ISO 9000 and the U.S. Construction Industry

Abstract

ISO 9000, the series of quality management standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization, is being used by organizations involved in construction all over the world. The construction industry in the United States has generally lagged behind other industries and other countries in the acceptance and implementation of ISO 9000 standards. Differing opinions surround the issue of ISO 9000 in the U.S. construction industry; it has received either the support or the criticism of experts, who weigh the effects of ISO 9000 as a matter of real improvements in quality against competitiveness and specific requirements at a domestic and international level. This paper attempts to determine the applicability and effectiveness of ISO 9000 in U.S. construction firms and the barriers that hinder its acceptance. The methodology used consists of a literature review and a survey distributed to a sample of firms that have or have not received ISO 9000 certification. After analyzing the gathered data, it was concluded that ISO 9000 is an appropriate and effective tool for construction firms in the United States, although several obstacles affect its implementation and acceptance among construction organizations.