Trust, commitment, satisfaction and learning in construction project teams

The main aim of this research is to investigate how elements of the dynamic and temporary team environment of construction project teams influence trust, commitment, satisfaction and learning in the teams. While much can be learnt from the current literature about teams, the theories have mainly derived and focused on teams from permanent environments such as manufacturing, hospitality, health care, education and technology sectors. The uniqueness of construction project teams (for example, temporariness and multi-organisations involvement) creates a team working environment different from common permanent work teams. As such, numerous questions arise when we consider how construction project teams function and how the members are influenced by the temporary and dynamic team environment. For example, how do the project team members establish trust and commitment in the project team environment? How does the interdependency on each other to accomplish their assigned tasks influence individual members' attitudes and learning in the project teams? The research adopted a cross-sectional mixed method research design employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection in Singapore construction industry. The quantitative method involved survey questionnaires collected from 136 construction practitioners from 47 project teams. The qualitative method involved in-depth interviews with 28 construction practitioners. Quantitative statistical analysis was performed on the survey data using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and qualitative thematic analysis was performed on the interview data using computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software - NVivo.Amongst other things the research findings indicated that individual team members' perceived task interdependence and reward interdependence are positively related to their trust and commitment in the team. Additionally, their satisfaction in the team played a mediating role between the relationships. With respect to team learning, the research found that team goals, task interdependence and reward interdependence influence team learning, and team learning contributes to the performance of project teams. On a broad view, the circumstances in which how team members' trust, commitment, satisfaction and team learning are influenced appear to be similar with other work teams. However, in-depth interviews with construction professionals revealed many complex and subtle factors relating specifically to construction project teams, such as, multi-projects and multi-organisations involvement, and degree of familiarity between the members before the team is set up. These factors are central to the team members. In conclusion, this study has brought insights into how temporary construction project team environment influence members' team attitudes and team learning experience.