Proactive quality management in the residential construction sector - External Research Report ER106 - 2025

Oct 29, 2026

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Conventional defect-and-cost focused quality management often neglects psychological factors shaping how individuals behave at work. This study examines how workers’ perceptions, beliefs, motivations, and decision-making processes affect engagement with proactive quality management practices. Findings show that key resources and enabling conditions are insufficiently addressed. A defect-identification culture fosters blame, reducing pride in craftsmanship, while heavy emphasis on tangible quality costs limits proactive advocacy. Missing tailored training for technical and soft skills further hinders progress. The report offers practical, multi-level interventions promoting knowledge sharing, leveraging social norms, and strengthening perceived behavioural control, supporting lasting improvements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages47

Reading Time1 h 58 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

Project Background

Research Aims

2. Quality management in the construction industry

Definitions of quality

Measuring quality costs

Root causes of quality problems

Right first time

The theory of planned behaviour

3. Research methods

Ethics

Study Design

4. Research Findings

Behavioural attitude

Subjective norm

External Research Report ER106 [2025] Proactive quality management in the residential construction sector Fei Ying, Grace Wang, Matthew Curtis, John Tookey and Karin Sugar Project LR16868 Massey University, funded by the Building Research Levy 1222 Moonshine Road RD1, Porirua 5381 Private Bag 50 908 Porirua 5240 New Zealand branz.nz This report was prepared by Massey University. BRANZ is the owner of all copyright in this report, however, this report does not necessarily represent the views of BRANZ and BRANZ is not responsible for the report or any of its content. BRANZ does not accept any responsibility or liability to any third party for any loss arising directly or indirectly from, or connected with, the third party’s use of this report or any part of it or your reliance on information contained in it. That loss includes any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential loss suffered including any loss of profit, income or any intangible losses or any claims, costs, expenses (including legal expenses and related costs) or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), equity, statutory liability (to the extent allowed to be excluded) or otherwise. You may reproduce all or part of this report provided you: • Do so in a way that is not misleading; • Do not amend any part of it you reproduce; and • You will recall the report or any part of it used immediately and remove the report or any part of it from anywhere you have published it if requested by BRANZ. © BRANZ 2025 ISSN: 2423-0839 Abstract Despite extensive research efforts, conventional approaches that focus primarily on defect causes and quality costs often overlook the psychological factors inﬂuencing individual behaviour in quality management. This study adopts a novel perspective by exploring how workers' perceptions, beliefs, motivations, and decision-making processes impact their engagement with quality management practices. Key ﬁndings indicate that essential resources and conditions for effective proactive quality management are often insufficiently addressed. The prevailing culture, which emphasises defect identiﬁcation, contributes to a blame-oriented atmosphere that undermines workers’ pride in their craftsmanship. Additionally, an overemphasis on tangible quality costs obstructs the advocacy of proactive approaches. The absence of tailored training programs for both hard and soft skills further complicates the situation. The report provides actionable insights aimed at enhancing quality management at various levels within the industry, emphasising strategies that promote knowledge sharing, leverage social norms, and improve perceived behavioural control. Ultimately, this research lays a solid foundation for understanding the relationship between individual behaviour and quality outcomes, paving the way for effective interventions that can lead to long-term improvements in the residential construction sector. Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction........................................................................................................................ 2 Project Background................................................................................................................ 2 Research Aims ....................................................................................................................... 3 2. Quality management in the construction industry ......................................................... 4 2.1 Deﬁnitions of quality ................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Measuring quality costs............................................................................................. 4 2.3 Root causes of quality problems ...............................................................

FAQs

Why does the report argue that conventional quality management can fail?

It highlights that approaches centered mainly on defect causes and quality costs often overlook psychological factors that influence individual behaviour in quality management.

Which worker-related factors does the study focus on?

The study explores workers’ perceptions, beliefs, motivations, and decision-making processes and how these shape engagement with proactive quality management practices.

What cultural and training gaps undermine proactive quality management?

It reports that a prevailing defect-identification culture can create a blame-oriented atmosphere, while overemphasis on tangible quality costs and the lack of tailored training for hard and soft skills further obstruct proactive approaches.

Oct 29, 2026

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