IMPACT OF TEAM MEMBERS’ COMPOSITION ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS DELIVERY IN SELECTED HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

One of the problems the construction industry and particularly Quantity surveyors in Nigeria has battled with over the years is the significant different between the estimated construction cost and the final construction sum; and the planned completion time and actual completion time. Several authors have given different reasons for this. The aim of this research work is to examine the impact of team members’ composition on construction projects delivery in terms of cost and time, with a view to improving construction projects delivery in Nigeria. Primary data were collected through the administration of questionnaires on 191 construction team members namely quantity surveyors, architects, structural/civil engineers, services engineers, contractors and clients who participated in 35 selected completed public construction projects of which 100 were certified fit for analysis. An instrument for measuring team roles of construction team on construction projects was synthesized. Three statements were formulated based on the essential traits of each team roles agreed to by many scholars that have worked in this area. These statements were mixed together in such a way that the respondents did not know which question is for a specific team role, the respondents were asked to rate themselves on a 5 point likert scale on each question and mean item score was used for analysis. Mean item score was used for ranking preferred and exhibited team roles of construction team members. Kendall’s test and Mean item score were used in examining team members’ composition while the relationship between team members’ composition and construction cost and time was tested using t-test. The study revealed that the preferred team roles of construction team members based on self assessment is different from the preferred team roles of construction team members based on other team members’ assessment. The research also showed that the preferred team roles of construction team members are different from the exhibited team roles. It was concluded that construction team members’ composition has significant impact on the completion time of construction projects while the impact of construction team members’ composition on construction cost is not significant. The study finally recommended that a deliberate effort should be made in studying and ascertaining the team role every construction team member will play before appointing them to be member of a team as improper team members’ composition could hamper effective construction projects delivery in term of completion time.