ABSTRACT
The construction industry is known to be highly fragmented in that it requires the inputs of numerous parties to deliver a project. The fragmentation of the construction process necessitates effective integration of the numerous parties and the major tool for achieving this integration is effective communication. This study investigates the communication tools used in project delivery, key indicators of team integration in construction project. The objectives are to evaluate the factors affecting project team integration, to ascertain the influence of key indicators towards determining the success of the team, the project team involvement in key project activities, level of use of available communication tools and the relationship between communication tools and key indicators of team integration. A field survey involving selected built environment professionals namely: project managers, Architects, Builders, Quantity Surveyors and engineers who are engaged by Construction firms in Lagos State was carried out. One hundred (100) structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents. 81.0% of the questionnaires administered were returned, while 78.0% of the questionnaires were used for the study. Percentage was used to analyse the respondent’s profile while mean score was used to analyse factors affecting team integration and use of key indicators of team integration. Furthermore, Chi-square were used to test the hypothesis of the study. Results showed that commitment to project objectives, project team approach and top management support to the project top the factors affecting team integration. It further revealed that single team focus on objectives, clear roles and responsibility, participation from the team members are the top three indicators of project team integration. It was discovered that project estimation, project meeting participation and attendance, and project change orders constituted the top three project activities with the highest involvement of project team members in project delivery. The study also discovered that there is a significant relationship between the use of communication tools and project team integration in construction project delivery in Lagos State. It was concluded that effective use of communication tools, top level management support and commitment among team member to project objectives contribute significantly towards successful project team integration in construction project delivery. Based on these findings, it was recommended that stakeholders on construction project should develop modalities to ensure commitments among team members to project objective(s), appropriate team approach and top level management support for the project in order to fostering project team integration. Also, effective use of available communication tools such as telephone call, drawings and program of work and in particular new communication tools such as cash flow forecast, Building Information Modelling (BMI) and video conferencing in project delivery is advocated to enhance team integration and on time project delivery. Keywords: Communication tools, Lagos State, Nigerian Construction industry, Project delivery, Project team integration
TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ ii CERTIFICATION ......................................................................................................................... DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................
1.1 Background to the Study..............................................................1
1.2 Statement of Problem .........................................................3
1.3 Research Questions ..........................................................4
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study ..................................................................5
1.4.1 Aim of the Study.................................................................5
1.4.2 Objectives of the Study .................................................................5
1.5 Research Hypotheses ................................................................5
1.6 Significance of the Study ...................................................................5
1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study .......................................................................6
1.8 Definition of Operational Terms .............................................7
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 8 2.1 Preamble .......................................................................8
2.2 Communication in Construction ........................................................8
2.2.1 Communication Tools in the Construction Industry ............................ 10
2.2.2 Characteristics of Communication ..................................................................................... 10 2.2.3 Communication Channels ..................................................... 11
2.2.4 Effects of Communication in Construction Industry .......................................................... 12
2.2.5 Communications Models ................................................................................................... 13 2.3 Communication at Conception/Design Stage .................................... 16
2.4 Communication during Approval by the Planning Authority ........................... 16
2.4.1 Structure Plans ....................................................................................... 17
2.4.2 Local Plans ............................................................................. 17
2.5 Communication between Design Team and Building Team ............................ 17
2.6 Communication within Contractor’s Organisation ............................. 18
2.7 Communication between Parties on Site ......................................... 18
2.8 Stakeholders in the Construction Industry ..................................................... 18
2.9 External Communication..................................................... 19
2.10 Internal Communication .............................................................. 19
2.11 Project Team Integration ........................................................... 19
2.12 Project Team Integration Key Relationship Indicators ................................ 20
2.12.1 ‘No blame’ Culture/Shared Blame by Team Members ................... 21
2.12.2 Seamless Operation with No Organisational Defined Boundaries ................. 21
2.12.3 Free Flow Communication .......................................................... 22
2.12.4 Sharing Information ..................................................................... 23
2.12.5 Trust & Respect among Team Members ...................................... 24
2.12.6 Collective Understanding ............................................... 25
2.12.7 Commitment from Top Management ............................................... 26
2.12.8 Single Team Focus and Objective................................................... 26
2.12.9 Team Flexibility and Responsiveness to Change .................................. 27
2.12.10 Integrated ICT Systems .......................................................... 28
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS ........................................................................... 29 3.1 Preamble .................................................................................................................................... 29
3.2 Research Design ......................................................................................................................... 29
3.3 Area of the Study ....................................................................................................................... 30
3.4 Population of the Study ............................................................................................................. 30 3.5 Sample Size Determination ........................................................................................................ 31 3.4 Sampling Techniques ................................................................................................................. 31 3.5 Research Instrument .................................................................................................................. 32 3.6 Validity of Instrument ................................................................................................................ 33 3.7 Reliability of Instrument ............................................................................................................ 34 3.8 Procedures for Data Collection .................................................................................................. 35 3.9 Tools for Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT ............................................................. 37 4.1 Preamble .................................................................................................................................... 37 4.2 Response to Questionnaire Administration ............................................................................... 37 4.3 Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents of the Study ................................................ 38 4.4 Characteristics of Projects Sampled ........................................................................................... 40 4.5 Factors Affecting Project Team Integration in Construction Project Delivery ........................... 42 4.6 Key Indicators of Project Team Integration ............................................................................... 43 4.7 Level of Project Team Involvement in Key Project Activities in Construction Project Delivery in Lagos State ............................................................................................................................................. 46 4.8 Levels of Use of Available Communication Tools in Project Delivery in Lagos State ................. 48
viii 4.9 Relationship between use of available communication tools in project delivery and project team integration. ................................................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................. 71
5.1 Summary of Findings .................................. 71
5.2 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 72
5.3 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 73
5.4 Contribution to knowledge ........................................................................................................ 74
5.5 Areas of Future Research ........................................................................................................... 74
REFERENCES ........................................................................................... 75 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 79
ix LIST OF TABLES Table 2. 1: The summary of the various Comment models and summarised interpretations ........... 14 Table 3. 1: Reliability Statistics ......................................................................................................... 35 Table 4. 1: Descriptive result of response to questionnaires administered ....................................... 37 Table 4. 2: Demographic Characteristics of Respondents ................................................................. 38 Table 4. 3: Characteristics of the Project ........................................................................................... 40 Table 4. 4: Mean scores of Factors Affecting Project Team Integration in Construction ................ 42 Table 4. 5: Mean Scores of Key Indicators of Project Team Integration in project delivery............ 44 Table 4. 6: Level of Project Team Involvement in Key Project Activities ...................................... 47 Table 4. 7: Levels of Use of Available Communication Tools in Project Delivery.......................... 49 Table 4. 8: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and single team focus on project objectives .......................................................................... 51 Table 4. 9: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and inconsistent or restricted shared vision ........................................................................... 52 Table 4. 10: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and free flow communication process ................................................................................... 53 Table 4. 11: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and participation from the team members. ............................................................................ 54 Table 4. 12: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and trust and respect among team member’s relationships. .................................................. 55 Table 4. 13: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and collective understanding: consultation before decision are made. ................................. 56 Table 4. 14: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and “No blame” culture within the team. .............................................................................. 57 Table 4. 15: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and team flexibility and responsiveness to change. ............................................................... 58 Table 4. 16: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and feedback capability among project team. ....................................................................... 59 Table 4. 17: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and appropriate technology adopted for the project. ............................................................. 60 Table 4. 18: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and seamless operation without boundaries. ......................................................................... 61 Table 4. 19: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and Integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) system. ....................... 62 Table 4. 20: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and focus on learning and continuous improvement. ............................................................ 63 Table 4. 21: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and transparency and open-book. .......................................................................................... 64 Table 4. 22: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and consensus decision making/stakeholders involvement in the decision making /communication processes on the project. ......................................................... 65 Table 4. 23: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and commitment to innovation. ............................................................................................. 66 Table 4. 24: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and stakeholders’ satisfaction with project scope. ................................................................ 67 Table 4. 25: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and acceptance of style of communication and reporting system. ........................................ 68
x Table 4. 26: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and acceptance of project control standard adopted by the team. ......................................... 69 Table 4. 27: Chi-Square test results of correlation between communication tools and clear roles and responsibility. ......................................................................................... 70
xi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2. 1: The three communication channels of the project manager. ......................................... 11 Figure 2. 2: The Lasswell Formula model for communication. ........................................................ 15
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