Alshihre, F (2018) Development of a framework for client satisfaction in the Saudi construction industry. PhD thesis, University of Wolverhampton, UK.
Abstract
The adoption of practices that will ensure the satisfaction of construction clients has increasingly become a critical issue in the Saudi Arabian construction industry. A review of the literature showed that this industry is currently characterised by dissatisfaction among construction clients and lacks practices that motivate clients and optimise their construction activities. Based on this background, this PhD research explores client-contractor relationships in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with the aim of identifying best practices that promote client satisfaction and developing a framework that could be used as a guide to enhance client satisfaction. A qualitative research methodology was employed using semi-structured interviews to elicit primary data from 30 clients and 30 project managers who were purposely sampled. The interviews investigated: the level of client satisfaction in the construction industry of the KSA; current practices of measuring the level of its client satisfaction; and factors that contribute to client satisfaction and dissatisfaction during the execution of construction projects. This data was analysed using a thematic analysis. The results from the analysis revealed a low level of client satisfaction in relation to the performance of the construction companies. This is caused by factors which include late completion; cost overruns; lack of proper communication between project team and client; dishonesty and insincerity; low levels of commitment to agreed designs; use of an inexperienced workforce, leading to poor implementation practices; negligence in planning; and lack of commitment to health and safety practices. The results also established the key factors influencing the extent of client satisfaction to be: effective financial management of the project; maintaining good communication between the client and project team; the use of good quality building materials; honesty of contractors; use of a skilled workforce; paying attention to details; commitment to services and duties; adherence to health and safety standards; striving for perfection; and proper planning. Based on these results and the literature review findings, a framework for enhancing client satisfaction was developed and validated by 16 practitioners in the KSA. The research concludes that construction activities could be optimised in the KSA with regard to client satisfaction by proper planning and adoption of appropriate construction practices. It recommends that future research could focus on the nature of the projects, professional practices and types of clients.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | best practice; client satisfaction; construction project; financial management; health and safety; performance; project team; negligence; interview; qualitative research; thematic analysis; Saudi Arabia |
| Index terms: | construction project, methodology, qualitative research, practitioner, thematic analysis, duty, professional practice, health and safety practices, interview, health and safety, literature review, commitment, construction company, negligence, best practice, client satisfaction, building material, implementation, construction industry, project team, financial management, critical issue, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, satisfaction, low level, Saudi Arabia, project manager, cost overrun, construction activity, construction client |
| Subjects: | production management, Geography, health safety and environment, research methods, liability law, practitioner, contractual role, organization, client relations, construction operations, contractual arrangements, economic analysis, psychology, methods and analysis, professional development, industry analysis, occupational health and safety management, measurement and scaling, data collection methods, risk assessment, profession, business, research design and methodology, data analysis and analytics, financial and cost management, project delivery, building materials |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Organizational Design, Site Management, Contract Administration, Research Practice, Information Management, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Legal Issues, Geographical Context, Project Management, Health and Safety, Procurement, Risk Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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