Abstract
Construction industry plays very important role in development of any country. The development of construction industry depends to a larger extent on quality of construction productions and projects. Quality of construction productions and projects is linked with the implementation of QMS (Quality Management System) in construction organizations. ISO certification is one of the QMS which has been adopted in manufacturing and construction industry at the global level. The construction companies of developing countries have reaped many advantages from the effective implementation of ISO standards. The rate of adoption of ISO standards has remained slow in the construction sector of some developing countries like Pakistan.
This paper presents the literature review of ISO in global construction industry. It highlights the advantages, disadvantages and barriers faced by construction companies in the implementation of ISO standards. This study also investigates the level of adoption of ISO standards in construction and manufacturing companies of Pakistan through a questionnaire survey. It presents the comparison of ISO standards' adoption in both construction and manufacturing sectors. The paper puts forward some suggestions and recommendation for the better adoption and improvement of ISO implementation in the construction sector of Pakistan. This study emphasizes that construction companies of Pakistan should learn from the benefits reaped by the construction companies of developed countries and take appropriate measures for implementing ISO standards. It also suggests that public sector clients should make it obligatory for the contractors and consultants to have ISO certification before awarding the works in order to enhance the adoption of ISO standards in construction sector.