Communication Problem Effects on Decision Making: Empirical Evidences from Building Construction

COMMUNICATION PROBLEM EFFECTS ON
DECISION MAKING: EMPIRICAL
EVIDENCES FROM BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION

ABSTRACT
Construction industry is one of the very important industries for overall economic growth
and development of a country. Construction industry have considerable role to play in creating
advanced Innovation by improving buildings for offices and by improving transportation and
framework according to public and private requirement. Infrastructural development get
significantly affected by construction industry and this is why it has very important role. Urban
areas in country are considered to be pleasures for opportunity and growth and this is why it is
very important that they are well developed and support fulfillment of desires of individuals and
contribute in advancement and effectiveness of a country. In addition to this advancement of
remote reasons is also being done with help of construction industry and its organisations and
this is why overall growth and development of country is based on construction industry and its
effectiveness. In this it is important to be considered that remove reasons been developed are at
distance from urban areas where head office of construction industry organisations are located.
This is why it is very important that there are adequate means for communication between
remote regions and urban areas in country.
This study is based on communication in construction industry of Qatar and literature
review has been done to understand different aspects of communication in construction industry.
Further with help of questionnaires that were collected from around 53 organisation recent and
real information have been collected to understand different aspects of communication in
construction industry. Data collected through questionnaires outline the problems associated with
communication in construction industry and this, problems are because of information and
technology also because of distance and relationship between different status in organisation.
Feedback mechanism and skills for communication also have important role in creating
communication problems within construction industry. Remote site and head office are at
distance and this is an important element creating problem in communication industry. This
study has enabled to understand how problems in communication industry can be solved with
help of different measures and techniques.
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STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
I declare that the work content in the paper is by my own imagination and no work
included in paper is part of the work have in counterfeited from any sources. Hypothesis and
ideas that have been taken from different creators have been intimately referred and reference in
work and this paper remains at 12000 words roughly.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my gratitude to Almighty God. I am truly thankful to my supervisor whose
guidance and insights were highly valuable for me during completion of the study.
I am especially thankful to my parents because of their love, care and understanding and
support for my siblings and me. I also want to thank all my friends for their support and prayers
and their support was very valuable during completion of this study.
I would also like to thank all those individuals who helped me in carrying out this work
and helped me at different points and kept me motivated to work hard.
Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues whose encouragement was very precious for
me during this work and who helped me every time.
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Table of Contents
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP.................................................................................................3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................................................4
CHAPTER ONE..............................................................................................................................9
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................9
1.1 Background of study..................................................................................................................9
1.2 The needs for the study..............................................................................................................9
1.3 Dissertation aims and objectives.............................................................................................10
1.4 Scope of the study....................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER TWO...........................................................................................................................11
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................................11
2.1 Requirement of effective communication in construction industry........................................11
2.2 Models of Communication......................................................................................................12
2.2.1Source, message, channel and receiver (SMCR) model....................................................12
2.2.2 Willbur Schramn model of communication.....................................................................13
2.2.3 Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication..............................................................14
2.3 Communication networks in decision making........................................................................15
2.3.1 Vertical Network..............................................................................................................15
2.3.2 Circuit Network................................................................................................................16
2.3.3 Chain Network..................................................................................................................16
2.3.4 Wheel/Spoke Network......................................................................................................17
2.3.5 Star Network.....................................................................................................................18
2.3.6 Horizontal Network..........................................................................................................18
2.4 Communication as well as company structure........................................................................19
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2.4.1 Significant management theorists.....................................................................................19
2.4.2 Behavioural decision theorists..........................................................................................20
2.4.3 Human relation theorists...................................................................................................20
2.5 Communication Method..........................................................................................................21
2.5.1 Verbal communication......................................................................................................21
2.5.2 Written communication....................................................................................................21
2.5.3 Site Meeting......................................................................................................................22
2.5.4 Boards...............................................................................................................................22
2.5.5 Company publication........................................................................................................22
2.5.6 Contractual communication..............................................................................................22
2.5.7 Announcements................................................................................................................23
2.5.8 Communication through information technology system................................................23
2.5.9 Files and Information system............................................................................................23
2.6 Communication Equipments...................................................................................................23
2.6.1 Telegraphs and Cables......................................................................................................24
2.6.2 Teleprinter.........................................................................................................................24
2.6.3 Facsimile Transmission....................................................................................................24
2.6.4 General Post Office Data..................................................................................................25
2.6.5 Telephone.........................................................................................................................25
2.6.6 Inter-Communication........................................................................................................25
2.6.7 Shortwave Radio...............................................................................................................25
2.6.8 Two-way Transmission....................................................................................................25
2.6.9 Teleconferencing..............................................................................................................25
2.7 Communication problems as well as causes in construction sector........................................26
2.7.1 Problems in Technology...................................................................................................26
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2.7.2 Lack of communication skills...........................................................................................27
2.7.3 Quality of written communication....................................................................................27
2.7.4 Differences in culture.......................................................................................................27
2.7.5 Oversharing.......................................................................................................................28
2.7.6 Distance between sender and receiver..............................................................................28
2.7.7 Status and relationship......................................................................................................28
2.7.8 Attitude.............................................................................................................................29
2.7.9 Listening skills..................................................................................................................29
2.7.10 Motivation for communication.......................................................................................29
2.7.11 Distrust and lack of confidence......................................................................................30
2.7.12 Lack of feedback mechanism.........................................................................................30
CHAPTER THREE.......................................................................................................................31
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY............................................................................................31
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................31
3.2 Sample design......................................................................................................................31
3.3 Data collection.....................................................................................................................31
3.4 Questionnaire.......................................................................................................................31
3.5 Tools for performing data analysis......................................................................................31
3.6 Population............................................................................................................................32
3.7 Sample composition.............................................................................................................32
3.8 Sample.................................................................................................................................32
3.9 Sampling method.................................................................................................................32
CHAPTER FOUR.........................................................................................................................33
4.0 ANALYSIS OF DATA...........................................................................................................33
CHAPTER FIVE...........................................................................................................................45
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5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION......................................................................45
5.1 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................45
5.2 Recommendations....................................................................................................................46
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................48
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................49
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