Developing structural integrated stressor-stress models for clients' and contractors' cost engineers

Estimation is not a purely scientific task. It requires cost engineers equipped with a wide knowledge of construction and a professional ability to make judgments. However, stress will deaden their use of knowledge and influence their professional judgment in estimating. In the construction industry, cost engineers can generally be divided into two main groups: clients' cost engineers in consultant firms or in a development company who serve clients; and contractors' cost engineers in construction companies working for the contractors. This study investigates the causal relationships between the stressors and stress of clients' and contractors' cost engineers. Two stressor-stress integrated models were developed for these two cost engineer groups by using the structural equation model. The findings revealed some stressors that affected both clients' and contractors' cost engineers: (1) poor environment, role conflict and work underload affect their stress positively; (2) social support and Type A behavior affect their stress negatively; and (3) work underload induces stress via the role conflict among cost engineers, their supervisors, and the organization. On the other hand, some deviations between these two groups of cost engineers also occur: (1) social support acts as a source of stressors of clients' cost engineers; (2) a private life stressor only affects the stress of contractors' cost engineers; and (3) a closed interactive looping relationship among role conflict, Type A behavior, and work underload affects contractors' cost engineers. Based on the results of this study, some recommendations are suggested to manage cost engineers' stress well.