The Value and Impact of Respect on Construction Projects Relationships

This dissertation, submitted in partial fulfillment of an MSc in Project Management, explores the critical role of respect in construction projects, specifically focusing on relationships and performance. The research investigates the direct correlation between respectful relationships among project parties (clients, contractors, suppliers, subcontractors) and work performance and project success. The study emphasizes the importance of effective communication, ethical practices, and mutual benefit to bridge the gap between profitability and ethical standards in the construction industry. Through case studies, the research examines aspects, motivators, opportunities, and challenges related to respect, covering procurement methods, organizational culture, power dynamics, and corporate social responsibility. The findings highlight the impact of respect on initiating and articulating effective relationships, leading to improved work performance, professionalism, and adherence to human rights and ethical values. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for fostering respectful environments within the construction industry to enhance project outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.

The Value and Impact of Respect on Construction
Projects Relationships and Performance
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of
MSc Project Management
Faculty of Business
Dissertation Supervisor
July-2015
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DISSERTATION RELEASE FORM
Student Name: Student ID #: Programme: Date:
Title: The Value and Impact of Respect on Construction Projects Relationships
and Performance
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made in it of published or unpublished copyright material falls within the limits permitted by
international copyright conventions.
I understand that one copy of my dissertation will be deposited in the University Library for
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may be copied and distributed by The University in abu dhabifor the purposes of research, private
study or education and that The University in abu dhabimay recover from purchasers the costs
incurred in such copying and distribution, where appropriate.
I understand that The University in abu dhabimay make that copy available in digital format if
appropriate.
I understand that I may apply to the University to retain the right to withhold or to restrict access
to my dissertation for a period which shall not normally exceed four calendar years from the
congregation at which the degree is conferred, the length of the period to be specified in the
application, together with the precise reasons for making that application.
ID- 2013000439

Table of Contents
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................4
Dedication........................................................................................................................................6
List of Figures.................................................................................................................................7
List of Tables...................................................................................................................................7
Chapter One: Introduction........................................................................................................9
1.1 Background..................................................................................................................9
1.2 Motivation of the Study..........................................................................................13
1.3 Research Aim.............................................................................................................14
1.4 Research Objectives.................................................................................................14
1.5 Dissertation Structure..............................................................................................15
Chapter Two: Literature Review.............................................................................................17
2.1 Effective Management of suppliers/ subcontractors......................................17
2.2 The Crucial Role of Relationships with suppliers/ subcontractors............20
2.3 Respect; Meaning and Definition........................................................................24
2.4 Respect in the Relationships between Project Parties...................................27
2.5 Initiating and Developing Mutual Respect between Project Parties;
Motivators and Challenges………………………………………… 32
2.5.1 Procurement Methods.............................................................................32
2.5.2 Dominant and Organization’s Culture.............................................41
2.5.3 Power Matrices........................................................................................43
2.5.4 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Shared Value. .. 45
Chapter Three: Conceptual Model.........................................................................................48
Chapter Four: Research Methodology..................................................................................57
4.1- Introduction...............................................................................................................57
4.2- Empirical Context and Sample Selection.........................................................58
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4.3 The Projects and Contracts Details……………………………… 62
4.3.1 Project #1………………………………………………. 62
4.3.2 Project #2 …………………………………………….. 63
4.3.3 Project #3 …………………………………………….. 64
4.3.4 Project #4 …………………………………………….. 65
4.3.5 Project #5 …………………………………………….. 66
Chapter Five: Interviews, Data Analysis, Results and Discussion...............................67
5.1- Introduction:.............................................................................................................67
5.2: Case-studies; Interviews and Findings:............................................................68
5.2.1 Case-study #1 (Project #1)...................................................................68
5.2.1.1 Aspects and Practices of Respect in the Project #1..........68
5.2.1.2 Motivators of Respect in the Project #1..............................70
5.2.1.3 Opportunities of Respect in the Project #1.........................71
5.2.1.4 Challenges of Respect in the Project #1..............................72
5.2.2 Case-study #2 (Project #2)...................................................................74
5.2.2.1 Aspects and Practices of Respect in the Project #2..........74
5.2.2.2 Motivators of Respect in the Project #2..............................76
5.2.2.3 Opportunities of Respect in the Project #2.........................76
5.2.2.4 Challenges of Respect in the Project #2..............................77
5.2.3Case-study #3 (Project #3)....................................................................78
5.2.3.1 Aspects and Practices of Respect in the Project #3..........78
5.2.3.2 Motivators of Respect in the Project #3..............................80
5.2.3.3 Opportunities of Respect in the Project #3.........................80
5.2.3.4 Challenges of Respect in the Project #3..............................80
5.2.4 Case-study #4 (Project #4)...................................................................81
5.2.4.1 Aspects and Practices of Respect in the Project #4..........82
5.2.4.2 Motivators of Respect in the Project #4..............................83
5.2.4.3 Opportunities of Respect in the Project #4.........................84
5.2.4.4 Challenges of Respect in the Project #4..............................84
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5.2.5 Case-study #5 (Project #5)..................................................................85
5.2.5.1 Aspects and Practices of Respect in the Project #5..........85
5.2.5.2 Motivators of Respect in the Project #5..............................87
5.2.5.3 Opportunities of Respect in the Project #5.........................87
5.2.5.4 Challenges of Respect in the Project #5..............................88
5.3 Results, Analysis and Discussion across the Five Case-studies.................89
5.3.1 Respect Issues and Aspects across the Case-studies....................90
5.3.2 Respect Motivators, opportunities and Challenges
across the Case-studies.........................................................................93
5.3.3 Comparison and Discussion across the Outputs of the
Case-studies and the Conceptual Model...........................................97
5.3.3.1 Respect Elements and Components..............................................97
5.3.3.2 Respect Motivators.............................................................................101
5.3.3.3 Respect Opportunities........................................................................101
5.3.3.4 Respect Challenges.............................................................................102
Chapter Six: Conclusion and Recommendations...............................................................106
6.1 Conclusion..................................................................................................................106
6.2 Recommendations.....................................................................................................108
References
Appendices ………………………………………………………………….. 116
Appendix A: Interviewees’ profiles in the Case-studies ……………………… 116
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Abstract:
Organizations, experts and practitioners have increasingly become more interested in and
convinced of outsourcing and partnering strategies for many activities in their projects and
business. Besides, they have become more dependent on other suppliers and contractors in
executing and handing over their projects. Hence, more focus and attention have been given to
articulate and maintain effective relationships between organizations in the projects for higher
levels of success and stakeholders’ satisfaction.
This research asserts the crucial role and the great value of respect in articulating effective
relationships between the project parties in the construction industry, in general, and in the
mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works, specifically. It aims at studying the direct
relation between presenting and practicing respectful relationships with the other parties in the
projects and the levels of work performance and projects success. In addition, this research aims
at bridging the gap between the profitable and the ethical trends within the construction industry
towards win-win, effective and respectful relationships that combine high levels of business
success with high levels of human rights and dignity.
The researcher, in this paper, discusses many meanings, elements, aspects of respect that clients,
owners, contractors, suppliers and subcontractors should keen to practice during their
relationships in the projects to help in and facilitate achieving their needs and requirements with
the maximum levels of integration, collaboration, benefits and satisfaction and minimum levels
of conflicts, disputes and risks. Moreover, this research asserts the great value of respect in
initiating and articulating effective relationships and approaches between the project parties for
better work performance and professionalism, in addition to promoting the level of compliance
with human rights, values and dignity.
Keywords: Business Relationships, Work Performance, Human Rights, Respect, Code of
Conducts, Business Ethics, Procurement, Construction Industry, Project Management.
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الخالصة
أصبحت المؤسسسات والخبراء في مجال المشاريع واإلدارة أكثر اهتماما وميال نحو استراتيجية الشراكة مع غيرهم من
.الشركات والمقاولين في مجال األعمال والمشاريع كما أصبحت هذه المؤسسات أكثر اعتمادا في مشاريعها وأعمالها
.على مزودي المواد ومقاولي الباطن لذلك كان ال بد من بذل المزيد من االهتمام بكيفية إنشاء والمحافظة على علقات
عمل فعالة وذات كفاءة بين مختلف الشركات واألطراف في المشاريع من أجل تحقيق مستويات عالية من النجاح في
.المشاريع ورضا أتم لذوي المصالح
هذا البحث يركز على الدور المحوري والقيمة العالية للحترام في إنشاء وصياغة علقات عمل مؤثرة وفعالة بين مختلف
.ويهدف هذا البحث إلى االطراف في قطاع اإلنشاءات بشكل عام وفي مجال األعمال الكهروميكانيكية بشكل خاص
تسليط الضوء على الدور المباشر لعلقات العمل القائمة على االحترام في رفع مستوى وكفاءة األعمال في المشاريع
.وكذلك في رفع وزيادة نسبة نجاح المشاريع كما يهدف هذا البحث إلى جسر الهوة بين التوجهات الربحية وبين المعايير
األخلقية في مشاريع اإلنشاء من أجل إنشاء علقات محترمة ومؤثرة تؤدي إلى مستويات عالية من نجاح المشاريع في
. ظل أعلى المعايير من حقوق وكرامة اإلنسان
يبين الباحث في هذه الورقة ويناقش عدة معاني وجوانب وعناصر للحترام والتي ينبغي على أصحاب العمل ووكلئهم
والمقاولين ومزودي المواد والخدمات الحرص التام على ملحظتها وااللتزام بها في أعمالهم وذلك من أجل المساهمة
في تحقيق احتياجاتهم ومتطلبات مشاريعهم بأعلى مستوى من التكامل والتعاون والرضا وأقل مستوى من المشاكل
.هذه الجوانب والممارسات المرجوة تكشف عن مدى أهمية وقيمة االحترام في تكوين وصياغة والخلفات والمخاطر
علقات عمل مؤثرة وفعالة ترفع من مستويات اإلنجاز والمهنية في المشاريع وفي نفس الوقت تضمن الرقي بمستوى
.االلتزام بحقوق وقيم وكرامة اإلنسان

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Dedication:
I dedicate this dissertation
To: my mother and soul of my father who whatever I will do, I will never ever
compensate
them.
To: my beloved wife and elder daughter for their continuous support and help
during my
studies.
To: my family for their patience when I was busy with the dissertation.
To: Professor Mohammed Dulaimi, the supervisor of this work, for his advices and
ultimate
help and support.
To: my teachers, colleagues and friends who helped and supported me during this
dissertation.
Thank you all
Yousef Soleiman Mohammed Ibaid

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List of Figures:
Figure #2.1: Procurement as a function of the impact of failure………………… 33
Figure #2.2: Collaborative trading relationships related to project complexity/ impact
on the employer’s core business…………………………………… 34
Figure #2.3: Procurement Strategy as a Function of Market Difficulty and Type of Spend..35
Figure #2.4: A power-Interest Matrix……………………………………………. 45
Figure #2.5: Corporate Responsibility Hierarchy……………………………….. 46
Figure #3.1: Conceptual Model; Value of Respect in the Relationships and
Work Performance………………………………………………… 51
Figure #4.1: Research Flow of Information.........................................................................................58
List of Tables:
Table #2.1: Statistical results of trust at work.....................................................................................31
Table #2.2: Procurement selection constraints....................................................................................37
Table #3.1: Respect Elements, Motivators and Challenges............................................................50
Table # 4.1: Profiles of the Interviewees in the Case-Study...........................................................61
Table #4.2: Questions to the Interviewees in the Case-Study........................................................62
Table #4.3: Summary of suppliers and subcontractors contracts – Project #1 ……. 63
Table #4.4: Summary of suppliers and subcontractors contracts – Project #2 ……. 64
Table #4.5: Summary of suppliers and subcontractors contracts – Project #3 ……. 65
Table #4.6: Summary of suppliers and subcontractors contracts – Project #4 …… 65
Table #4.7: Summary of suppliers and subcontractors contracts – Project #5 ……. 66
Table #5.1: Interviewees’ profiles- Case-study #1 (project #1)…………………… 68
Table #5.2: Interviewees’ profiles- Case-study #2 (project #2)……………………… 74
Table #5.3: Interviewees’ profiles- Case-study #3 (project #3)……………………….. 78
Table #5.4: Interviewees’ profiles- Case-study #4 (project #4)…………………….. 82
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Table #5.5: Interviewees’ profiles- Case-study #5 (project #5)……………………… 85
Table #5.6: The Main Respect Issues that have been raised across the
five Case-studies……………………………………………………... 91
Table #5.7: Respect Motivators, Opportunities and Challenges across the
Five Case-studies. …………………………………………………… 95
Table #5.8: Matching Respect Aspects of the Case-studies with the Literature Findings... 99
Table #5.9: Respect Motivators, Opportunities and Challenges; comparison between
the Case studies and the Literature Findings………………………… 104
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