Download - Effects of Communication in Project Delivery
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Construction Industry is one of the most booming industries in the
whole world. It is mainly an urban based one which is concerned with
preparation as well as construction of real estate properties. The repairing of
any existing building or the making of certain alterations in the same
building also comes under the Construction Industry
(http://www.economywatch.com/world-industries/construction).
The construction industry accounts for around one-tenth of the
world’s gross domestic product, seven percent of employment, half of all
resource usage and up to forty percent of energy consumption. The
construction industry is also a key indicator and driver of economic activity
and wealth creation
(http://www.economywatch.com/world-industries/construction/world.html)
Construction activity is an important contributor to GDP in most
industrialized countries and contributes significantly to global economic
growth (Walsh and Sawhney, 2002). Its contribution to GDP in the U.S in
1996 was around 10.7%, while in Australia, it is in the region of 6.3%
(Crose et al. 1991).
Over the last decade, several changes have occurred in Nigeria, which
have helped all sectors of the economy, especially the construction sector. 1
The construction industry has outgrown all other sectors of the Nigerian
economy with double digit growth rates in the last three years (2005 –
2008). Also, there are several opportunities in the industry especially in the
ICT, education, and sub-contracting sectors (Dantata, 2008). The Nigerian
construction industry continues to occupy an important position in the
nation’s economy even though it contributes less than the manufacturing or
other service industries, (Aibinu and Jagboro, 2002). The contribution of the
construction industry to national economic growth necessitates improved
efficiency in the industry by means of cost effectiveness and timeliness, and
would certainly contribute to cost savings for the country as a whole. It is
also common knowledge that the implementation of the construction project
in the industry is usually accompanied with time delay and cost increase as
well as owner dissatisfaction (Hafez, 2001). In Nigeria, the industry
contributes an average of 5% to the annual gross domestic product and
average of about one-third of the total fixed capital investment (Omole,
2000). Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) explain that though the construction
industry contributes less than manufacturing or other sectors of the
economy, the construction sector continues to occupy an important position
in the Nigerian economy. The fiscal projections for 2001 for instance show
that out of the N892 billion expenditure proposed, N480 billion representing
about 54% was earmarked for capital construction projects.
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The construction industry is one of the most information dependent
industries (Tam, 1999) and heavily based upon traditional means of
communication such as face to face meetings, phone calls and the exchange
of drawings and associated paperwork or documents (Mohamed and Stewart,
2003).
Communication can therefore be seen as the key factor in the overall
success of any construction project. Crucial to the running of any
construction project is the movement and transfer of project information
amongst the distinct professions all of whom have conflicting priorities and
differing objectives (Faniran et al, 2001). Construction projects are
assembled by gathering different professions and areas of expertise under
one “flag” (Wikforss, 2006). Typical of such assemblies is that each
professional group also bears with it a set of principles, rules, knowledge
domains and professional skills formulated in a certain manner. At the same
time as this helps make the profession strong and successful, it also explains
why they cannot cooperate with other professions particularly well.
Some of the fundamental components contributing to the construction
industry’s poor performance are its ineffective communication practices, its
organizational fragmentation and lack of integration between design and
production processes (Dainty et al, 2006). Successful communication
between stakeholders in the industry can be seen to be a major contributory
factor to project delivery as poor communication may lead to a delay in the
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decision making process that may in no small way affect the successful
completion of such projects.
1.2 NEED FOR THE STUDY
In enhancing project delivery, the construction industry has over the
years evolved from the traditional design/build and the design/bid/build
delivery systems to an Integrated Project Delivery System that requires
architects, contractors, clients and all stakeholders in the industry to take on
new roles and competencies. This made a change in culture necessary for the
professionals involved in the conception till project delivery.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the construction process strongly
depends on the quality of communication. Hoezen (2006) gave four reasons
why improvements in communication were needed.
Improvement in the communication within the building team,
project teams and between project manager and contractors
could reduce failure.
More open communication at all levels could lead to
innovations and better technical solutions.
Communication improvements in early phases of projects
would positively influence the quality as perceived by all
stakeholders involved.
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Improved communication during the briefing might lead to
better decision making, for example less haste in moving to
solutions and better ways of looking at the requirements first.
Unlike other types of industries where the development and
manufacture of products can be standardized and tested before being
purchased, the nature of projects in the construction industry is extremely
diverse and every project is unique. Even where identical buildings are
under construction, site conditions in each will differ and introduce new
challenges while the long periods between the decision to invest and the
completion of works during construction projects lead to instability of
supply and demand and high sensitivity to economic fluctuations. Moreover,
it is a multi-party process where numerous specialist parties are involved
due to the diversity of skills required and thus maintaining teamwork
atmosphere and controlling potential conflicts is important (Wood, 2001).
In the course of this study some questions to be answered include;
a) Can lack of experience about construction work hinder
communication on site?
b) Can poor leadership cause poor communication?
c) How has poor communication practices affected project
delivery?
d) What does research data tell us about the causes and
consequences of poor communication?
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e) Will the introduction of seminars, workshop, posters and
handbills improve communication on site?
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
1.3.1 Aim
It is aimed at studying the effects of communication on project
delivery with a view to enhancing better communication for timely
completion of construction projects
1.2.1 Objectives
The aim is to be achieved through the following objectives;
i. Examination of communication systems in use in the
selected construction companies
ii. Determination of the contribution or influence of the
communication systems in use to project delivery in the
selected construction companies
iii. Based on (i)-(iii) above, recommendations will be made
that will enhance communication for effective project
delivery in the Nigerian construction industry.
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1.3 METHODOLOGY
Methodology defines the entire method adopted in this project work
as well as the procedure followed in realizing the objectives. It involves the
adequate description of the project and stressing on the inclusiveness of the
chosen area of study, the research tools and sampling techniques
necessitating the administration of questionnaire. The sample population is
twenty-eight construction companies out of which the sample size for the
study is twenty construction firms. The method to be adopted in this study is
the use of questionnaires which are to be distributed randomly to the twenty
construction firms. The types of data to be collected are questions that are
related to communication at different levels and stages of a project cycle.
The questionnaires are to be distributed through direct contact and to
be collected on an individual basis. The questionnaire will be prepared in
such a way that the options of the respondents will be required on the subject
of the dissertation and split into five sections. Section A will consist of fixed
response questions that will give information about the respondent and the
organization he belongs to. Sections B to E will have both fixed response
and open end questions based on the objectives of the study as well as
proffered solutions to aid in achieving the aim of the study. The respondents
are to tick any of the options which portrayed their own opinions. The open
end aspects of the questionnaire will give an insight into personal views of
the respondents based on their wealth of experience.
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The analytical tools to be used are the descriptive statistical tools like
percentage, tables, pie charts and Relative Importance Index. Conclusions
shall be made from the analysis and recommendations on how to improve
communication. The Relative Importance Index (R.I.I.) is a statistical tool
used to determine the frequency of occurrence in data analysis of
questionnaires. The formula used is;
Relative Importance Index = af/AF
where a = value assigned variable i.e. 1 – 5
A = highest value assigned to variable
F = f = the frequency of occurrence.
Each section of the questionnaire will be analyzed using the Relative
Importance Index and the results of the analysis will be discussed
afterwards.
Each scale will represent the following ratings:
5 = very high 4 = high 3 = medium 2 = low 1 = very low
1.4 SCOPE
The study is intended to examine the effects of poor communication
on project delivery (from inception/design stage to completion) in the
construction industry in Ilorin, Kwara State. The study is carried out at the
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operational level (skilled and unskilled craftsmen, artisans, and operators) of
medium sized construction companies within the Ilorin Township.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
2.1.1 Overview of the Nigerian Construction Industry
In spite of the huge capital outlay, public utilities are unable to cope
with the demand of the increasing population of the country. Government’s
budgetary allocation no longer meet demands hence the involvement of the
private sector for the financing, development and operation of infrastructure
projects. This is becoming common practice globally to allow for dwindling
fiscal resources to be committed to other national development projects.
Capital outlays on infrastructure in the form of housing provisions and other
infrastructure facilities are central to growth and development. More so in
developing countries, such expenditures are necessary to create
advancement in the technology and by extension industrialization obtainable
in developed societies.
Infrastructure play critical but not independent role in stimulating and
sustaining economic growth. Kesside (1993)’s research on developed
countries support the fact that infrastructure capital has a significant and
positive effect on economic output. Further, she notes that developing
countries need infrastructure, and more importantly the services that stem
from their provision, so that they can achieve economic growth.
Unfortunately, developing countries have become associated with the stigma
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of poorly managed infrastructure with resultant cost implications. First are
higher maintenance costs from many years of neglect; and then costs
associated with the provision of alternative (temporal) infrastructure
where there is complete inoperation of the facilities. Facility failures have
far reaching implications beyond this. For example the idle time of labour,
yet they still have to be remunerated; there is also the cost of lost production,
the associated goodwill and the revenue forfeited.
Study of sixty developing countries by Bazin (1996), found that half
the utilities in operation had very low rates of return and that several
incurred losses. In Nigeria, performance during the construction phase fall
short of expectations too. A critical appraisal of the performance of the
construction sector brings to question its ability to support infrastructure
development needs. Between 1996 and 2000, the building and the
construction sector of the economy contributed only 0.85% to the nation's
GDP at current basic prices; while between 2000 and 2004 the value fell to
0.78% (CBN Annual Reports 2006) whereas the relative contribution of the
finance and insurance sector was 1.23% and 1.17% during these periods
respectively. The wide margin between the expected contribution of the
construction industry and the actual contributions; are an indication that
something must be wrong somewhere even with our development efforts.
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2.1.2 Reasons for Marginal Contribution of the Construction Industry
to Nigeria’s Economy
Two reasons can be given for the net marginal contribution of the
construction sector in Nigeria as earlier stated, to economic growth in the
last ten years. These are:
The lack of initiatives by the captains of the construction industry to
seize the opportunities offered by the sector to become more
innovative and improve their capacity to deliver. This will in turn
contribute to overall economic growth.
Poor financial base coupled with a poor technical capacity.
Accessibility to funds would be a good catalyst for the development
of the construction industry.
As indicated above, the diminished contribution of these sectors has a
knock-on effect on other sectors of the economy. Remedying the situation
would require reforms that cut across all the sectors. The current quest for
advancement in the energy and telecommunication sector backed by private
sector investment may be the break the construction industry needs to make
wide sweeping changes.
2.2 CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION
Communicating frequently is necessary throughout the life of any
project because all projects are executed by humans and they interact by way
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of teams (Mehra, 2009). The best way to communicate in the teams is to
involve team members in all activities because Project manager along with
team members are responsible for managing communication on projects.
Communication may be carried out using symbols, signs, behaviour, speech,
writing or signals, as well as through project plans, project scope statement
and status reports. Mehra (2009) also noted that projects fail when
expectations are not aligned with results. Timely and effective
communication can bridge this gap to avoid surprises at the end.
Expectations, goals, and priorities of the project stakeholders should be well
documented and communicated to the stakeholders.
Communication consists of transmitting information from one person
to another. In fact, some scholars of communication take this as working
definition, and also as a means circumscribing the field of communication
theory. Their definitions are outlined below;
Communication is a term used to refer to any dynamic, information-
sharing process. (Clevenger, 1959)
Communication is the exchange of information, usually via a common
system of symbols (Dance F., 1970)
Communication is the process of conveying information from a sender
to a receiver with the use of a medium in which the communicated
information is understood the same way by both sender and receiver
(Mehra, 2009).
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With inference from the above definitions, communication can
defined as “the process of exchanging information related to the progress
and successful completion of a project through the sharing of knowledge and
experiences for the mutual benefit of the parties involved in ensuring timely
project delivery”.
2.2.1 Characteristics of Communication
Some of the characteristics of communication according to Mehra
(2009) are as follows;
i. Communication is a process – it is continuous, ongoing, and dynamic
ii. Communication requires a sender and a receiver
iii. Communication has information (message/content)
iv. Communication requires a medium (symbols, signs, behaviour,
speech, writing, or signals)
v. Communication requires shared understanding – all parties
understanding the same thing the same way
vi. Communication is transactional and irreversible
2.2.2 Methods of Communication
There are various ways and methods of communicating information in
the construction industry. Although a vast majority of information is
exchanged verbally and delegated, most data is exchanged in written format
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either as hard copy or electronically. Even if information is exchanged
verbally such as through project meetings and instructions, this information
is well documented and stored for future reference. Scope of work and
details of construction are communicated by means of drawings, contract
documents, addenda and specifications (Maslej, 2006). Contracts are
commonly issued when one entity passes down work to another: for
example, when an owner hires a consultant or designer they form a
contractual relationship by means of signed contract. Same is true when a
consultant, on behalf of the owner, hires a general contractor to execute the
work designed by the consultant. The contractor may wish to sub-contract
some of his work to subcontractors in which case, again a contractual
relationship is formed. Unfortunately, miscommunication is a common
occurrence in construction when work is passed down from one entity to
another (Maslej, 2006).
For ease of classification, the forms and methods of communication in
the construction industry are outlined below (Mehra, 2009);
1) Formal Written – This takes the form of Project Plan, Project charter,
Specifications, Reports, Metrics
2) Formal Verbal – Presentation and speeches fall under this category
3) Informal Written – Examples of informal written methods of
communication include memos, e-mail, notes, etc.
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4) Informal verbal - Meetings, stakeholders and conversations are
categorized under informal verbal method.
5) Nonverbal Messages – These are conveyed through our facial
expressions as well as our postures and gestures and account for about
55% of what is perceived and understood by others.
6) Para-verbal Messages – These include the tone, pitch, and pacing of
our voice and account for about 38% of what is perceived and
understood by others.
Effective communication is a two-way process which involves active
listening and reflects the accountability of speaker and listener. It also
utilizes feedback to confirm understanding which makes it free of stress.
2.2.3 Communication Model
In communication, there is always a sender and a receiver (maybe
more than one in some cases). Both parties have their own experiences, their
perceptions, their ideas, etc; hence they may experience, perceive, and
interpret things differently. The same event will always be perceived a little
differently by each party. Mehra (2009) gave a simple communication
model as Figure 1 shows how the information travels from sender to
receiver.
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Figure 2.1: A Simple Communication Model (Mehra, 2009)
1. Sender – Is an information source, who initiates communication.
2. Encode – Information is encoded into a message. Sender should make
sure that he truly provides understandable information to another
project team member. This means that sender must attempt to take the
perspective and knowledge of the receiver into consideration and
create and present a message that he or she is likely to interprete in the
way intended.
3. Medium – Messages may be sent using traditional mail, email, phone
call, face-to-face or using gestures alone. Medium is the
communication method used to transmit the message.
4. Decode – Message is decoded to understand the information sent by
sender. Sender uses his knowledge and understanding of the subject
matter to decode this message, hence extra caution is required to
interpret the message in right context (sender’s context).
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Medium of Transmission
Feedback through appropriate medium
5. Receiver – The person to who the information is sent.
6. Feedback – Receiver sends a feedback to sender to acknowledge that
the information is received and understood. Sender may have to act
further to ensure that the receiver understood the message by eliciting
feedback that helps sender to assess whether receiver interpreted the
message as intended.
Sender may use symbols, signs, behaviour, speech, writing, or signals to
transfer the information in the message. The purpose is to ensure that both
parties understand the perspective (Mehra, 2009).
2.2.4 Communication Channels
Machinery needs to be put in place for further communication to take
place, either downward communication (from superior to sub-ordinate),
horizontal communication (between colleagues) or upward communication
(from sub-ordinates to superior).
Mehra (2009) stated that communication will always involve more than
one person. In the figure below, the number of communication channels
required to communicate with five other team members in a team of six is
seen.
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Figure 2.2: Communication Channels (Mehra, 2009)
The formula to calculate the total number of communication channels is:
(n2- n)/2 or n (n-1)/2
where n = total number of team members.
2.2.5 Barriers to Communication
Mehra (2009) gave some examples of barriers to communication in the
construction industry as:
1. Physical – noise, distance, time, environment, physical medium
2. Cultural - ethnic, religious, and social differences
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3. Perception - viewing what is said from your own mindset
4. Words - we assign a meaning to a word often because of culture,
experience, etc reasons which results in improper encoding of
message
5. Experience - lack of similar experience
6. Emotion - personal feelings at the moment or doing other things
besides listening
7. Linguistic - different languages or vocabulary
8. Non-verbal - non-word messages
9. Gestures - misunderstood gestures are a major barrier
10.Variations in language - accent, dialect
Any of the above barriers to communications can create interferences or
disturbances and impact the effectiveness of the communication
negatively.
2.3 PATTERNS OF COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
Good communications is one of the main prerequisites for the smooth
and profitable running of any organisation. This is particularly so in the
construction industry, as communication in the industry according to Shutt
(1992) is often hampered for the following reasons:
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a) Lack of co-operation and early consultation between the various stages of
construction. i.e client’s conception stages, design stages, planning and
other legislative approvals, erection stage.
b) The increasing proportion of subcontract labour (if nominated) over
which the main contractor has no direct control.
c) The problem of the erection site being far from the specialist head office
functions often leads to instructions being issued by phone, rather than
more concise written instructions being given.
In the following pages, the areas of communication problems will be
considered under the following headings (Shutt, 1992);
1. Conception/Design stage
2. Approval by the planning authority
3. Design Team and the Building Team
4. Contractor’s Organisation
5. Between parties on site
2.3.1 Communication at Conception/Design Stage
At this stage, communication is between the client (owner) and the
consultants, and is a continuous process from inception to completion of the
project. The client’s statement of requirements which include information
such as the size of the building, nature of the building, funds available,
building function and time limitation of the project will be made available to
the consultants.
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As stated earlier by Shutt (1992), it is the lack of early consultation
and co-operation that has hampered communication and subsequently timely
project delivery. The architect prepares a general outline of client
requirements after carrying out feasibility studies with the other consultants
and communicates it to the rest of the members of the design team for
collective action.
As soon as the client approval is obtained, the architect and engineer
start preparing the working drawings, schedule and specification and at the
same time seeking the opinion of the quantity surveyor who sees to the cost
implication of the project to see if the project design is still within the
approved budget.
2.3.2 Communication during Approval by the Planning Authority
The role of the construction industry in the society is to satisfy the
wants of the consumers in terms of construction projects, whether they are
houses, places of work, entertainment, or transportation routes (Shutt, 1992).
To this end, approval from the planning Authorities can be
considered at two levels.
1. Structure Plans
These look at the overall area in relation to its surroundings and lay down
policies within the areas of employment, transport, recreation, housing,
industry, population and education. These plans are not detailed, but tend
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to be proposed statements of policy for the area with regard to the various
considerations (Shutt, 1992).
2. Local Plans
These are prepared to examine in detail the local area under construction,
and to prevent problems that might arise from complications due to conflicts
on planning applications. It would be foolish, for example, to proceed with a
planning application for a roadside extension to a client’s factory, if there is
a local plan proposing a road widening scheme in the future, which will
affect the factory.
All development plans are available for inspection at Local Authority
Planning offices to forestall problems with certain clauses in the Building
Regulations (Shutt, 1992).
2.3.3 Communication between Design Team and Building Team
On nearly every job, certain difficulties arise, usually practical
difficulties in construction to certain detailed drawing. These problems in
many cases could have been overcome, had there been consultation between
the architect and builder at an earlier stage. Shutt (1992) stated that builders
are seldom aware of many such problems until the job has progressed
considerably, because of the usual procedure of issuing detailed drawings
long after the project has started. This point alone raises communication
problems, in that the builder may have to order purpose-made components,
and the project could be delayed during their manufacture.
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On the other hand, many builders cause a lot of delays. There are
many situations where it is obvious to the builder/site agent that he is going
to have to seek the architect’s advice, or ask for details about certain points,
but it is not mentioned until such a late stage that delay occurs.
2.3.4 Communication within Contractor’s Organisation
Within a building company, the type of communication system and
the speed with which it works are to a large extent a function of the size of
the organisation (Shutt, 1992). The smaller the company, the faster
information will be disseminated. With large companies, a communication
network has to be developed that ensure that the information necessary for
decision-making gets to where it may be wanted. This can sometimes lead to
overload “in” trays with the majority of the information being irrelevant to
the particular department.
2.3.5 Communication between Parties on Site
The construction site is the place where the efforts made by the
design team in visualizing the client’s requirements will be put into practice
and the client’s dream made a reality.
Generally, site meetings are the regular meetings held on site to
discuss the progress of the project to date, the difficulties and delays arising
from the project at hand. According to Shutt (1992), communication on site
between the parties can be greatly improved with the aid of site meetings
which could hold weekly. All the relevant parties like the architect, contract
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manager, general foreman, clerk of works, main subcontractors, etc could be
in attendance. Other methods of communication on site include weekly
reports, which are a complete record summarizing daily happenings on site
for the week and recorded by the clerk of works.
2.4 STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Communication according to Maslej (2006) is said to be effective
within the working group in the construction industry only when the
transmitted ideas achieve their desired action or reaction, as the operations
involve the team effort of the client, quantity surveyor, architect, consulting
engineer, specialists and the contractor’s organization with the main
objective of getting things done through human beings.
Maslej (2006) noted that to better understand the concept of
communication in the construction industry, it is important to acknowledge
the roles, responsibilities and the authority of various participants on a
typical construction project and how information gets exchanged.
2.4.1 Roles of Participants in Construction Projects
The roles of participants in construction projects as stated by Sompura
and Viramgami (2005) are outlined below:
2.4.1.1 Project Manager
Conceptual Planning of the Project
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Overall administration of the Project.
Bills and reconciliation of material.
Minimize wastage of Construction Material.
Liaison with Client / Consultants
Coordination with architects and consultants.
Motivating and managing site personnel as team leader.
Planning day to day activities of Project.
Timely completion of project within the given time frame and
maintaining quality
Attending major site coordination meetings with client for
reviewing site progress and resolving pending problems for
various projects under execution
Leadership, delegation, communication, interfacing and
presentation skills. Experience in handling multi-functional
management role is mandatory
2.4.1.2 Structural Engineer
Serve as the Senior Site Representative for all matters related to
construction quality assurance of structural works.
Monitor the structural works for conformance with the
provisions of the contract documents and the procedures
manual.
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Liaise with local authorities and ministerial agencies having
jurisdiction over the project.
Review contractor's structural change order proposals.
Review contractors' claims related to structural works and
prepare recommendations for claims approval or rejection.
Assist in negotiations with contractors regarding the value of
claims or changes in schedules.
Review of structural drawings for projects designed by others
Perform all other duties that may be requested by the Resident
Engineer
2.4.1.3 Architect
Furnishing the contractor with drawings and information and
certifying them for code compliance and safety.
Nomination of sub-contractors and suppliers
Suspension of the works
Issue of variation orders altering extent, nature or quantity of
the works
Carrying out feasibility studies together with other consultants
2.4.1.4 Quantity Surveyor
Sees to the cost implication of the project and ensures that the
project is still within the approved budget
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Prepares the Bill of Quantity for the project
Recommends action to the client through a tender report for the
purpose of selecting the most suitable contractor
Examines the Bill of Quantity and helps in deciding the best for
the purpose of the project
Managing the tendering process
Assessing capital and revenue expenditure over the whole life
of a facility
Managing and analysing risk
Giving advice on the avoidance and settlement of disputes.
Valuing construction work for interim payments, valuing
change, assessing or compiling claims for loss and expense and
agreeing final accounts
Negotiating with interested parties
Control construction costs by accurate measurement of the
work required, the application of expert knowledge of costs and
prices of work, labour, materials and plant required, an
understanding of the implications of design decisions at an
early stage to ensure that good value is obtained for the money
to be expended.
Advising clients on ways of procuring the project.
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2.4.1.5 Construction (Resident) Engineer
Directs the affairs of a construction project
Provides technical advice to all parties involved with the project
Inspecting the site to ensure that the building which will be
erected can be accommodated by that area.
Provides information to the pertinent parties and general public
to keep them informed and in the case that any issues arise
before, during and after the construction
2.4.2 Communication Structure in the Construction Industry
Although not all participants have a contractual relationship with each
other, they all must communicate effectively to make the project work.
Maslej (2006) noted that larger and more complex projects will often require
the involvement of additional parties such as structural engineers,
environmental officials and other consultants working for the owner. An
example of the communication structure of a residential project is given in
Fig 2.3 below;
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Figure 2.3: Parties involved in a Residential Construction Project.
Source: Maslej (2006); p5
Aside from the communication that takes place between businesses,
each entity will have to communicate a significant amount of information
internally, that is, within the company (Maslej, 2006). Figure 2.4 below
displays the communication that occurs within a construction firm.30
OWNER
Prime Consultant
Builder Utility Consultant
AuthoritiesQuantity Surveyor
Architect
(Consultant)
Civil Engineer
(Consultant)
Prime Contractor
Municipal Services
Contractor
Soils Consultant
Surveyors
Sub - Contractors
Suppliers
Sub - Contractors
Suppliers
Utility Contractor
Sub - Contractors
Suppliers
Figure 2.4: Contracting Firm’s Internal Communication Structure
Source: Maslej (2006); p6
It is reasonable to assume that each individual entity presented in
Figure 3 will have a similar internal communication breakdown structure as
presented above in Figure 4. It becomes clearly evident that the
communication process is complex in the construction industry considering
the large number of people and entities involved.31
Officer in Charge
Estimating Scheduling Project Manager
Project Engineer Superintendent
Foremen Subcontractors
Craftspeople Foremen Second – tier
Sub - contractors
Craftspeople
2.4.3 Causes of Poor Communication
Quite often, it has been stated that the major problem facing the
construction industry is that of ineffective communication (Latham, 1994;
DETR, 1998). Many atimes, poor communication has caused delays in the
delivery of projects. Extension of time will be necessary and the contractor
equally charges for the extended time provided the delay was not his fault.
Some of the causes of poor communication are listed below:
1. Lack of standardized Communication Methods
A significant portion of communication problems in the construction
industry is closely linked to lack of standardized communication methods.
Poor communication between companies is the root cause of risk in the
design and construction process. This often results in cost, schedule and
quality problems. The construction firms have strongly focused on
optimizing their own internal communication processes and controls while
the hand off of information between companies remains largely
unstructured. The lack of common vocabulary largely contributes to real
construction industry-wide process advancements from taking place. (Kenig,
2005, p.67) The construction industry requires standards if it hopes to
improve its major processes, particularly project delivery processes
2. Severity of the Problem and Brief History
The construction industry has been suffering from communication
difficulties for many years. Findings of a 1995 construction industry training
32
survey strongly indicate that new tools for communication are desperately
needed in the business and that poor communication has a strong detrimental
effect on productivity (Finding, 1998, p. 1110) Individuals surveyed for this
thesis similarly agree they witness problems in their line of work as a direct
result of poor communication practices. This concludes that exactly half of
those surveyed for this study recognize the communication problem in the
construction industry as being severe.
3. Construction work demand
Construction work demand has been on a constant rise for the past
decade as a direct result of the growing and changing economy. Increased
construction activity has formed a growing reliance on immigration to fill
the many labour shortages within the construction industry that begin to
exist (Finding, 1998, p. 1111).
4. Language Barrier
Language barriers, lack of proper training or no training at all contribute
to extreme conditions on the jobsite (Flory, 2001, pp. 37-38). Secondary
research strongly indicates that language barrier largely contributes to poor
communication in the construction industry and has a tremendous effect on
worker safety on the jobsite.
33
2.4.4 Effects of Poor Communication on Projects
Poor communication in the construction industry has a significant
detrimental effect on project quality, cost, schedule, and worker safety
(Maslej, 2006)
2.4.4.1 Effect on Schedule
Construction schedules can be significantly delayed as a direct result of
poor communication. Miscommunicated information leads to work being
redone or corrected. In construction, work is organized so that minimal or no
time is wasted in the assembly process. To achieve this trades are scheduled
to work consecutively as a team. For example, in a housing project, a high
labour turnover is employed. The framing crew could be scheduled to start
work immediately after the foundations are completed by the concrete crew.
If the concrete crew has to correct their work due to miscommunication this
in turn will delay the framing crew who will then delay all the consecutive
crews. Conclusively, it only takes a small misunderstanding to lead to
significant project delays. According to Jergeas (2005), many project delays,
particularly on larger scale developments occur due to unrealistic schedules.
Project changes typically mean additional work. They must be
communicated to the execution team early on if schedule deadlines are to be
met.
34
2.4.4.2 Effect on Cost
The cost on any given construction project can grow significantly as a
direct result of poor communication. According to Maslej (2006), project
cost can increase due to three main reasons;
Incomplete or faulty contract documents
Misinterpretation of contract documents
Lack of proper project supervision.
Lack of proper project supervision can lead to schedule delays and can
significantly increase the cost of any given project. Poor communication and
inefficiencies between companies is responsible for 30% of design and
construction costs, excluding material costs such as concrete, brick and
mortar. (Constructware, n.d., 2009)
2.4.4.3 Effect on Worker Safety
Maslej (2006) also noted that language barrier was a strong contributor to
poor communication practices on the jobsite and had a tremendous impact
on worker safety. In many cases, contractors are willing to take risks
associated with hiring employees who cannot communicate freely with other
workers. Apart from the fact that the contractors take on a larger workload
in order to maximize profit, they also save a considerable amount of money
in labour costs by making use of illegal immigrants with language barrier.
Many of these immigrants have little or no English skills which can cause
35
severe communication problems on the worksite and affect productivity,
profitability and above all worker safety (Dexter, 2005).
The four most common causes of all deaths and fatal injuries in
construction are falls, being struck by something, caught in between
machinery or some other equipment, electrical shock which are all related to
workers with little or no language skills (Maslej, 2006 ).
2.4.4.4 Effect on Project Quality
Quality in construction refers to the standard of work that is expected
based on the requirements of the contract documents including drawings,
specifications, contracts, addenda and any additional conditions
supplementary to the contract (Collier, 2005).
Dunbar (2006) stated that the purpose of a construction specification is to
clearly communicate the owner’s expectations to the contractor in a manner
that was fair and equitable. He further suggested that well written
specification will result in accurate documents.
Although poor project quality is often associated with being the
contractor’s fault, it is predominantly the mistakes that designers and
specification writers make that are responsible for desired project quality not
being achieved (Maslej, 2006).
Inefficiencies in contract documents issued by consultants are a form of
miscommunication and can lead to significant quality problems.
36
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The essence of this chapter is to define the entire method adopted in
this project work. It describes the procedure followed in realizing the
objectives. This involves the adequate description of the research and
stressing on the inclusiveness of the chosen area of this study, the research
tools and sampling techniques necessitating the administration of
questionnaires and oral interview. Other discussions centered on study
design which describes the major procedure followed in carrying out the
project, the method of data collection and finally, the analysis of data
indicating the statistical tool used and suitability of such tools.
3.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATION OF STUDY
This consist twenty-eight construction companies out of which the
sample size for the study is twenty construction firms. The reason for
seeking this information from the construction companies is to know the
effects of communication on project delivery in the Nigerian Construction
Industry. The population of the research is made up of Architects, Builders,
Structural Engineers, Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors.
3.3 SAMPLING
The procedure for sampling in this project is based on the use of
questionnaires. The sampling size for this research work is twenty
37
construction firms. The questionnaires are distributed to the five
professionals listed above i.e. Architects, Builders, Structural Engineers,
Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors.
3.4 QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION
In order to obtain appropriate and adequate responses from the
respondents, a combination of fixed response and open end questions was
prepared in such a way that the options of the respondents were required on
the subject of the dissertation. The questionnaire was split into five sections.
Section A consists of fixed response questions to obtain demographic data
about the respondent and the construction firm where he works. Sections B
to E will have both fixed response and open end questions based on the
objectives of the study as well as proffered solutions to aid in achieving the
aim of the study. The respondents are to tick any of the options which
portrayed their own opinions. The open end aspects of the questionnaire will
give an insight into personal views of the respondents based on their wealth
of experience.
3.5 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
The questionnaires were distributed to the respondents through direct
contact in order to supply the necessary data to be used for the project
work. Responses were collected on individual basis and also interviews were
conducted with respondents in respect of questionnaires earlier distributed.
38
3.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In some cases, the difficulties are that professionals were not available
and when available to fill questionnaires and some opted for oral interview
and the researcher had to do a lot of writing. In other cases, some
professionals collected questionnaires and never filled them till date despite
regular visits to their sites which has resulted into time waste. Some
professionals actually claimed that they could not find the questionnaires
and asked for another copy but still did not fill them.
39
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
4.1 PRESENTATION OF DATA
The information and data collected from the professionals from the
construction firms was used in making the analysis, summary, and
conclusions as well as recommendations in the next chapter.
4.1.1 Response to Questionnaire
Table 4.1: Response to Questionnaire by professionals in the selected
Construction firms
SECTION NUMBER
GIVEN OUT
NUMBER OF
RESPONSES
PERCENTAGE
Architects 30 15 17%
Builders 30 20 22%
Quantity
Surveyors
30 12 13%
Contractors 30 25 28%
Engineers 30 18 20%
Total 150 90 100%
Source: Field Survey (2009)
40
Table 4.1 shows that 90 questionnaires out of the total 150 questionnaires
distributed were completely filled and returned.
4.1.2 Sample Size of Respondents
The sample size of respondents is as analyzed below.
Table 4.2: Sample size of Respondents
Professional Number Percentage Section of Pie Chart
Architects 15 17% 61
Builders 20 22% 79
Contractors 25 28% 101
Engineers 18 20% 72
Quantity Surveyors 12 13% 47
Figure 4.1: Pie Chart showing sample size of respondents
41
Source: Field Survey (2009)
From Table 4.2 above it is noticed that the highest population of
respondents is the Contractors, followed by the Builders, then the Engineers,
and then the Quantity Surveyors and lastly the Architects.
4.1.3 Work Experience of Respondents
Table 4.3: Work experience of respondents
Years Number Percentage Section of Pie Chart
0 – 5 years 14 15.56% 57
6 – 10 years 19 21.11% 76
11 – 15 years 41 45.56% 164
16 – 20 years 12 13.33% 47
Above 20 years 4 4.44% 16
Figure 4.2: Pie Chart showing Work experience of respondents
Source: Field Survey (2009)
42
Table 4.3 clearly indicates that majority of the respondents are those whose
years of experience fall between 11and 15 years.
4.1.4 Age of Firm/Organization
Table 4.4: Age of Firm/Organization
Years Number Percentage Section of Pie Chart
0 – 5 years 2 10% 36
6 – 10 years 2 10% 36
11 – 15 years 6 30% 108
16 – 20 years 8 40% 144
Above 20 years 2 10% 36
Figure 3.3: Pie Chart showing age of firms/organizations
Source: Field Survey (2009)
43
4.2 ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Table 4.5: Assessment of Communication at Design Stage by respondents
S/N COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AT
DESIGN STAGE
1 2 3 4 5 R.I.I RANK
1 Incomplete and inaccurate drawings make
construction more difficult
3 0 9 16 62 0.90 1
2 Early consultation between the architect and
builder enhances project delivery
8 16 17 9 41 0.73 2
3 Client approves a project after the members of
the design team have taken a collective action
on the feasibility report
9 6 34 21 20 0.68 3
4 Client communicates any alterations or
modifications to the consultants
14 9 17 36 14 0.66 4
5 Feasibility studies are carried out by the
architect only
9 9 50 13 9 0.61 5
Source: Author’s Survey (2009)
From the results of the analysis shown in Table 3.5 above, it is
observed that majority of the respondents agree that incomplete and
44
inaccurate drawings make construction more difficult as earlier retrieved
from Constructware.
Table 4.6: Assessment of Communication between professionals on
Construction projects
S/N FACTORS 1 2 3 4 5 R.I.I RANK
1 Use of simple and direct language will enhance
communication on site
0 0 3 29 58 0.92 1
2 Site meetings lead to a faster flow of information
during a construction project
0 0 9 29 62 0.91 2
3 Poor communication on site leads to delay in
schedules
3 3 9 29 46 0.85 3
4 Site meetings are an important channel of
communication between consultants and
contractor
0 0 20 32 38 0.84 4
5 Channels of communicating must be applicable
to all members of the construction team.
0 3 16 34 37 0.83 5
6 Poor and distorted information affects the level
of work done on site
6 9 0 29 46 0.82 6
7 Face-to-face meetings are the most effective
means of communicating
3 0 21 40 26 0.80 7
8 Poor communication is greatly reduced by 3 15 24 19 29 0.72 8
45
allowing for feedback after communicating
Source: Author’s Survey (2009)
From the results of the analysis indicated in Table 4.6, it is observed
that the use of simple and direct language will enhance communication on
site. This agrees with Mehra (2009) assertion that variations in language are
a major cause of poor communication.
Table 4.7: Communication Process in Construction Firms
S/N COMMUNICATION IN
CONSTRUCTION FIRMS
1 2 3 4 5 R.I.I RANK
1 Situating the specialist near the site
enhances communication and project
delivery
6 3 21 40 20 0.74 1
2 Irrelevant information in a department
causes delay in decision-making
6 12 17 39 16 0.70 2
3 Concise and written instructions
rather than phone calls enhances
communication in a firm
9 6 26 31 19 0.70 2
4 Lack of communication equipment for
speedy transfer of information
3 18 32 29 9 0.70 2
5 The type of communication system in
a construction firm is determined by
12 6 32 19 21 0.67 3
46
its size
6 Decision making is faster in
construction firms with a small
workforce
6 14 38 19 13 0.64 4
7 Organizational structure has the
greatest effect on a construction
project’s communication requirements
12 15 33 15 15 0.61 5
8 A large construction firm has more
problem disseminating information
17 7 40 9 17 0.60 6
Source: Author’s Survey (2009)
From the results of the analysis in Table 3.7, a larger number of the
respondents think that situating the specialist near the site will enhance
project delivery. This agrees with Shutt (1992) whose opinion is that having
a specialist far from site is will not improve project delivery
Table 3.8: An assessment of methods of enhancing communication in
Construction firms
S/N SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS 1 2 3 4 5 R.I.I RANK
1 Having a standard method of
communicating
0 0 14 16 61 0.90 1
2 Regular site meetings in order to 0 6 10 14 60 0.88 2
47
sort knotty issues that would have
impeded the progress of the project
3 Ensuring that drawings are devoid
of ambiguities
0 9 18 12 51 0.83 3
4 Standardizing methods of
exchanging project information
3 12 8 20 47 0.81 4
5 Maximizing use of modern
communication technology
0 0 27 30 31 0.81 4
6 Roles of all parties to be clear and
distinct
13 2 9 14 52 0.80 5
7 Using procurement methods such as
Construction Management as
against the traditional method
0 8 22 31 29 0.78 6
8 Offering technical communication
training
0 16 8 40 26 0.77 7
9 Seeking of builders input during the
design stage
15 9 17 21 24 0.67 8
Source: Author’s Survey (2009)
From the results of the analysis in Table 3.8, it is observed that
majority of the respondents agree that having a standard method of
communicating among different firms involved will enhance effective
48
communication. This agrees with Shutt (1992) view that a communication
network has to be developed within large companies to ensure that the
information necessary for decision-making gets to where it may be wanted.
49
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The data collected from the respondents can be summarized in the
following points;
1) Incomplete and inaccurate drawings make construction more difficult.
2) The use of simple and direct language will enhance communication
on site.
3) Having a specialist from the construction firm situated near the site
will help improve the communication between the firm and the site.
4) Having a standard method of communication among the parties in the
construction industry is needed to enhance communication.
5.2 CONCLUSION
From the results obtained, it can be deduced that poor communication
is a major contributor to delay in construction project delivery. Its effects are
felt not only within the construction industry but outside its walls.
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
50
1. Construction documents and drawings must be detailed in such a way
that they become easy for the users to interprete.
2. The language to be used on site must be one that will be easily
understood by everybody involved in the project.
3. Having a site office with a resident engineer for as long as the project
exists will provide a link between the construction firm and the site
for the duration of the project.
4. Having a standardized framework for communication among
construction firms will enhance project delivery as this is critical to
increasing productivity.
51
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