scholarly journals Exploring project managers’ perception of stress when working in increasingly complex construction projects

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Mary Jepson ◽  
Konstantinos Kirytopoulos ◽  
Kerry London
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
The South ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Complex Construction ◽  
Planning Strategies ◽  
Life Projects

Stress is a recognised feature of the project managers’ life. Projects are becoming more complex with the uncertainty in the system contributing to the lack of control and added stress. This study explores a microcosm of 25 project managers in the South Australian construction industry, their perceived level of uncertainty and stress. The project managers interviewed provide their views on what their key stressors were and the mechanisms they use to manage effectively their stress. The results showed that structural, technical and directional complexity of projects was high, but this did not always convert into more stress for the project managers. The results indicate that stressors like the lack of resources; lack of control and increasing accountability were project managers’ primary concerns. Coping strategies included optimism, applying emotional intelligence and active planning strategies. In addition, they reduced their stress by working with good teams, using theirs and their team's experience, implementing sound systems and processes and effectively researching and gathering information.

Emotional Intelligence as a Prerequisite to Project Managers” Enhancement in Delivering Construction Projects

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (06) ◽  
Author(s):  
Obembe, Jide Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Significant Phenomenon ◽  
Chi Square Test

This study examined emotional intelligence as an instrument for enhancing the performance of project managers in the construction industry in Ibadan Metropolis. This was a view to determine the effect of the emotional intelligence (EI) of project managers on project management, as well as the relationship between project managers’ emotional intelligence and delivery of projects. The study employed survey research method to collect information from project managers, who are Quantity Surveyor, Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, and Architects. Seventy five project managers were randomly selected from building and construction industry in the study areas. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents. The data collected were analysed using SPSS Version 16. Descriptive and inferential statistic consisting mean, mode, percentage, frequency, and Chi-Square test were used respectively. The results showed that emotional intelligence is important to the field of project management with an overall mean value of 4.46 on a Likert Scale of 5. Chi-Square test showed a significantly positive relationship between the emotional intelligence level of the project managers and their performance on the job. A positive significance occurs in information handling in all the four domain of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management, unlike other variables such as managing project environment and resources, organising and coordination providing for growth and development and motivation and conflict handling that show both positive and negative significances. The paper concluded that emotional intelligence is a significant phenomenon in the field of project management, because it enhances the performance of project managers.

FACTORS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN MANAGING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN A COUNTRY UNDER MILITARY OCCUPATION: Contractors’ Perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 05 (07) ◽  
pp. 01-07
Author(s):  
Akram Subhe Suleiman ◽  
Jafar Subhi Hardan Abahre
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Military Occupation ◽  
The Political ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
The Impact

An exhaustive literature search revealed that not much research has been done on factors causing problems in managing a construction project in a country under military occupation like Palestine. So, it is the main goal of this research is to identify these factors which could be used by the decision makers to select the appropriate project manager who bosses the suitable skills and competencies to deal with these problems. The study is a step toward determining means to improve the effectiveness of projects through identifying project manager competencies. It is important for Palestinian construction industry to progress in terms of project success; the problems that face the project managers must be determined and identified, in order to achieve the best results with less risk. A clear understanding of such problems helps the Palestinian construction industry of finding the suitable solutions to overcome these problems. A questionnaire survey was carried out to achieve the main aim of this research. The respondents were engineers have more than 3 years in the position of project manager in the Palestinian construction industry. The survey was based on factors drawn from findings of another researches in different countries, together with special factors identified as potentially affecting Palestine. The results identified many factors created problems; they were clustered in eight groups. These groups were arranged according to respondents in descending order as follows: the political situation of Palestine, lack of consultants` technical competencies, lack of resources, insufficient planning, team members uncommitted, conflicts between departments, breakdowns in communications, and changes in goals. As a result of this study one could conclude that managing a project in Palestine is as difficult as the complication of the political situation of the country. The project manager should have a complicated mixture of skills and competencies from dealing with Israeli occupation to dealing with stakeholders to lack of resources and unclear goals. The study has recommended to the Palestinian government to improve the regulations and laws to meet the impact of closure and segmentation of the Palestine.

Review of the Development of Project Portfolio Management

2013 ◽  
Vol 838-841 ◽  
pp. 3131-3134
Author(s):  
Na Guo ◽  
Shi Rui Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Project Portfolio ◽  
Project Portfolio Management ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
Complex Construction

With the fast development of the construction industry, traditional project management cannot deal with some complex construction projects. This paper reviewed the development of the project portfolio management and the current situation of the Chinese construction industry. We suggest that project portfolio management is applicable and should be adopted in Chinese construction companies.

scholarly journals ACHIEVING SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafiq Muhammad CHOUDHRY
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Hard Copy ◽  
Construction Sites

Improvement of safety and productivity are major concerns throughout the construction industry. There is a dearth of efforts that document the need for simultaneous achievement of safety and productivity on construction sites. The objective of this research is to investigate productivity and safety simultaneously on construction projects by con­ducting a survey. In total, 1,800 hard-copy questionnaires were distributed and the response rate was 81%, resulting in 1,454 valid questionnaires for analysis. Safety and productivity were investigated on 25 construction projects by means of statistical analysis. The results indicated that eleven of the fifteen significant findings pertained to safety and the rest to productivity. The results confirmed that it is possible to improve productivity and safety simultaneously on construc­tion projects. All measures were found to be correlated with both safety and productivity. The findings of this research provide practical knowledge to project managers and safety practitioners on construction projects to achieve safety and productivity simultaneously. The methodology of research might be useful for research at other construction projects in other regions and cultures.

scholarly journals Employment of Unskilled Craft Workers in the UAE Construction Projects: Explicating the Reasons

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10S) ◽  
pp. 410-414
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Undesirable Outputs ◽  
Management Level ◽  
Delivery Performance ◽  
Depth Interview

The United Arab Emirates construction industry is beset with negative project performance outputs, such as defects, low productivity, delay in completion, and higher costs. Most critical among the recorded reasons for having these undesirable outputs is the engagement of unskilled craft workers. However, the demand for construction projects in the UAE is continually increasing, especially after Dubai won hosting of Expo 2020, as this consequently translates to increased demand for skilled construction craft workers, if optimal project delivery performance must be achieved. Therefore, subject matters related to skillfulness and productivity of construction craft workers become research windows for academic scholars and industry investigators in the UAE built environment. The main purpose of this study is to explicate the reasons behind employment of unskilled craft workers in the construction projects from the management level perspective. To meet this purpose, the authors conducted in-depth interview with construction project managers. The results show number of reasons why unskilled craft workers are been hired and the effect of specialized certificates on hiring the craft workers

DIGITALISATION IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS PERSPECTIVE

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Aghimien ◽  
Clinton Aigbavboa ◽  
Ayodeji Oke ◽  
Nteboheng Koloko
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
South African ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
The South ◽  
Control Cost ◽  
Time Saving ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Cost Planning

This study presents the result of an assessment of digitalisation within the South African construction industry from the construction professionals' perspective. The study adopted a quantitative approach through a questionnaire survey carried out among construction professionals in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Appropriate descriptive statistical tools were used in analysing the data gathered. The study revealed that the major stages of construction where digitalisation is evident are the design phase, and the feasibility phase. The major construction processes where it is mostly visible are, construction cost control, cost planning, preliminary cost estimate and building system analysis. In addition, the most significant benefits to be derived from digitalisation in the industry includes time-saving in construction projects delivery, increase productivity, increase speed of work, increase document quality, speeding up of response time, and simpler working methods. This study contributes to the body of knowledge as it reveals the happenings surrounding digitalisation within the South African construction industry; an aspect that seems to be lacking research attention.

The Impact of Emotional Intelligence, Project Managers’ Competencies, and Transformational Leadership on Project Success: An Empirical Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashid Maqbool ◽  
Ye Sudong ◽  
Nasir Manzoor ◽  
Yahya Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Leadership Behavior ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Effective Leaders ◽  
Transformational Leadership Style ◽  
The Impact

Project stakeholders always strive for a successful project, hence there is growing concern about the factors that influence project success. Although the success of a project is influenced by various factors, project managers play a very important role. This study aims to examine the relationship and impact of construction project managers’ emotional intelligence (EI), managerial competencies, and transformational leadership style on project success. A total of 107 Pakistani construction firms were studied with a view to measuring the effects of these variables on the overall performance of construction projects. The results show that project managers with high emotional intelligence who bear the desired competencies and exhibit transformational leadership behavior are effective leaders and ensure higher success in projects than their counterparts. The findings will assist project sponsors in selecting the appropriate project managers for their projects.

Emotional intelligence and transformational leadership behaviours of construction project managers

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Potter ◽  
Temitope Egbelakin ◽  
Robyn Phipps ◽  
Behrooz Balaei
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transformational Leadership Style ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Existing research has highlighted the need for influential leaders to respond to the evolving social, economic and environmental constraints on the construction industry. Studies on leadership in other sectors have shown that influential leaders tend to demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence. Little or no research examining relationships between leadership style and emotional intelligence has been conducted specific to construction project managers. This study aims to identify the prevalent leadership style adopted by construction project managers and investigate potential correlations between leadership style and emotional intelligence. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire including a mix of open and closed questions was adopted to address the research objectives. The group studied comprised project managers currently working in the construction industry in New Zealand and the UK. Findings The research found that transformational leadership style is prevalent among project managers examined in this study. Significant positive relationships were found between project managers’ emotional intelligence and their likelihood of adopting a transformational leadership style. Originality/value The research results provide the construction industry with a benchmark against which individuals with high emotional intelligence, and so most suited to the challenges of the project management role, can be identified and trained. Recommendations including suitable methods for identifying, recruiting and training project managers, as well as secondment and mentoring options, were suggested for improving leadership capabilities in the construction industry.

The Improvement Factors of Leadership Skills among Project Managers in Pre-Construction Phase of Sustainable Construction Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (S1) ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
Aryani Ahmad Latiffi ◽  
Noorul Adharina Zulkiffli
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Normality Test ◽  
Manager Performance

Leadership skills are required in any area, including the construction industry. Compared to conventional construction projects, the obstacles of practising leadership skills are more significant in sustainable construction projects. In the context of managing a project, a project manager is accountable for overseeing the project from the pre-construction phase to the post-construction phase. Nevertheless, project managers often encountered utmost difficulties in sustainable construction projects during the pre-construction phase. Despite that, improving leadership skills would emerge to boost project manager performance in managing sustainable construction projects. Thus, this paper aims to determine the improvement factors of leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects. A questionnaire survey was developed with 44 improvement factors of leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects, in which 153 experienced project managers in sustainable construction projects in Malaysia responded. Data were analysed using normality test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis via IBM SPSS version 24 software. The finding reveals that all improvement factors were significant to improve leadership skills among project managers in the pre-construction phase of sustainable construction projects. Hence, this paper's findings would assist project managers in grasping the improvement factors that can improve their leadership skills, particularly in sustainable construction projects.

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