Modelling construction consultant selection based on attributes of trust

Abstract

This research examined the relationship between the client and the construction industry consultant and found that a measure of the success of this relationship was the level of client satisfaction with the consultants overall performance, (Svensson, 2004, Carlzon, 1989 and Walker, 2007). A critical review of consultants’ performance found that clients were dissatisfied with the consultants’ performance, which was also found to have detrimental effect on the overall performance of the project, (Boyd and Chinyio, 2006 and Al Reshaid, 2005). Therefore project performance can be enhanced with the selection of an appropriate consultant. The selection of an appropriate consultant requires a robust alignment of consultant’s services with the project’s requirements. A critical review of consultant selection methods identified weaknesses in the selection process. The weaknesses in consultant selection found that the selection of a consultant is fee dominated, bureaucratic and relies heavily on the consultant’s technical skills (Ng and Chow, 2004, Hoxley, 2005 and Walker, 2007). Fundamentally the inherent weaknesses in current selection processes do not offer clients the opportunity to select the most appropriate consultant.

A review of related literature further shows that trust was found to enhance client consultant relationships, through acts of commitment, team working and effective communication, all of which contribute to the success of the project (Walker, 2007, Price, 2005 and Fawcett, 2003). Additionally trust can facilitate the decision making process by calculating and enhancing the selection process (Sahay, 2003 and Edelenbos and Klijin 2007). However, there is a gap in knowledge in construction management literature as regards what constitutes construction consultant selection attributes based on trust. Identifying selection attributes based on trust can be of benefit to the construction client or its agent in selecting appropriate consultants, and can therefore contribute to the overall performance of the project. It is this gap which this study seeks to fill.

In total, 37 consultant selection trust attributes thought to potentially influence consultant pre-selection and selection were identified from literature. Based on these attributes, a structured questionnaire survey was designed using a Likert-type scale and administered online to 189 willing construction clients. Survey responses were analysed in two stages; the first was a mean ranking analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of the identified attributes. The results of the ANOVA tests found that there was no significant difference of opinion in the ranking of attributes, with the exception of one pre selection attribute, namely membership of a professional organisation, resulting in a significantly different opinion in the ranking of this attribute.

The results of the mean ranking analysis showed that the most salient pre selection attributes of trust were found to be experience, achieving results and expert knowledge. In contrast, character, academic qualification and benevolence were found to be the least important attributes of trust in the pre selection of a construction consultant.

The most salient selection attributes of trust were found to be achieving results, reliability and quality of technical service. In contrast, personal motives of managers, academic qualifications and benevolence ranked thirty fifth, thirty sixth and thirty seventh respectively.

The second stage of the analysis used the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify the principal components of trust attributes for consultant pre selection and selection. The application of principal component analysis led to the development of an 8-factor model of consultant pre selection and a 6-factor model of consultant selection. Combined, they identified nine unique construction consultant selection principal components or factors based on attributes of trust. The nine unique principal components were validated through structured interviews with experienced construction clients.

This research provides construction industry clients with a prioritised list of selection attributes based on trust that can be adopted by clients in the process of consultant selection. In addition the prioritised list of construction consultant selection attributes based on trust has been modelled into a practical 6-factor pre selection model and the 8-factor selection model that can be effectively used by the construction clients to improve the consultant selection process and ultimately improve the performance of the project.

Thesis is embargoed until 31st March 2015

Date of Award	Mar 2013
Original language	English
Supervisor	SRINATH PERERA (Supervisor), joe gunning (Supervisor), Henry Odeyinka (Supervisor) & Robert Eadie (Supervisor)