Project Quality Management Practices and Performance of Real Estate Housing Projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: This study sought to determine the influence of project quality management practices on performance of real estate housing projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Methodology: A descriptive research design was adopted, targeting 317 registered construction firms in Nairobi City County. Using Taro Yamane's formula, a sample of 177 respondents was drawn through simple random sampling. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires, achieving an 85.9% response rate (152 respondents). Reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha exceeding 0.87, and validity was established through expert judgment and Exploratory Factor Analysis with KMO values exceeding 0.75. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis, with diagnostic tests confirming no violations of normality, multicollinearity, or autocorrelation. Findings: Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between all independent variables and project performance, with coefficients ranging from 0.775 to 0.828. Multiple regression analysis showed that the four quality management practices collectively explained 79.6% of variance in project performance (R² = 0.796). Quality control emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.288, p = 0.000), followed by quality assurance (β = 0.256, p = 0.000), project stakeholder management (β = 0.233, p = 0.000), and quality planning (β = 0.215, p = 0.001). Quality control reduced rework costs by 35% and predicted 60% of long-term maintenance costs, while quality assurance reduced defects by 30-40% and stakeholder management reduced litigation risks by 40%. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study contributes to theory by empirically validating the integrated application of five theoretical frameworks to explain quality management's role in real estate project performance. For practice, construction firms should integrate all four quality practices into unified quality management systems, invest in digital quality platforms, and implement BIM-based design validation. For policy, the National Construction Authority should mandate documented quality plans, ISO 9001 certification, digital defect tracking, and third-party structural testing for all real estate housing projects.