Cheng, J; Proverbs, D; Oduoza, C and Potts, K (2008) Investigating the interrelationship of strategic decisions and client satisfaction: A conceptual framework. In: Dainty, A (ed.) Proceedings of 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Cardiff, UK.
Abstract
Previous research findings have shown that strategic decisions made by construction clients have a significant impact on client satisfaction. However, the nature and significance of the impact are not clearly identified, and client satisfaction as a major determinant of project success has remained an elusive issue. This research draws upon findings of the literature review of an on-going research project and proposes a conceptual model of the interrelationship between strategic decisions and client satisfaction. A detailed literature review revealed that strategic decisions made by the client at various stages of the project vary in nature and significance and will have a long-term impact on project performance. The performance and service quality of service providers including consultants and contractors are widely seen as the antecedent and pre-requisite of client satisfaction. Key performance attributes of service providers including overall quality of service delivery, people and communications are identified as the main measurement criteria of client satisfaction. A conceptual model is then presented to reveal the interrelationship of strategic decisions and client satisfaction. It reveals that there exist interactions between the client and the service provider when a strategic decision is made by the client. The impact of strategic decisions on client satisfaction takes effect through the service provider’s response to the decisions and their overall performance and service quality which ultimately determine the levels of client satisfaction. The findings of this research will improve the understanding of the client satisfaction phenomenon and facilitate service providers to improve their performance so as to increase client satisfaction.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | client satisfaction; literature review; performance; service quality; strategic decisions |
| Index terms: | interaction, determinant, conceptual framework, quality of service, project performance, client satisfaction, service quality, literature review, construction client, project success |
| Subjects: | practitioner, client relations, risk assessment, data analysis and analytics, project management theory and practice, public and environmental health, performance measurement, theoretical framing, behavioral psychology |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Health and Safety, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here