the activeness for supervision consultancy unit by assigning the right and acceptance for regular works or categories. No need to wait for the acceptance from the investors.

2. The investors and the consultants cooperate to review all project standards to restrict risks if material or design changes.

3. Request contractors to change construction methods properly with new standards.

His thesis abstract is copied and posted below.

Abstract

In recent years, Vietnam has been undergoing the very rapid and drastic economic and managerial reform so as to approach the world integration. For a developing country from the poor and long past agriculture like Vietnam, construction is obviously required as the tidal force to build steeping stones. In fact, construction is account for about one – third of gross capital formation to our economy in transition. However, the drastic and rapid development in Vietnam also reveals a deficiency of human resources’ capacity and technology to assure the quality of construction works. The number of accidents at construction sites and poor-quality infrastructure works has reached alarming figures. Hence, enhancing construction quality assurance and labor safety is one of the top concerns of leaders of Ministry of Construction and concerned agencies. This paper focuses on studying quality assurance system (framework) of Vietnam government aiming to manage public infrastructure projects. Throughout the study, the strength and weakness of the system can be pointed out to discuss lessons learnt so that recommendation for improvement of the legal framework can be demonstrated.

Quality Management Systems for Design Firm

Innovation Design Company (IDC) was founded in 2009. The main field of IDC is consultancy in architecture and construction design especially in small and medium project such as luxury low-rise building and villas. Customers that IDC have been focused are high-income customers and foreign. IDC's initial goal is providing high quality products with competitive prices compared to other consulting firms in the country as well as foreign companies in Vietnam.

However, after more than two years, IDC does not achieve the goals. In IDC, the design process is mainly based on the experience of principal engineers and architects, and almost has had no specific design process that is applied to the entire system. In fact, there are many projects that spent cost, time and manpower to redesign which affected IDC’s irrevocable capital and credibility with clients.

Facing the requirements to meet their own quality policy as well as pressure from domestic competitors and foreign, IDC found that the establishment of a quality management system process design is not lack. These projects have to propose quality management system in design for IDC.

Mr. Dinh Trung Thanh made a case study aimed to: (i) Design QMS for design firm; (ii) Establish the design procedure and quality management system that meet the quality policy of IDC and the standards of Vietnam as well as international; and (iii) Evaluate the quality management system after applied in IDC.

Conclusion

The proposed QMS basically meets the requirements to control the quality of design in IDC. The QMS clearly identify the responsibilities of all members of the system as well as individual responsibility in each period of design in ensuring that the design meets the requirements of the customer and the current standards of Vietnam.

Besides, the proposed QMS also ensure that the information in the system is communicated clearly and unalterable through input design system, manage and storage documents, and document control. In Design Company, the communication is consistent and clearly is a very important factor to ensure the correct design with the requirements of the clients as well as the construction standards.

With proposed QMS, the most important factors to ensure the success of the system include:

1. Accurate evaluation of customer requirements

2. Input data application to project (specification)

3. Internal audit.

4. The process of check and review of the principal architects and engineers.

5. Connectivity of the members and awareness of quality in design.

The QMS system proposed is consistent with the scale and the current goals of the IDC. With the successful application of QMS in the future, IDC may require the organization to evaluate and receive ISO certification. With ISO certification achieved, the quality of the design of the IDC is as good as international quality; on the other hand the reputation in the market is better as well as the credibility with customers.

Limitations of the proposed QMS are not creating more value for consulting services as well as product design. However, with current and potential target of the IDC, the application of TQM is beyond. IDC can improve and develop on the basis elements of ISO then apply the elements of TQM to develop the new stage.

His thesis abstract is copied and pasted below.

Abstract

In construction industry, a project is known to be successful when it meets three fundamental criteria such as finishing on time within the budget, the prescribed quality requirements such as satisfying customer’s demand and adapt safety in operation stage. However, most of construction project in Vietnam have had problems with the quality therefore, the time is often delay and the cost is out of control. So, solving these problems has become more and more important in project management in Vietnam.

In fact, there are many reasons cause the quality problems in construction project. Follow the informal investigations, there are:

- Goal and vision of investor.

- Quality of consultant and design.

- Check and review design.

- Quality control in Tender activity

- Quality control in Construction phase.

- Quality of human resource.

- Quality in consultant and design is very important in a project from start to the end.

However in Vietnam, there are a lot of consultant and design firm have no Quality management system (QMS), or QMS is not effective, especially the medium and small firms.

This report will assess and analyze quality factor in Consultant and design, and propose a quality management system for medium and small architecture firm.

Interface Management for Conflicts Avoidance between Owner, Employer’s Representative, and Contractors in High-Rise Building Projects

Generally, construction’s conflicts arise from a problem that has not been resolved by daily management and the parties. Traditionally, even in current contractual provisions too, owner or consultant continually transferring the risks to the contractors, which have been resulted high contingencies to their bids to cover the costs of risk (Acharya et al., 2006). However, problems can be originated from various sources, for example, nature of a project, contract system, outside forces, etc, that can lead to conflicts. The nature of a project can produce problems as it is complex, uncertain, dynamic environment, and the most fragmented industry.

Uncertainty in the project can lead to conflicts as every detail of a project cannot be planned before work begins. When uncertainty is high, initial drawings and specifications will be likely to change, and the project members will have to resolve problems during the construction. Moreover, according to Barrie and Pualsan (1992), the construction industry is a paradox in many ways. Each of its elements, designers, contractors, regulators, consumers, suppliers, and crafts, can be highly skilled in its own area, yet there is a little general perspective on how all the pieces fit together.

Furthermore, the construction contract itself may be the source of problems that lead to disputes and conflicts. As for construction projects, it is very difficult to state expectations and requirements with precision in any written agreement. Potential problem areas include ambiguities, omissions, conflicts, adjustment clauses, multiple prime contracts, fast-track construction, and unrealistic performance time.

A building or civil engineering project can commonly span 5, 10 or more years from the initial concept until settlement of the final account and/ or resolution of all claims. This considerable time span has four significant phases: (1) pre-tender; (2) contract formulation; (3) construction; and (4) post-completion, relative to the life cycle of claims which might arise on the project (Hughes et al., 1992). In addition, according to Adnan Enshassi et al. (2008), construction disputes and conflicts can occur in both publicly and privately funded projects, and in projects with small, as well as large funding. Also, conflicts can occur between the owner (and owner’s representative) and a contractor and between a contractor and a subcontractor. Therefore, all participants on the project should fully understand the claim process.

As there are many causes that can lead to conflict in the construction, for example, change or variation orders, delay caused by owner, oral change orders by owner, and etc, analyzing the various types and causes of conflicts is an important task to resolving these conflicts (Ren et al.,2003). Since project participants are becoming more aware of the high costs and risks associated with conflicts and their litigation. As the costs of dealing with them often is greater than the cost of dealing with the problems when they first arise. Therefore, it is important for all participants in the project to be committed to solving problems as they crop up. The figure below shows the “Escalating Nature of Problems”

Mr. Porntanat Kongsrisawat made a case study to emphasize potential problems which are engendered from the construction contract and claim identification process. Problem areas in the construction contract are multiple prime contracts.

Multiple Prime Contracts

Generally, multiple prime contracts, the owner contracts directly with the several major specialized trades’ contractors. Typically, multiple prime contracts consist of general construction, HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning), plumbing, electrical, site work, and any special construction as shown figure below. 

Bramble et al. (1990) states that many industry commentators have bemoaned the problems of multiple prime contracts. Problems may arise from multiple prime contracts as the responsibility for coordinating among them usually falls upon the owner. As a result, the separate prime contractors have to coordinate among themselves that no one contractor has contractual authority or economic power to necessitate the other contractors to carry out in a certain manner. Another problem is the lines of responsibilities and accountability under multiple contracts is less clear than a single contract system. So, one party may exceed the bounds of its responsibilities and infringe upon the other’s responsibilities. On the other hand, some tasks may not be carried out by any party as a failure to fulfill the contractual responsibilities. Such a problem can be led to an interference claim.

The problem as “Difficulties in detecting any problems during the work due to high workload” is very interesting as any problems are seedbed that can lead to claim. If we can identify the problems then the next process of claim management can be performed with the right manner. In addition, it is very important for detecting problems as we can provide in all fairness to the party who suffered from such problems.

In order to clearly identify the scope of work and responsibilities of many contractors in relation to each other, the objectives of Mr. Kongsrisawat’s research were to: (i) explore and investigate interface problems that lead to conflict issues during construction phase among multiple prime contractors; (ii) investigate the existing practices according to the interface management that lead to conflicts among multiple prime contractors in accordance with the first objective; and (iii) propose recommended practices of proper coordination to prevent problems among multiple prime contractors.

Conclusion

Coordination in construction phase which leads to make efficient flow of working among multiple prime contractors is the main aim of this research. To achieve this aim, this research was conducted to achieve these three main objectives: (1) To explore and investigate interface problems that lead to conflict issues among multiple prime contractors involved in high-rise building construction; (2) To investigate the existing practices according to the interface management that lead to conflicts among multiple prime contractors on the construction site; and (3) To propose recommended practices of proper coordination to prevent problems among multiple prime contractors in construction project.

The research began by literature review to investigate the interface description and coordination task. The problems among multiple prime contractors in construction phase were verified by gathering data from the construction site in Thailand construction to fulfill the first objective. Continuing, the researcher investigate the existing process of management related with 4 main category of work; planning/ scheduling, coordination, controlling, and procurement that lead to problems.

Research Findings

1.  Key Personnel Job Responsibility in Construction Phase in High-Rise Building

Project

The first objective of this research found the key functional responsibility of the owner, construction manager, project manager, project engineer, and senior site engineer. It would be useful for them to avoid overlapping of responsibility during construction phase as there are a lot of activities for performing. The personnel responsibility has been arranged into the 5 main category of work which including planning/ scheduling, controlling, procurement, coordination, and law. Besides, this study is also concentrate on problems that arise during construction phase which has impact on time, cost, and quality of the project. After getting all activities in each category of work as in the first part, the table of personnel responsibility by interview is fulfilled all activities and who to responsible for them.

2. Recommendations for Proper Coordination to Prevent Problems among Multiple Prime Contractors

Coordination of drawings and specifications are considered as the most priority during management in construction enterprise as it provides the smooth in process of working among multiple prime contractors. In order to accomplish the project on-time within budget, all obstructs need to be eliminated, reduced, or controlled. Recommendations for making effective and proper coordinate are the last part of thesis findings, and they were summarized in table below.

3.  Summary of Recommendations for making proper coordination among multiple prime contractors is tabled below.

  

His thesis abstract is copied and pasted below.

Abstract

The characteristics of construction projects are always multidisciplinary, large, and required many different parties to participate during execution period. During certain stages, some phases may very often be undertaken simultaneously, requiring major efforts in terms of the coordination and communication between the participants. However, the principal person charged with coordination in construction projects delivered through construction management is the construction manager (CM).

However, some of the disruptions that might be occurred during execution stage, especially conflicts among the participants are originated from the contractual arrangement. The type of contract that generates problems and lead to conflicts is multiple prime contracts which highly been applied by the employer nowadays as it provides lower cost to the employer when compare with another type of contract, single contract. The multiple prime contracts, the owner will contract directly to prime contractor, including General Contractors (structural and architectural works), M/E Contractor (sanitary system, electrical system, air-conditioning system works), Finishing Contractor, Aluminum Contractor, and Interior Contractor. According to the schedule of the project, some works they have to perform work together at the same time which work of one prime contractor can affect to another prime contractor. As a result, those problems will effect to the project in term of time, cost, and quality. To prevent or reduce problems among multiple prime contractors, the employer and employer’s representative must play a significant role in managing them.

From the research, to avoid problems that can lead to conflicts in the construction project among the participants, especially the employer, employer’s representative, and prime contractors, they have to concern the source problems areas. The origin of problems that they have to concern is drawings and specifications, coordination with related parties, and material and equipment.

Defect Cost Reduction in High-Rise Building Projects in Bangkok by Using Value Engineering Concept

Normally, owners of high-rise building projects in Thailand desire to see their projects finish as fast as possible, within the budget, and achieve the expected quality. The project must be completed on time and meet the owners’ satisfaction, to avoid problems that stipulated in the contract signed by the owners to lenders and customers. From this condition, contractors need to compete with other companies as there are many contractors to choose from by the owners.

Therefore, contractors have to concern in reduction of project cost to gain more competitive advantage than other contractors. According to Jongcharoensub (2007), cost overrun is coming from quantity. On-site management cannot save cost or minimize cost overruns at the given progress. Thus, contractors need to emphasize on construction cost management. In addition, there are many techniques for managing the construction cost such as cost control system, value chain, value engineering, etc. There are contractors which loss their profit, or they cannot maintain their profit. Thus, it is quite difficult for them to improve their competitiveness.

Mw. Wattanachai Tanjedreu made a case study aimed to investigate the advantages of each construction method and techniques which are utilized in high-rise building projects. Furthermore, different method means different input of resources that affect to direct and indirect of the project costs and then affect to the construction firms. The purposes of his research were as follows:

1. To identify how value engineering could be applied in defect cost reduction

2. To investigate the procedure of value engineering applying in high-rise building project.

3. To propose recommendation of value engineering applying in defect cost reduction

Conclusion

Generally, the general contractor is having high or low profit from the performance of the construction cost control. However, the contractor faces difficulties to control the operation cost due to many factors affecting the performance of the work such as labor skill and inappropriate method of statement and lack of experience of engineers. These are the causes of work defection in high rise building construction project which is the main causes to create additional operation cost from reworks.

From the conclusion of each case, the researcher found that some factors in the same phase are influencing in different way to the operation of that activity. Table below illustrates the influencing factors of each phases of value engineering on site operation.

Conclusion of study

 In the selection phase, observation is mostly used for observing the quality of work because the quality is the main issue creating defections of work which must be rework. After observation, record is necessary in order to know exactly about the detail of work. The Engineer has to record about the defect recognition to further clearly identify the defect on work. Finally, a good judgment must be used in order to predict the possibility if that activity will create further problem or will have poor value again.

In investigation phase, observation is used for monitoring working procedure or method of statement. After that, it is use for measuring the construction cost (labor and materials cost) and quality of work in order to know the performance of the work. Finally, record is used for recording the information of work in terms of time spent, labor usage, materials usage, and quality level from work. In addition, productivity and defects should be also recorded. 

In speculation phase, brainstorming is the core. The main objective of this is finding the alternatives. Thus, this phase needs all engineers in team to think of new idea for solving that problem of the project. The key person in brainstorming is project manager or project engineer because they have high work experience. They may see some solution before, or they may apply some method that appropriate to solve the problem. 

In evaluation phase, communication and discussion are using to point out the possible advantages and disadvantages of alternative from speculation phase for preparing information to make decision which method should be used. 

In development phase, discussion is used to make decision about the finding of advantages and disadvantages of alternative to correctly do the experiment from evaluation phase. After that, this information will be used for making decision to present the best alternative to project manager or site manager in order to make the last decision to choose the alternative to implement.

In presentation phase, the study team communicates to project manager or site manager about the advantages and disadvantages in all aspect that they studied. After that, project manager or site manager make decision to choose the best alternative for implementation. In addition, project manager or site manager should have a good judgment in order to select the best alternative not like alternative. 

In implementation phase, the responsible engineer needs to observe the way workers working to know that workers do follow the method that study team is using in development phase. Moreover, engineer has to observe quality of work reaching to satisfy level or still have defect. Then, engineer has to record the method of statement by writing, taking picture, or taking video to keep it as project database of which may be used in the future. Moreover, engineer has to record the productivity and cost information also in order to know the performance of work. And, the last one is record the defect of work to make sure that this method can reduce or remove the defect that they might face before in order to get more confidence about the alternative method to solve the problem. 

Recommendation for implementation 

The project team members should develop manual for studying onsite value engineering in order to give a direction when they found the problem giving poor value activity. They can use that manual as a guideline for solving the problem which may take less time than to study again from the beginning. Moreover, the studied team should teach knowledge that they have learned to other member in their company in order to reduce the operation cost of the company which will give more profit. To motivate engineer, the company should give recognition by promoting the engineer to higher position, or giving awards to engineer who develop value engineer onsite. 

His thesis abstract is copied and posted below. 

Abstract

 In order to reduce the operating cost, defect is the significant issue because it can cost more and more to project due to many influencing factors such as skill of worker. However, controlling of work defect is not too difficult, but it is not easy, also. To control the work defect efficiently, engineers should conduct tools for controlling and monitoring work method. This study was concerning in value engineering concept adapting to solve the defect in execution stage. This study was conducted to: 1) identify how value engineering could be applied in defect cost reduction, 2) investigate the procedure of value engineering applying in high-rise building project, and 3) propose recommendation of value engineering applying in defect cost reduction. The data was collected from high-rise building project at execution stage. Target of research is senior site engineers and site engineers. The findings were discussed, and the recommendations for improving construction method were propose in this study.

German education minister quits over PhD plagiarism

Germany's education minister has resigned after being stripped of her doctorate because of plagiarism, in the second such case to hit Angela Merkel's government in two years.

for complete news, please visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/09/german-education-minister-quits-phd-plagiarism

Project Schedule and Quality Planning and Control in Construction Management: A Case Study of the New Facility Development at Saigon High-tech Park – Jabil Vietnam

Vietnam is in the process of development to become an industrialized country. Development of large-scale industrial zones, infrastructure system, plants, ports, express highway system, elevated roads, and the like have contributed to the change of national economic face. Thus, organizing and managing construction works in projects increasingly become critical demand for recent years. Until now, satisfying criteria in project management in accordance with the requirements on management of human resources, cost, schedule, quality and scope of the project has large influence on the success of enterprise.

Many planning models to control the project have been applied to projects in the domain of construction in Vietnam and nations in the world. Setting project management plans based on general process started with analyzing task lists and integration process shall result in emulation on total period, resource and related costs required for project implementation and those shall support project managers and construction engineers to have a general and detailed view on work items. From that, further breakdown of work items per month, week, and day shall be established.

Implementing processes and methods to manage the project mean that we must have preventive plans against project problems. Preventing problems shall reduce the cost and is the optimal plan for a successful project executing process.           Mr. Pham Van Long made a case study which objectives were to: (i) study project planning for construction project schedule and quality; (ii) study project controlling strategy during the execution phases; (iii) identify lessons learn in project planning and control strategy; and (iv) develop a framework for project planning and control.

Conclusion:

Generally, this report gives a general vision on approaching, researching and exploring sequence steps in establishing planning of construction schedule, quality and human’s resources and resources of project before execution. These are four main factors which not only affect directly to all projects cost but also deciding project success.

Besides, this report also specifically presents controlling procedure that was done such as procedure of quality controlling, procedure of schedule controlling and procedures of checking, reporting project manpower and resources data.

Based on practical application in this case study, compared with theory research and from lesson, book as well as practical experience in execution, the author analyzed the strength and weakness during the course of process, scope of 02 main sections of the stated study model (quality and schedule), from that, it is easy to recognize score issues effect to quality and project schedule. Throughout this case study, we propose a solution to improve and develop strategy in the coming time and give a recommendation framework in making planning and control planning for enterprise so that it could be applied in bigger project in the future.

His thesis abstract is copied and posted below

Abstract

Since the 1990’s, construction companies and business organizations throughout the world have begun to focus on the process of creating quality products and satisfy requirements of the schedule progress of the construction project. During the course of establishing planning ,schedule, progress and quality have been set up by construction enterprises based on variation modulus, for example: applying MS project on monitoring schedule, primavera, excel and other means to control, monitor quality, cause and effect analysis, PDCA cycle, … The above-mentioned means help project management units easily analyze, control and follow up progress and project quality status, especially in construction field.

In large-scale companies, after many years implementing project, they have accumulated many database, important experiences to support them in the course of establishing schedule and quality plan as well as human resource in order that construction duration has executed quickly. Plans have been carried out based on company’s established procedures. Implementing plans included schedule, quality, human resource, cost and risk in construction project management.

This case study mainly focused on analyzing process of establishing plan and controlling plan of procedure, project quality in medium-size limited company in Vietnam. From applying practical construction experience together with operation procedure that built up by company, schedule and project quality were executed based on the following steps: Firstly: development construction process included: definite work scope of project, analyze activity list by WBS, standardize schedule. Secondly: creating schedule consisted: type of schedule, implementing work list, schedule activity duration, work activities relation, constrain and milestone. Thirdly: implementing and controlling schedule.

During the time of making and controlling quality, contractor executed based on 03 main steps that are establishing project quality plan, execution quality assurance and quality control.

In conclusion, this report after being finalized and completed shall be a significant proposal for improvement and development of enterprises, especially construction department. If this framework is applied successfully, it shall bring potential benefits for company in the future.

Happy Lunar New Year 2013