Tijani, B; Jin, X and Osei-Kyei, R (2024) Effect of project organization elements on the mental health of project management practitioner in AEC projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 31(1), pp. 73-114. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Due to the frenetic and dynamic working conditions ascribed to architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) project organizations, enormous research has addressed the poor mental health propensity of project management practitioners (PMPs). However, research has not considered the distant factors related to organizational design causing poor mental health. Therefore, this study addresses the problem by integrating institutional theory, agency theory and resource-based theory (RBT) to explore the relationship between organizational design elements: project governance, knowledge management, integrated project delivery, project management skills and mental health management indicators. Examples of mental health management indicators include social relationships, work-life balance and project leadership. Design/methodology/approach: Purposive sampling method was adopted to collect survey data from 90 PMPs in 60 AEC firms in Australia. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilized to test the relationship between the variables. Findings: The research found that project governance, knowledge management and integrated project delivery are positively correlated to mental health management indicators. However, the research finding suggests that project management skills have a negative impact on mental health management indicators. Originality/value: The findings offer guidelines to AEC firms on achieving positive mental health management outcomes through concentration on project governance, knowledge management and integrated project delivery. It further calls for a reconsideration of existing project management skills causing poor mental health management outcomes.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | AEC; integrated project delivery; knowledge management; mental health management indicators; pmps; project governance; project management skills |
| Index terms: | agency, knowledge management, methodology, practitioner, structural equation modelling, integrated project delivery, resource-based theory, survey, project organization, working conditions, purposive sampling, project management, mental health, work-life balance, Australia, institutional theory, governance, organizational design |
| Subjects: | contractual arrangements, practitioner, data collection methods, business, statistical analysis, sociology, health conditions and diseases, organizational theory, Geography, employment law, project management theory and practice, professional development, management, research methods |
| Topics: | Legal Issues, Human Resources, Organizational Design, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Information Management, Geographical Context, Project Management, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Governance, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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