Time, cost and quality trade-off in project management: A case study

In 1996, Babu and Suresh proposed a framework to study the trade-off among time, cost and quality using three inter-related linear programming models. This paper describes our attempt to apply the method to an actual cement factory construction project. The purpose is to evaluate the practical applicability of the method by highlighting the managerial insights gained, as well as pointing out key problems and difficulties faced. As consequence, the paper helps practicing project engineers to have realistic expectations of the method. It also provides suggestions to overcome some practical problems if the method is to be applied in real industrial projects.