Team composition in relational contracting (RC) in large infrastructure projects: A belbin's team roles model approach

Purpose: The aim of this study is to broaden the understanding of the set of knowledge, skills, attributes and experience (KSAE) that teams should demonstrate and the necessary roles they need to play within the team in Relational Contracting (RC). This research seeks to answer three questions: first, what KSAEs are required in a team operating under RC, second, which of the identified KSAEs are more important to enable an integrated team to perform effectively and third, how do these required KSAEs correspond to the major role clusters identified in Belbin’s team role model? Design/methodology/approach: In-depth interviews with 25 experts and key management representatives in infrastructure construction in Australia were conducted to enable detailed discussion of the research questions. Findings: Sixteen behavioural traits and four knowledge and experience areas were identified. The findings highlight that in RC, team members and especially leaders and managers need to be competent in people-oriented roles, above all others. Research limitations/implications: This research mainly captured the perspectives of personnel working in state government infrastructure departments. Further research is recommended to explore the perceptions of employees in private construction companies. Practical implications: By aligning the roles required for RC with the team role clusters of the Belbin’s team roles assessment tool, this study will be useful for identifying suitable members to form high-performance project teams. Originality/value: The findings of this paper can inform government infrastructure organisations and construction companies as to which roles are more critical when selecting fit-for-purpose teams to successfully deliver large infrastructure projects procured under the RC method.