The Effect of Communication Channel on the Project performance in Construction Industry: A Case of Construction Companies in Oman Name: NOVEMBER 2017 1 Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 6 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................6 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT .......................................................................................................................................8 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................................9 1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH ........................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................................................10 1.5.1 Summary ................................................................................................................................................10 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................................11 DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION .......................................................................................................................11 COMMUNICATION FEATURES .............................................................................................................................12 THE NATURE OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................12 FIGURE 1: THE FORMALITIES DIMENSIONS OF COMMUNICATION ....................................................................... 14 2.5 COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ............................................................................................................................15 FIGURE 2: THE THREE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL OF THE PROJECT MANAGER ................................................ 16 COMMUNICATIONS MODELS ..........................................................................................................................................16 2.5.1 The summary of the various models and summarized interpretations .................................................18 FIGURE 3: LASSWELL FORMULA ........................................................................................................................... 19 FIGURE 4: LASSWELL FORMULA FOR COMMUNICATION ..................................................................................... 20 FIGURE 5: DAVID BERLO SMCR MODEL ................................................................................................................ 21 3 FIGURE 6: SHANNON- WEAVER MODEL ....................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.0 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................................ 28 3.1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................................28 3.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY ..............................................................................................................................................28 3.3 COMMUNICATION MODELS WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ............................................................ 28 3.4 COMMUNICATION IN THE DESIGN/DESIGN PHASE ..........................................................................................................29 3.5 STAKEHOLDER IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ..............................................................................................................31 FIGURE 7: COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN A PROJECT ....................................................................................... 34 FIGURE 8: THE PROJECT REPORT SYSTEM ............................................................................................................ 35 FIGURE 9: FLOW OF INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................... 36 3.6 OMAN’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ............................................................................................................................38 3.6.1 The configuration of the construction industry ..........................................................................................38 3.7 OMAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE ........................................................................................................42 2 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................................................... 44 4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 44 4.1 RESEARCH STRATEGY ...............................................................................................................................................45 4.2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND ITS JUSTIFICATION ...................................................................................................................45 4.3 DATA COLLECTION ..................................................................................................................................................48 4.3.1 ANALYSIS METHOD ..............................................................................................................................................49 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................................... 50 4 APPENDIX ONE .......................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 3 list of figures FIGURE 1: THE FORMALITIES DIMENSIONS OF COMMUNICATION .......................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 2: THE THREE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL OF THE PROJECT MANAGER ............... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 3: LASSWELL FORMULA ............................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 4: LASSWELL FORMULA FOR COMMUNICATION ......................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 5: DAVID BERLO SMCR MODEL .................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 6: SHANNON- WEAVER MODEL ................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 7: COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN A PROJECT .......................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 8: THE PROJECT REPORT SYSTEM .............................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FIGURE 9: FLOW OF INFORMATION ......................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 4 List of tables Table 1: Issue log…………………………………………………………………………..24 Table 2: steps to be followed when procuring a public construction project in Oman…….44 5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The construction industry is very crucial as it affects human life directly. For this reason, the resulting structure from a construction project should be given utmost attention to ensure that it architectural as well as structural integrity are not compromised. The construction industry in Oman is vast. In all this construction projects several individuals with different capabilities work hand in hand to realize the end goal. For this reason, communication is essential to ensure that various activities within a project are accomplished in an effective manner. 1.1 Research background The construction industry is highly dependent on availability of highly qualified professionals who can effectively transfer knowledge to the relevant team members for development of projects that meet the needs of customers. The evolution of a construction design can only be realized by sharing the visual representation of the designs, their specification and methods of construction which are communicated between project experts. Therefore, it is essential to use communication channels and an appropriate means of communication to solve construction and design problems. To fully appreciate The Oman Construction Industry communication, this research questions will include: How did project professionals communicate during building projects in Oman? How is communication evaluated in Oman projects? In addition, the research will focus on the importance of project communication on project delivery in Oman. 97 consultants, project clientele, and contractors with sufficient qualifications have been interviewed for this research. Based on the research has determined that within the Oman construction industry communication plays a very important role. In fact, different Levels and communication channels are used in the construction sector. This is mainly in communication 6 between customers and consultants and consultants and contractors. Despite this, there are many barriers to effective communication in the construction projects in the country. These includes inefficient relay of information, lack of good leadership skills, unclear communication channels, unclear communication goals and inefficient notification system, communication between the project partners, stereotypes, and language difficulties are all ineffective factors affecting the industry. Finally, the research also established that poor communication has many negative effects on the project including project delays, excessive project cost, and abandonment of projects. It has also been shown that project communication strongly affects the performance of construction industry professionals in the Sultanate of Oman. 1.2 Background of the Study The quality of the relationship between the client, industry professionals, contractors, and subcontractors has an effect on the efficiency in the construction industry. This hence means that construction challenges are mainly as a result of poor communication (Emmerson, 1962, cited in Emmitt & Gorse 2003). At all stages of construction professionals who transfer essential and relevant information to implement a construction project that meets customer requirements are involved (Higgin and Jessop 1965 cited in Emmitt & Gorse 2003). The evolution of a construction design can only be realized by sharing visual representations, specifications and construction methods which must are communicated among construction project professionals. Therefore, this information must be shared in an easy to understand way to ensure effective project implementation. In Oman, the main construction project team members include architects, geometers (QS), geodetic engineers (GEs), structural engineers (St.E), electrical engineers (EEs) and service engineers (SEs) whose work is governed by Oman Architects Center (OIA), the Oman Institute of Surveyors for the QS 7 and the GE and Oman Society of Engineers for Engineers. For the purpose of this research, US Army, (1983) defines communication as the process by which information and ideas are shared from one person to another with the issuer transmitting the ideas and information to the recipient. In the recent years, the Oman government and the international organizations' reports (for example, Oman Reports) have criticized poor performance in the construction industry and this has resulted to many projects not been approved. Therefore, the expectations of customers are usually not well met. This has resulted to most of the research work being focused on the various factors affecting construction industry including procurement, health, and safety, credit access, performance improvement, etc. In addition to this, there has been little or no research that has been carried out on various issues including construction communication and how they affect the construction sector in Oman. 1.3 Problem Statement One of the main obstacles faced by companies in Oman is how to solve the challenges associated with information flow up, down and sideways. The use of the most effective means of communication to solve construction and design challenges is important for construction managers. The following research questions have been developed to guide the research: • How are project professionals aware of Oman's construction projects? • How does a project professional evaluate communication channels and its impact on project delivery in Oman? BRE (2011) argues that most of the problems in the construction sector are due to poor communication. For example, poorly detailed drawing, which is accompanied by wrong instructions or the technical information is not available. This is a major problem in Oman construction communication channels literature that this research seeks to answer. 8 1.4 Research Objectives The main aim of the research is to evaluate communication in the construction industry in Oman. This will be achieved through the following specific objectives: 1. To understand how project professionals work in communicating Oman's project values 2. To analyze the different communication channels used by project professionals in Oman 3. To discuss what are the main communication barriers in construction projects in Oman. 4. To analyze how communication of the construction project affects the delivery of the project to Oman 1.5 Research Justification Oman’s construction industry plays an important contribution to the country’s GDP. This means that it is an important industry that cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is a justifiable effort to investigate and add knowledge in all aspects of the industry. Research has found that there are a lot of challenges that are experienced in the construction industry which have affected relationships between key stakeholders. While some specialists can visualize the different building aspects with little information, they must get all the relevant information to ensure a clear understanding of all aspects of the construction projects requirements and details. This hence makes communication an important factor. For example delay in acknowledging that some information is not available, incorrect, or conflicting can cause delays in resource modification, and/or changing of improperly constructed components. It is important to ensure that communication is effective and that information is presented in an easy to understand way. This information also needs to be elaborate. Research of the Oman construction industry has found that there is poor understanding of communication planning, distribution and presentation of 9 information. The results of this research will, therefore, help in the identification of the various communication challenges that affect construction projects. 1.6 Scope of the Project The study main focuses on communication within the construction industry. This is due to the fact that this area is more developed than the road construction sector. Given that many large construction companies have been involved in building large projects, this discussion is of great importance for the industry and the country. 1.7 Significance of the Study The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of communication channels on employee performance in the construction sector in the Sultanate of Oman. 1.7.1 Summary It is quite evident that communication in a construction project is essential in ensuring that the project is accomplished with little to no hiccups. This is so since if communication between those involved in a project is poor, then performance will be negatively affected. With the construction industry being one of the most important sectors in Oman, there is need to ensure that project performance in the Industry is of high standards. To achieve this various communication channels that improve performance as well as the barrier to communication in a project will be looked at. This is of essence since, communication is one of the determinants of the level performance in a project. 10 2 2.1 CHAPTER 2: Literature Review Introduction Communication is a fundamental human right that indicates the fundamental need of every human being to express what they think about anything. Since all democratic relations presuppose reciprocal interactions, there can be no dialogue-free relationship. Some of the main contributions of communication includes relationships development, creation of communities and interaction with people. This hence means that communication is a fundamental human right (Fisher and Harms, 1983). This therefore means that for productivity and social functionalities to be achieved within an organization, there is need to ensure that effective communication is achieved within an organization 2.2 Definition of communication Cherry (1978) defined communication as the process by which individuals interact to create and share meaning. Dainty, et al. (2006) acknowledged that the term is complex and can mean different things in different contexts and situations. In the construction industry, the success of construction projects is highly dependent on effective communication. Research has found that communication plays a very important role in ensuring organizational effectiveness. Although managers from different sectors carry out various tasks and activities, majority of time is spent carrying out communication. Drucker (1985) emphasizes that communication plays an important role in ensuring that organizations function effectively. This hence means that effective communication skills are crucial for managers. In project administration, Sievert (1986) emphasizes the importance of communication and states that a high percentage of work-related problems can be attributed to bad communication. Please keep in mind that engineers and technical staff spend from 50% to 75% of the time to communicate verbally. 11 2.3 Communication features According to Mehra (2009) the following are some of the communication features: • Communication involves use of dynamic and continuous processes • The communication process involves participation of a sender and a recipient. • Information (message/content) are part of communication • Communication involves use of various means (symbols, signs, behavior, speech, writing or signals) • Similarly, communication is transactional and irreversible • Communication requires a shared understanding: all parties understand the same 2.4 The nature of formal and informal communication According to theorists, various communication methods are used by organizations, which vary in formality and ways of implementation for tasks that vary in uncertainty. However, the link between the incompetence of the techniques and the uncertainty of the activity results in better organizational results. Both activities are small and organizational; the task focuses on consistent production with the activity examined in detail. Communication implies people's efforts to achieve collective and expressive goals (Blau and Scott, 1962) According to Van de Ven, Delbecq and Koenig (1976), communication involves linking or joining various functions of an organization to ensure that collective tasks carried out effectively. Explicit co-ordination is necessary, since different individuals within the organization have different parts of information that must be combined to achieve successful project implementation. Therefore, one goal of communication is to ensure that different people can work together to achieve the same goals. But even if these goals were met, and its goals were identical, input-output dependencies between individuals require their sequential efforts and 12 interact efficiently. Informal communication which is usually treated as a residual part of organization theory, is a vaguely defined concept. This hence means that informal communication is the type of communication that occurs outside set rules and hierarchies of authority Informal communication is more spontaneous, interactive, and rich as there are no limitations as to the borders within which it must be held. Co-ordination by feedback from March and Simon (1958), through organizational communication networks (Tushman and Nadler, 1978), or clan mechanisms (Ouchi, 1980) are alternatives to describe co-ordination through informal forms of communication. One main aspect of informal communication systems is lack of the previous specification. The information is not pre-packaged and then sent to a recipient and stock quotes are not calculated in advance and then executed unchanged intact. This hence means that information is usually shared in an interactive way through meetings and informal conversations and various issues are resolved in the course of the communication process. Figure 1 shows several variables that characterize informal formal communication. Informal communication involves an ad-lib nature. Interviews between participants are conducted at this time, with various issues also being resolved. None of these items (timetables, participants, and days) are planned in advance. In addition, during the course, communication changes must consider the current interests and participants' understanding. This will help in the creation of a highly interactive informal communication process which will ensure that all participants can respond to their perceptions of the current state of things, including responses to these perceptions. Formal channels can be less effective compared to informal communication channels based on the 13 outcomes of the feedback mechanism. This is so because the participants will modify whatever they have to say as an effort to address the misunderstanding and objections of other speakers (Kraut, Lewis and Swezey, 1982). Formal Informal • Advance Scheduling unscheduled • prearranged Participants accidental participants • Participants in role Participants out of role • predetermined Agenda unplanned Agenda • One-way Interactive • Impoverished content Rich Content • official language and speech register unofficial language Figure 1: The formalities dimensions of communication (Source: Kraut et al., 1990) Structural and formal features of communication make more communicative or less formal. These includes the structural features, relationship nature between them and their social participant influences await as a formality. For example, discussions between a people with extreme or very unequal status are the most formal conversations compared to between close friends or peers. In the same way, the folk discussion does not make them more formal coils of conversation between the same people without a role. Frequency communication also affects its shape. Communication partners usually communicate on a daily basis with the gaze not having to be in the event. Communication movement is given formal style informal (brown and Fraser, 1979). 14 Finally, the channels of communication themselves can define how formal a communication even is. The nature of telephone conversations make and are interactive faces and richer and e-mail systems and hence more informal. Sharing communication in a cool mode more, I will inform you back by computer information systems and human generation memos are more formal how much the actual meeting and bulletin boards are which they are more formal in phone calls or corridor chat. In terms of functional features, the nature of formal and informal communication systems focus on different business opportunities. Formal communication focus on coordinating routine interactions between groups and organizations. For example, in a large company, to capture information, formal steps that are defined by the business purchase guide are followed. Material specifications, purchase request forms, bidding measures, supplier selection criteria, and the approval process phases will be specified in advance. The regulation are describe the complete manner for the conditions in which certain actions and precise ways of performing that the just-in-time computerized supply system could make orders with suppliers without human intervention. However, such formal communication mechanisms often fail to respond to new or unplanned events. Given that new things, unexpectedness, and uncertainty are common in organizations and are often outside the routine (for example, Suchman and Wynn, 1984). In such cases, informal communication is necessary to coordinate and clear the uncertainty (Daft and Lengel, 1986) 2.5 Communication Channels The direction in which the communication takes in a project depends on the stakeholders involved in the communication process. There are high level of communication with the administration of your organization and customer organization. Side communication occurs 15 between the customers and within project teams. The machine must be started for greater communication, both downwards (higher to subordinate), horizontal (between colleagues) or upwards (from coordinates to higher ones). Mehra (2009) said that communication will involve more and more people. The figure below shows various communication channels in a project Figure 2: The three communication channel of the project manager (Adopted from Keyton, 2011) Communications Models The communication model below shows table and the figures below focus on the project environments. Most of the models date back from the late 1940s and are known as transmission models because they target communication as a means of problematic transfer of information based on a change of four fundamental elements: 16 Message Sender Recipient Channel Warren Weaver, an eminent mathematician, applied the concept of devised by Claude Shannon that there occurs loss of information during transmission through telephone cables for interpersonal communication. Shannon was a researcher at Bell Telephone Laboratories, trying to define the maximum capacity of the telephone line with minimal distortion. Even though he never understood that his mathematical signal transmission theory was used for something other than phones, Weaver's contributions helped in the improvement of the information theory. Norbert Wiener, a famous mathematician and founder of cybernetics, went ahead and added feedback loop to the Shannon-Weaver model. The different models are summarized in the following table (Adopted by Mehra, 2009). 17 2.5.1 Summary of Models and summarized interpretations Model Comment Lasswell formula Useful but very simple. (1948) Suppose the Sender wants to influence the receiver and hence uses persuasive communication Supposes communications have an effect. It exacerbates mass communication effects. Skip comments but it was conceived in an era of political propaganda It is useful in the introductory model In 1958, Braddock expanded it to improved it to include circumstances, purpose and effect. Shannon and Weaver Johnson and Clare described it as the most influential and the most (1949) important model. Communication is a one-way linear process Osgood and Schramm have defined it as a circular model. Shannon and Weaver differentiated the source and the transmitter, and the receiver and the destination, that is, as two final functions for final transmission and two for the final reception. Criticized for defining a definite start and end of the communication process, even though the process should be infinite 18 Gerbner (1956) This model changes with the situation it is used to describe. Verbal and visual formula are present (like Lasswell Due to its flexibility, the model is very useful. It allows emphasizing perception. It explains, for example, the perception problems of a court witness and in the media. This model helps to determine the connection between reality and the stories that are reported in the news. Westley and MacLean This was created so that it can demonstrate the complexity of mass (1957) communication, hence putting an emphasis on how to interpret events that are reported in the media. Simplifies relationships between participants by not their level of authority. It offers a more integrated media process than it actually can be. It does not show how the different interests that different medias have in the state (for example, how different a state broadcaster is to a private broadcaster) (Adopted from Mehra, 2009) The project administration communication model designed by Shannon-Weaver Model (Adopted from Mehra, 2009) Figure 3: Lasswell formula Figure 3 shows a broadcasting model later presented by sociologist Harold Lasswell where the ideas of impact and effect were added. The different modes of transmission have influenced the 19 human communication studies, but this is considered to be erroneous by many theorists. The models, and their derivatives focus more on the process of creating message as a process rather than on the meaning of the message and the sense it makes. The Lasswell formula for communication (adopted by Mehra, 2009) Figure 4: Lasswell formula for communication David Berlo, presented the previous model in 1960 where he encoding and decoding were emphasized. Five verbal communication abilities were defined including: • Speaking and writing (encoding skills) • listening and reading (decoding skills) • Thought or reasoning (both encoding and decoding). 20 Figure 5: David Berlo SMCR Model (Adopted from Mehra, 2009) Figure 6: Shannon- Weaver model The Results per week or month 21 i. Describe the most important results. a. Describe other important results, a vignette for each. If a problem of the week or the previous month has been resolved, list it as a result ii. Plans for next week or month a. Describe the most important things that need to be achieved next month. Again, put it in relation to the Gantt diagram of the project. b. Describe other important elements to achieve, a vignette for each. iii. Problems: Make a brief list of important issues that have arisen or continue to be important iv. Changes to the project (Date and Description): Lists the requested and approved changes for the project. Including the dates and description of the changes. Meeting minutes- A document that is used to describe the reason for the, important elements, key decisions and action elements. Proposal Request (RFP) – Used to request proposals from potential suppliers. Quotation request- Used to request quotes or offers from potential suppliers. Status Change Request- A written or written editing order may be interpreted or interpreted by someone with a real or apparent authority. Forecasts- Used to predict a future state of the project and its progress based on previous information and trends; in particular project control and cost. Communication plan: stakeholder administration The project manager must have a good relationship with key stakeholder and understand their needs. They must address the communication needs of all key stakeholders. Help with stakeholder administration and provide the project sponsor with deliverables to measure goals, 22 times and costs; An expectations administration matrix will be developed to show how expectations are managed. Another stakeholders’ management to that helps to solve project problems is a record of problems. The project administrator will keep track of problems in the file. The record will include: Issue Number, Problem Description, Impact on Project, Report Date, reported by (CHI), assigned to (Who handles the problem), high, medium, low priority (H, M, L) expiration date, status (open, closed) and additional comments. Table 1: Issue log (Adopted from Mehra, 2009). Project stakeholders must receive a project progress report and a change report on a weekly basis. Every month the project manager and key stakeholders will formally meet to analyze the progress, plans, scope, objectives, budgetary issues, etc. Interested parties can access the project manager or project sponsor by e-mail and telephone. There will be occasional email chat available to discuss the issues. The e-mail label applies. If immediate attention is required, the project manager or project sponsor must be immediately informed. Communication Methods 23 Several communication methods are used in the construction industry. Even though the most used methods are verbal and delegation, most of the data is exchanged in written form, both in paper and electronic form. Verbal communication is useful, for example meetings and project discussions are documented and can be referenced in the future. Visual presentations, contract documents and additional reference documents about project details are documented (Maslej, 2006). Contracts are useful when an entity moves to another including, when an owner takes over a consultant or designer, it forms a contractual relationship through a signed contract. The same is true when a consultant, acting as an agent of the owner, assumes a general contractor where they carry out the work planned by the consultant. He may want to outsource some jobs to the subcontractors, in which case a new contractual relationship is again established. The main challenge in the construction industry is poor communication which leads to poor job understanding. The construction sector communication forms, methods and classification are developed from the description below: 1) Formal writing: Including project plan, project letter, specifications, reports, metrics 2) Formal word: presentations and speeches are included in this category 3) Informal Writing: Including memos, emails, notes, and so on. 4) Informal report: such as meetings, stakeholders, and conversations are classified according to the informal verbal method. 5) Nonverbal messages which are usually communicated through facial expressions, postures and gestures. This account for about 55% of what others perceive and understand. 6) Para-verb messages: which include the tone, tone, and rhythm of our voice. This accounts for about 38% of what others perceive and understand. 24 Effective communication involves active listening with the focus mainly being on the speaker and the listener. Also, comments are used to confirm the understanding that frees you from stress. Interpersonal communication under construction Various studies have been carried out on poor communication in the construction industry (Emerson 1962, Banwell 1964, Latham, 1994, Egan 1998, 2002). Within the industry, communication is important due to its project-based structure. This is due to the fact that the building sector is a fragmented, dynamic and flourishing sector (Dainty et al., 2006).A review of administration literature reveals that communication studies have mainly focused on how interpersonal communication is carried out. However, there seem to be few empirical studies on the topic in projects-based industries such as construction. In the construction industry there are three main forms of interpersonal communication including oral, written (or graphic) and non-verbal communication. Oral communication is the transmission of messages through the use of common symbols which includes face to face conversations, phone, meetings, and presentations. In a project environment, it allows real time exchange of information, quick feedback, immediate message synthesis and timely closure (Carlsson et al. 2001). On the other hand written communication includes emails, faxes, notes, letters, reports, plans (strategic and tactical), legal contracts which are required to achieve the goals and objectives of the projects. Jergeas and Hartman (1994) argued that maintaining good documents and communications helps to reduce various project disputes and conflicts. Gorse et al. (1999) studied the behavior of interpersonal communication between stakeholders and team members during the project construction phase. Various methods of informal communication are very 25 effective in any industry. The results were also supported by which led research on communication within the Swedish construction industry where he argued that obstacles to effective communication will likely be cut off by more integrated delivery systems (Carlsson et.al (2001). In their study, Shohen and Frydman (2003), determined the various effective communication models for construction managers in projects provided by the construction administration acquisition protocol in Israel. Based on their findings, verbal communication is extremely important to ensure compliance with project goals. Culp and Smith (2001) argue that the type of personality is important in the success of interpersonal communication. Based on the Myers-Briggs index, they studied the impact of personality on interpersonal communication. Although research has been carried out in interpersonal communication, little research has been carried out on the communication styles in the environments of the construction industry. For this reason, this study will focus on the differences in the similarities and styles of communication between construction professionals. If the communication style refers to "it is verbally to interact and means to be taken to the letter, interpreted, whether the filter or whether it understands" (Norton1978, p.99). People have a predominant communication style, but you can change the communication styles in terms of a certain situation. Researchers argue that the situation plays an important role in determining communicative behavior (Miller, Cody, and McLaoughlin, 1994, Oetzel, 1999). Argyle, Furnham and Graham (1981) describe a situation of As "The sum of the characteristics of the behavioral system during a social encounter" (eg Miller et al. (1994) explain that communicative behavior is influenced by the characteristics of the Situation and that people (Hansford and Hattie, 1987, Hughes, 1996, Hughes and Baldwin, 2002). Hall (1974) Explains the variations in the relationships between people in group and group situations styles with the notion of high and 26 low context communication - High communication context (HC) implies the use and interpretation of non-explicit messages, such as message content minimizes verbally and is sensitive to others while in context (LC ) Communication implies being direct, accurate and open (Gudykunst et al 1996) Gudykunts and Ting-Toomey (1988) argue that LC and HC communications are predominates in individualistic and collectivist cultures, if you expect members of individualist cultures to "communicate in a consistent way with their feelings" (Hall, 1976, p.79) and tend to prefer direct styles or if you expect members of collectivist cultures (Asian countries) to communicate in a way that "mimics and conceals speakers" true intentions "(Gudykunts -Toomey and Ting, 1988, p.100) and tend to use the indirect styles as. 27 3.0 CHAPTER 3: Research framework 3.1 Research Questions The following are the research questions that are focused for the study: 1. How much value do construction project professionals assign to communication? 2. What are the different communication channels used by project professionals in a project? 3. What are the causes of communication barriers in Oman construction projects? 3.2 Scope of the Study Communication within the construction industry in Oman is wide and could involve a lot of work, especially if there are no concentrations in the study. The construction industry in Oman is made up of all contractors (entrepreneurs, consultants, and customers) involved in building roads and buildings. The study focused on the construction industry. Once again, there has been a greater concentration in large construction companies, because they should have effectively used all the possible communication facilities that this research would probably address. 3.3 Communication models within the construction industry Effective communication plays an important role in ensuring regular and profitable operation of any organization. This is especially the case in the construction industry. Shutt (1992) argues that some of the reasons why communication fails in this industry includes: a) Lack of timely cooperation and coordination at the various stages of construction, ie customer design phases, planning phases, planning, and other legislative approvals, assembly phase. b) The increasing percentage of subcontracted jobs (if appointed) on which the principal contractor does not have direct control. c) The problem that the assembly site is away from the functions of the specialized central office often leads to the phone's issue instructions instead of giving more concise written instructions. 28 3.4 Communication in the design/design phase During the design phase, communication usually occurs between the customers and the consultants and this is a continuous process from the beginning to the end of the project. The customer requirements including information about the size of the building, the nature of the building, the available funds, the construction function, and the schedule for various project activities. According to Shutt (1992), the lack of timely consultation and cooperation negatively impacts the communication process and this may eventually lead to failure of the project. The architect prepares a general description of customer needs after conducting the necessary feasibility study. This is usually carried out in consultation with other team members and the results of the feasibility study are shared with other team members. As soon as customer approve details, the architect and the engineer begin to prepare the work drawings, the program, and the specifications, and at the same time require the opinion of the Rigger who determines whether the costs of the project design is within the set budget. Communication during approval by the Planning Authority Communication plays an important role in society as it helps in meeting the needs of customers in the construction industry. This requires getting information about the nature of structures they would wish to be built for them including houses, offices and transport systems (Shutt, 1992). This hence means that the approval process is carried out in two levels: Structural plans This includes the various environmental and established policies including aspects to do with employment, transport, recreation, housing, industry, the population, and education. Shutt (1992) 29 argues that these are usually put in the form of proposals which are then considered for implementation. Local plans The local plans are examined in details to ensure that there are no conflicts or issues that are experienced during the planning process. It would not be unwise, for example, to proceed with a planning application for a road extension to a customer's factory, if in the future there is a local plan that proposes an extension of the motorway scheme, which will affect the factory. All development plans are available for inspection at the planning offices of local authorities to avoid problems with some clauses in building regulations (Shutt, 1992). Communication between the design team and the construction team In almost all jobs there are some difficulties, usually practical problems in building a detailed drawing. In many cases, these problems could have been overcome if there had been consultations between the architects and the builders at an earlier stage. Shutt (1992) argued that builders are usually unaware of the many problems until work has progressed considerably due to the usual detailed drawing measures long after the start of the project. This point only raises communication problems, which the manufacturer may have to ask for a component designed for this purpose, and the project may be delayed during its manufacture. Various situations arise where the builders do not have enough details and this may eventually lead to delays in the project. Communication within the contractor's organization In the construction company, the size of the construction company determines the type of communication system that is used and the speed of communication (Shutt, 1992). The smaller the company, the faster the information will be disseminated. With large companies, it is 30 necessary to develop a communication network to ensure that the information required for decision-making reaches the point where they can be sought. This can sometimes lead to overloading "on" trays with most of the irrelevant information for the particular department. Communication between the parties on the site The yard is the place where the design team's efforts to visualize the customer's needs will be prototyped. In general, the site meetings are the regular meetings held on the site to discuss project progress to date, the difficulties and delays that derive from the project in question. According to Shutt (1992), site meetings plays an important role in ensuring effective communication. All interested parties such as the architect, contract director, general manager, construction worker, major subcontractors, etc. may be present. Other communication methods on the site include weekly reports, which are a complete record that summarizes daily events on the site for the week and are recorded by the project manager. 3.5 Stakeholder in the construction sector Maslej (2006) argues that communication is effective in the workgroup in the construction sector only when the ideas transmitted reach their desired destination, since the operations involve the client computer's effort, the inspector quantity, the architect, technical consultant, specialist and contractor coming up with the main goal of doing things through humans. Maslej (2006) argues that in order to have a better understanding of communication in the construction industry, it is important to recognize the role, responsibility, and authority of different participants in a construction project and how information is exchanged. According to Sampura and Viramgani (2005), the roles of the different construction projects team members include: Project Manager 31 Tasks include project conceptualization and planning, general project administration, invoices and material conciliation. Minimize waste of building material, contact customer/consultants and coordinating architects and consultants. Another role includes motivating staff and managing the site as team leader, scheduling the daily activities of the project, timely completion of the project and quality management, participating in the main on-site communication meetings with customers, reviewing 'advancing the site and solving outstanding issues for several running projects. In addition, he is involved in delegation, communication, interaction, and presentation of various reports. He also has experience in managing multifunctional administration roles as a mandatory gift for him Structural Engineer Serve as the principal representative of the site for all activities relating to the construction of structural works. The structural engineer assesses the structural work to ensure compliance with terms of contract and procedure manual. Communicate with the local authorities and other government agencies responsible for the project. Review the proposals for the structural modification order of the contractor. Examine contractors' requirements for structural work and prepare recommendations for approval or refusal of requests. Attend contractors with regard to the value of claims for damages or changes in programs. Reviews structural plans for projects designed by others. Perform all other tasks that the resident engineer may require. Architect Duties include providing the contractor with visual representations of designs and information required for certification for compliance and code security. Appoints Sub-Contractors and Suppliers, and suspends Works when there are issue of variation orders that alter the scope, 32 nature or amount of work, carrying out feasibility studies in collaboration with other stakeholders. Quantity Counter Examine the implications of the cost of the project and ensure that the project is carried out within the approved budget. Review the list of values and help you decide the best for the purpose of the project. Another role is that he is involved in managing and Analyzing Risks Tips on Avoiding and Settling Disputes. The evaluation of construction work for intermediate payments, evaluation of changes, evaluation or completion of claims for loss, expense and final accounts in addition to negotiating with stakeholders, building cost control through careful measurement of work required a thorough knowledge of labor costs and labor costs, labor, materials and facilities needed to understand the implications of project planning. An initial phase to ensure the best value is obtained from the money that will be spent. Finally, he is involved in advising clients about ways to get the project. Construction Engineer (resident) Leads the processes carried out during a construction project by providing technical advice to the various project stakeholders. Site inspection is another activity that is carried out to ensure it is effective, convenient and conducive for building. In case of any problems during the project, he informs the various relevant stakeholders of the project. Structure of communication in the construction sector 33 Figure 7: Communication channels in a project (Ruuska, 1994) The three circles in figure above illustrates a project, a customer and a final user. At the crossroads, the diagram shows the organizational sections where collaboration between the various functions take place. The arrows show how information is dealt with within a project, written to the line and end-user organizations. All these elements can be considered as the official communication channels of the project. 34 A Report/signaling system The project report system in the following figure was adopted by Sell, (1980) has two main tasks: it serves the process of internal administration of the project and an external information channel. A signaling system is used to control feedback to ensure that work processes are balanced and to react to any deviations that may arise. Figure 8: The project report system (Sell, 1980) As the project manager is developing a reporting system, they must consider the recipients of the message. The rule of thumb is that the more the organization feels the reader, the more information should be compressed. According to Pelin (1990), information and frequency required decreases when one goes to the organization. Lack of information is rarely a functional administration, but information overload 35 leads to loss of crucial information. The functional administration is usually concerned with the planning (milestone) program, the total costs and the overall quality of the final product. In the worst cases, they can hide more important problems and, therefore, reduce the inability of the relationship (Love 1989). Figure 9: flow of information External communication External communication refers to communication between the project and its external stakeholders, usually the customer and the end user organization. Managing functional organization is crucial for a project in order to reach and maintain organizational commitment. It is common for functional organizations to have opposing forces that are not compatible with the 36 project. Often, opposing attitudes are the results of a lack of information. People lack information as to why the project was founded and its goals and objectives. To create ensure a positive perception towards the project, the project should keep stakeholders aware of their goals and operations. Lack of enough information creates a void of news that will be full of voices (Choudhury, 1988). Internal communication The main focus of internal communication is usually the communications that take place between the project steering committee and the project team. The Committee makes the various decisions for the project with their main job being checking and supports the project manager. The interpersonal communication between the project team and the end customers usually takes place through steering committee. Although most of the official decisions are taken by the Steering Committee, coordination, cooperation and communication between the Project Manager and the Steering Committee is not usually limited to meetings only. By keeping contacts with the key committee members of the meetings, a project manager can also ensure that the steering committee is up-to-date on the performance of the project and that the decision-making process proceeds smoothly whenever necessary. Among the project team members, effective communication results from effective leadership that is a walking and talking administration. The most formal project communication methods include project team's regular meetings, reminders, and follow-up reports. Although follow up and project progress reports can also serve as an external communication goal for a project, it is even more important as an internal communication channel. 37 3.6 Oman’s construction industry Generally, the construction industry has two main features which differentiate it from other industries. The first is how peculiar the construction industry is as compared to other industries. The second is the peculiarities of the construction sector of each country as defined by its socioeconomic aspects, technological advancement levels, culture, institutional and legal frameworks. The first one was dealt with in the previous sections. This section, therefore, discusses industry configuration, project execution situations, and how efforts are required to improve performance through systematic measurement and administration. 3.6.1 The configuration of the construction industry The main stakeholders in the construction sector in Oman include clients, professional consultants, and contractors. Clientele In Oman, four major customers are distinguished: the government (which is the main customer), real estate developers, investors, and occupancy owners. Given the value that the construction industry adds to the country’s economy, the Oman government has created the necessary structures to support both foreign and private investors in the country. According to the World Bank (2003) and Anvuur and Kumaraswamy (2006), more than $600M are spent in public procurement of goods and consulting services in Oman. This represents 10% of the total GDP. The contract details must be based on the Public Procurement Act as established in the law on the acquisition of the Oman Sultanate. The main acquisition agreement is the traditional race. The government usually implements their projects through the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Ministry of Water Resources, Works, and Housing. Another group of clients are the Real estate developers who make big investments in construction. They take loans and execute speculative constructions for sale. Their performance is generally affected by lending situations 38 in the country. From the interview with the head of Oman’s property developers it was revealed that they expect additional government support to support them in their quest to help solve the housing problem in the country. In particular, they expected the government to include its association with its current affordable housing program. Majority of the investors in the country are the various financial and capital companies who invest a lot of capital in the building and construction projects (Khan, 2008). Property owners are people who build their homes to live in. It was a tradition of Oman buying large pieces of land and then hiring qualified and unskilled employees to build the houses for them. This was rooted mainly because subsequent governments did not meet the population’s housing expectations. Some of these also occupy additional rooms in their homes to earn an income. Therefore, some of these occupying owners can progress to the level of private investors. Owners of property, therefore, constitute the largest number of customers in Oman, Oman each can be occupied by occupants. In general, they do not hire professional consultants. Professional consultants Professional consultants regularly engage the government and other clients. They include architects, quantum geometers (QS), geodetic engineering (GE), structural engineers (St.E), electrical engineering (EE) and technicians (SE). Geodetic engineers often participate in road construction. All these professionals are governed by their own professional order, the Oman Architects Institute, the Oman Geometry Institute (ISG) for QS and GE ) the Oman Engineers Institute for the rest. Contractors In Oman, contractors are grouped into eight categories according to the type of work they are doing 39 (vi) General civil works (K) (vii) Electrical work (E) (viii) Hydraulic work (G) (i) Roads, airports and associated facilities (A) (ii) ). In each category, they are grouped into 4, 3, 2 and 1 financial classes in ascending order (Vulink, 2004). Also, Dansoh (2005) shows that there is a combined AB category for road contractor. Class 4 contractors can bid for up to $ 75,000 contracts; class 3 up to $ 200,000; class 2 up to $ 500,000. Classes 1 have contracts of all amounts whenever they are available. The research focused on projects implemented by category D and K contractors, together with categories E and G, which are generally contracted as subcontractors for this major contractor for general construction works. The E and G categories are the main contractors when the job is specialized in nature. Within the country there are a large number of SMEs who are mainly in classes 3 and 4, categories D, E and G. This is mainly due to the fact that these companies can register with as little equipment as possible. For the most part, they are unique owners and are characterized by high rates of abandonment. This is due to the highly influenced nature of the boom and the slums of the sector in Oman. They are less organized and lack enough resources to hire and maintain highly skilled work. Such companies have usually been involved in poor quality construction works. This is due to the fact that there are often more jobs in its financial class than other higher limits. Their large number impacts the performance of the whole industry. Because of this, the Ministry’s classification has been criticized for being too generic and outdated with registration criteria, contractors list and monetary thresholds are not updated regularly (Eyiah and Cook 2003, World Bank, 1996). Upper classes are more organized and, therefore, are more stable, taking both larger and smaller jobs. However, these companies do not always employ highly skilled workers. 40 Foreign contractors based in Oman can do it and, therefore, behave better. According to Vulink (2004) one of the main reasons why most of main construction projects in Oman are handled by foreign firms is due to the poor quality of work produced by local firms. Assibey-Mensah (2008) argues that “non-commercial culture” is what indigenous societies operate in Oman. Construction Procurement Due to the acquisition law, Oman’s construction projects (government projects) are mainly arranged as a tripartite agreement between the customers, professional consultants, and the contractors. Customers, after making the building decisions, contact the principal consultant, mainly the architect and other consultants. Project consultants play an important role in adivising the government as the information phase is being carried out. So they provide design, designate the qualified contractor, oversee execution, and pay advice, and finally complete the project. The following table describes the usual process of acquiring projects in Oman using the traditional system (adopted by the World Bank, 2003). Please note that the party concerned does not have an active role. Procuring a Public Construction Project in Oman Table 2: steps to be followed when procuring a public construction project in Oman 41 This means that after the initiation phase, the customer’s roles are usually limited to accepting and approving the final product. Consultants, led by the leader (the architect, the geometry or the civil engineer, and the project manager) usually play the role of the project managers. They also ensure that the customer is satisfied with the developed solution. 3.7 Oman Construction Industry Performance The revision of the works of the Crown Agents (1998), Westring (1997) and Anvuur and Kumaraswamy (2006), showed that the performance of the construction industry in Oman is scarce and involves various types of problems ranging from contract administration through long payment measures and complex, delayed payments for project execution. It should be noted that the delay in paying customers to service providers (contractors and professionals) also affects payment of salaries and staff salaries. This is due to the fact that sometimes these delays occur in several months and, therefore, these employers have difficulty in continuing to pay for their staff. The unskilled labor of contractors is the most disadvantageous aspect of the industry, which is considered one of the largest employers despite its commitment to work. Because of the representation of construction workers in the active population of the country, this situation is 42 reflected in Oman's common economic life. This could be compared to a period of freezing government projects. In Oman, it has been found that the construction industry plays an important role in Ashworth economy (2004). 43 4.0 CHAPTER 4: Research Methodology This chapter focuses on the measures in this study. The main focus of the chapter is to determine the research design, the research strategy, data collection and analysis techniques that will be used for the study. This research adopted a quantitative research strategy as it allowed the use of deductive approach and takes advantage of sampling and various other statistical techniques. The selection of professionals (interviewed) was limited to firms and/or project advisory agencies as well as contractors who represent construction contractors and road contractors respectively. Companies that were selected to participate in the study were well-established companies, regardless of the class in which they were in. These companies were not limited to government institutions such as ministries, government agencies and departments which were involved in infrastructural projects in the country. The main reason why Oman was focused on for this study was due to the fact that this is the country with the highest number of infrastructural projects in the country contributing more than 65% of all projects in the region. This was also motivated by the fact that there was limited time and resources that had been committed for the study. Questionnaires were sent to 125 people, including clients, consultants, and contractors. Before selecting the respondents to be part of a sample, their profiles were analyzed to evaluate the value that they would add to the research based on the position that they held in their organizations. This included determining whether they had any understanding of how communication processes were carried out in the various construction projects that their companies were involved in. Before being selected for the study, the respondents were analyzed to determine the kind of knowledge they had with regards to project communication in construction projects 44 4.1 Research strategy Given that quantitative research strategy follows deductive reasoning approach, this made it suitable for this study. Naoum (2012) argues that this approach also helps in the use of sampling techniques which helps in ensuring that easy to manage and measurable samples are created for the study. To determine the relationships between various variables, statistical techniques were applied for the study. Naoum (2012) argues that quantitative research helps to statistically verify various hypotheses that were developed and to determine whether they are true or not. Frechtling and Sharp (1997), argued that the main data collection methods used in quantitative research includes questionnaires, carrying out lab tests and use of databases. Quantitative research helps in ensuring that statistical data that can add value to the research is collected. Given that the target population was large, sampling techniques were used to determine a representation of the whole population. To guide the study the research question that was used is to determine how communication is carried out in professional construction projects in Oman. 4.2 Research design and its justification To collect data from the respondents, the research process will involve use of questions to get personal opinions of the various targeted respondents. Then new opinions are generated from the particular group that is targeted. The main reason why surveys were used for the study include: • Through surveys, population attitudes and interests are gathered by focusing on a small sample of the whole population. • Through the use of questionnaires, it is possible to get impartial and systematic information from the population. 45 • From the data collected, it is possible to carry out statistical analysis to ensure that generalized opinions are developed for the whole population. Example of design process The sampling process will help in creating a small, easy to manage sample that will be used to collect data from. This study is aimed at looking at how communication processes are carried out in construction projects in Oman. This hence means that the research’s main focus is construction professionals working in Oman in different types of companies. These includes contractors and consultants. Population Definition The respondents who participated in the interview were mainly from the construction industry, with the respondents being selected from consulting firms, contracting firms and other organizations that are involved in the construction industry in Oman. The organizations that were selected for sampling were well-established companies which were in any class of contractors. These companies included public institutions such as ministries, government departments and agencies which are involved in infrastructural development projects. Given that 65% of construction projects in the region are in Oman, this made the country the best for the research in the region. Sampling techniques used The sampling technique that was used for the study is non-probabilistic sampling technique. In probabilistic sampling, the decision to determine which respondents are included in the sample is based on the circumstances of a given case. This was important in ensuring that the samples were randomly selected. 46 Intentional sampling was used to identify key respondents from various organizations, Contractors, agencies, and consultants. This was due to the fact that the researcher required some categories of interviewees who had participated in many construction projects and therefore had greater experience in building construction communication to respond to questionnaires. The purpose of this study was to determine how many respondents will participate in the study from the various targeted professionals including government agencies, ministries, departments and other federals and state government departments. Through the sampling techniques, potential respondents with desirable traits from the various target organizations were selected. From this 30 professionals were selected and these were the ones who participated in the study. Size of sample obtained Israel (1992) argues that different approaches can be used to select the sample size for the study. Some of the approaches includes use of a census for small populations, the imitation of a sample size of similar studies, the use of published tables, and the use of formulas to calculate a sample size. This study applied the first and the second were applied. The total number of entrepreneurs with an adequate qualification working in the Oman area is 65 and in accordance with their associations (construction and contractors); each employing a minimum of three project professionals. Therefore, the population of professionals working with these construction companies in Oman is one hundred and ninety-five (195). The sample size was determined using the following formula: Where n = sample size, N = total population = 195 s = maximum standard deviation in population elements p = percentage of population elements belonging to the defined category, ie 47 p = 0.5 (confidence level) 95%) v = error standard of sampling distribution, ie v = 0,05 Therefore, solve for = 0.5 (0.5) = 0.25 = 0.052 = 0.0025, = 100 n = 100 / (1 + 100/195) = 66 The sample size formula helped to provide the minimum number of respondents who will participate in the study. According to Cochran (1963) and Israel (1992) it is important to add 10% respondents to sample size to offset people whose researcher cannot contact. Therefore, about 7, representing 10% of 66, would be added to the size of the sample. This therefore means that a 73 respondents mainly working in building contractors offices in Oman in participate in the study. Given that it is hard to estimate the number of employees working in consulting and contracting companies in the country, sampling technique will be very useful for this purpose. For each of the selected contractors in the country, a sample size n will be represented by 30 respondents. This hence means that the total sample size for the study will be 180 from where the required sample for the study will be selected. 4.3 Data collection Questionnaire was developed to get a large number of project professionals. To ensure that the right data was collected, the questionnaires had closed questions which were shared with the respondents. The questions were put into three categories with the first category having questions about the respondent's personal details. This helped in providing background information about the respondents. For some questions which requires rating of specific aspects, a 5-point rating system was applied with the points representing very low, low, moderate, high and very high. 48 4.3.1 Analysis method The analysis method that will be used for the study will involve use of SPPS 17 data analysis tool which will help in providing various analysis reports for the data collected through the questionnaires. 49 References Ahadzie, D. (2007), A Model for Predicting the Performance of Project Managers in Mass House Building Projects in Oman, a Ph.D. Dissertation from the University of Wolverhampton, UK. Ahadzie, D. (2009), “Oman in Need of Construction Industry Development Agenda”, Oman Home Page, http://www.Omanweb.com/OmanHomepage/feature/artikel.php?ID. Ankrah, N.A. (2007), An Investigation into the Impact of Culture on Construction Project Performance, A published Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wolverhampton. Anvuur, A., Kumaraswamy, M. (2006), “Taking Forward Public Procurement Reforms in Oman”, CIB W107 Construction in Developing Economies International Symposium “Construction in Developing Economies: New Issues and Challenges” Santiago, Chile Ashworth, A. (2004), Cost Studies of Buildings, 4th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall. Atkin, B., Borgbrant, J. and Josephson, P.E. (2003) Construction Process Improvement, Blackwell Science. Atkinson, R. (1999), “Project Administration: Cost, Time and Quality, Two Best Guesses and A Phenomenon, Its Time to Accept Other Success Criteria”, International Periodical for Project Administration, 17 (6)337-42 Atkins, W.S. (1994), Strategies for the European construction sector: A programme for change, EU, European Commission. Baker, B.N., Murphy, D.C., AND Fisher, D. (1983), Factors Affecting Project Success, Project Administration Handbook Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York. Banner, D.K., and Gagne, T.E. (1995), Designing Effective Organizations, Sage Publications. 50 Bansard D., Cova B., and Salle R. (1993), "Project marketing: beyond competitive bidding strategies”, International Business, Review, Vol. 2, No. 2. pp. 125-141, as quoted in Sönderlund, J. (2002), “On the Development of Project Administration Research: Schools of Thought and Critique”. International Project Administration Journal, 8(1), 2031. Barnes, N.M.(1989) “Have Projects, Will Manage”, BBC2, London, as quoted in Turner, J. R., and Müller, R. (2003), “On the Nature of the Project as a Temporary Organisation”, International Periodical for Project Administration, Vol.21, No.1, pp 1-8. Barret, P. (1995), Facilities Administration: Towards Best Practice, Blackwell Science. Beatham, S., Anumba, C., and Thorpe, T., Hedges, I. (2004), "KPIs: a critical appraisal of their use in construction, Benchmarking”, An International Journal. Vol. 11 No. 1, 2004. pp. 93-117. Belassi, W. and Tukel, O.I (1996). “A New Framework For Determining Critical Success/Failure Factors In Projects”, International Periodical for Project Administration, Vol. 14 No.3, Pp.141-51 Benchmarking the Government Client stage 2 study (1999), as quoted in "improving performance: project evaluation and benchmarking”, OGC (2007). Bennett, J., Flanagan, R., Lansley, P., Gray, C. and Atkin, B. (1988), “Building Britain 2001”, Centre for Strategic Studies in Construction". The University of Reading, Reading. 51 52
Purchase answer to see full attachment