SECTION A [100 MARKS] Read the article below and answer ALL questions that follow MANAGING QUALITY ON CONSTRUCTION SITES IN SOUTH AFRICA In South Africa, construction projects still experience non-conformance lo quality requirements as wel as cost and schedule overruns to the detriment of clients. For project success to be atlained, conlormance to these parameters is the minimum expectation in the face of other considerations related to client satistaction. Thus, through the use of existing literature, and a fieid study conducled among site management employees working for general contractors (GCs) in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, the management of quality on construction sites was examined. The construction industry contributes immensely to the global economy. As a result, there appears to be a relatively vigorous competition among construction firms for various business reasons. Most firms therefore compete with their prowess in production efficiency. The quality of site production activites are ofien taken into consideration in order to sabisfy internal and external stakeholders while building good reputation for the firm. However, the literature is full of examples of project deviations in the form of non-conformance to quality requirements and other cbjectives. These deviations constitute a hindrance to the competitiveness of the firm on one hand, and the entire industry on the cther hand. Oakland and Marosszeky (2005) state that organizations compete on reputation for qualify, reliability. price and delivery, and as such people now recognize that quality is crucial to the sustenance of a competitive advantage. As an illustration, when firms become known for poor quality product. it could take a long fime to recover that reputation. Hence, quality is a key competitive weapon in the construction industry (Oakland and Marcsszeky, 2005). In particular, the industry in South Africa is currently facing problems related to the standard of construction qualify expected by clients (Emuze and Smallwood, 2011), It is notabie that proiect delivery that occurs within expected duraticn, cost, healthy and safe conditions, and to quality standards is a 'difficulr task because kast duration and minimai cost tend to conflict with quality and health and safety (H8S) (Patrick, 2004). According to Ali and Kamanczaman (2010), scope, cost, time, and quality are the four fundamental constraints needed io be considered when managing construction projects, regardless of location. The quest for optimum reputation by a general contractor (GC) in the construction industry demands project performance considerations that would improve the satisfaction of clents. Generai contractors (GCs) gain reputation through fulfilling the needs of clients and the gain of reputation is the major requirement for a GC to be more competitive in the sector (Ashworth, 2004). The interdependence between the business and project aspects of constructicn management has been argued to be crucial in the quest for improved profitability in the sector (Smallwood, 2006). The interdependence can be gleaned from various construction management related researched findings from South Africa. Newadi and Dangalazana (2006) report that South African construction is faced with productivity and quality problems. The authors contend that productivity and quality in South Africa has dropped, while HBS have only marginal improved. As a result, the industry is continuously experiencing confrontations with regard to dissatistaction of clients (Ncwadi and Dangalana, 2006). This may suggest that contractors have realized the importance of HSS in the construction industry, and then started to focus on H\&S, at the expense of other project considerations such as quality. The lack of qualify is recognized through nonconformance of work to the established requirements that is evident when constructed project does not meet client's needs and specifications (Battikha, 2002). Authors: Fidelis A Emuze and Chrisiopher Mhiwa, 2015, Journal of Project Management and Innovation. QUESTION 1 (20 Marks) As stated in the article, South Africa has a significant portion of construction projects that still experience non-conformance to quality requirements as well as cost and schedule overnuns, Cribally discuss the main reasons behind this