A study of optimizing the Processing time for Building permits : Study Case: Tyresö municipality

Abstract: There are rules in urban development and the construction industry, which encourages organizations to work according to standards and approved codes. For example: it is required by law for all property owners to apply and obtain a permit in order to carry out an action in construction building. Often, the permit process takes a great deal of time to process.   Currently, there is a lack of constructional project for residential buildings in Stockholm region, and there is critique toward the municipalities for having a long processing time for reviewing building permits. This study is about ways to optimize the processing time for building permits. As a first step, it was important to study parameters, which maximizes the quality and efficiency. Since, time is often one of the restricted factors in urban development, optimizing the processing time issuing a construction permit can be one of the quality elements in service oriented business organizations like a municipality.   This study aims to analyze the building permit processing time, and investigate different factors that have influence on it. The case for this was Tyresö municipality, a municipality with approximately 45 000 inhabitants in the south east of the Stockholm region. Required information has been developed based on interviews with the municipality's personnel and professional construction developer who have applied for building permit in Tyresö region. In addition, previous reports, statistics, and cases from the municipality archive have been used to identify important concepts as empirical material.   Long processing time is a current existing problem in many municipalities. A service oriented organization like a municipality should try to increase clients’ satisfaction by a continual and proper communication with public. The municipality can identify the costumer needs and expectations and improve the quality efficiency by communication. Optimizing of processing time in the building permit cases is one of the issues of process optimization that can increase customer satisfaction. Using Total Quality Management strategy in the organization, help the municipality to optimize the processing time continuously. It means quality improvement and leads to long term costumer satisfaction. Since functional team develops solutions to problems in TQM style it often shortens the time taken to produce services. The focus of this management style is on importance of the relationship between costumer and organization and it is directly linked to their communication.   By service guarantee as a tool, municipality which is a politically governed organization makes assurance for public as its costumer to provide community services with proper quality. A well defined service Guarantee has been contributed the improving quality of the services. It helps the planning and building department of municipality to increase the costumer satisfaction and attract more building developer to invest in the municipality region.