Cross-Cultural Management and Quality Performance

This book explores China's global competitiveness in the building of infrastructures with a particular interest in the resource-rich African countries. The book begins with a comprehensive literature review on total quality management (TQM) and national culture, followed by reviews of the construction industries in China and Nigeria. This provides better understanding of the linkages between TQM, based on the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 9000 quality management systems (QMS), and national culture, based on Emeritus Professor Geert Hofstede's national cultural dimensions. Premised on the culture-specificity and bi-directionality relationships between TQM and national culture, this book investigates the construction industries in China and Nigeria including their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) as well as an appraisal of their historical and emerging relationships. In its conceptual approach, this book presents different models in the lead up to its primary theoretical contribution of a quality management assessment model (QMAM) that was adopted during the study's field work. The book also presents relevant lessons relating to cross cultural management and quality performance not only to the Nigerians but also other foreign players in Nigeria's construction industry.

Dr. Yomi Babatunde is a Lecturer at the School of Construction Economics & Management, University of the Witwatersrand where he teaches Project Management. His research interests are in the areas of international project management, total quality management, and cross-cultural management. He holds PhD and MSc (Project Management) degrees from the Department of Building, National University of Singapore. He also holds MArch and BSc (Hons) (Architecture) degrees from the Department of Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

Dr. Low Sui Pheng is presently Professor of Building in the School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore where he has previously served as Head and Vice-Dean. He teaches construction project management and has published, researched and consulted extensively both in Singapore and overseas. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, he holds a DSc degree from the University of Birmingham and a PhD degree from University College London. He currently serves as Director for the Centre for Project Management and Construction Law.