Frimpong S, D A (2013) A phenomenological study of private homebuilders' perceptions on the employment of professional services. In: Smith, S D and Ahiaga-Dagbui, D D (eds.) Proceedings of 29th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2013, Reading, UK.
Abstract
Owner-built housing projects are the most common construction projects undertaken in Ghana. A notable feature of the projects is the limited engagement of professional services of construction professionals. Previous studies indicate a negative attitude of clients toward consultancy services on such projects, with the consequent impact on project performance. Even on the same project, clients and consultants view issues in different ways. Thus to get a fuller understanding of clients' attitudes, they have to be observed through their own eyes. This paper explores the phenomenon of low utilisation of otherwise extensively available highly trained professionals, from the client's viewpoint. Previous studies have identified certain negative preconceptions of clients, among a broad range of causes, for their unwillingness to engage professionals on private housing projects, but do not explore the bases for the perceptions of clients. This study develops an in-depth description of homebuilder clients' perceptions on the employment of professional services, and what feeds those perceptions. The study adopts a phenomenological approach, using in-depth interviews and constructivist abstraction to define clients' perceptions on professional services in homebuilding. The portraits of four clients' experiences are synthesised into a composite description of their perceptions and consequent effects on their relationship with consultants. The results revealed clients to perceive consultants' services as inaccessible, inconvenient, expensive and as a second resort. The factors that have led to these perceptions include client prejudice, social conditions, construction industry conditions, consultants' actions and clients' experience of living in the houses they build. Clients' perceptions lead them to mostly engage non-professionals. The findings should enable consultants to have a better understanding of homebuilder clients.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | client; Ghana; perceptions; relationships |
| Index terms: | Ghana, housing project, employment, owner-built housing, composite, interview, phenomenological study, consultancy, construction industry, project performance, construction project, professional service, construction professional |
| Subjects: | materials science, organization, data collection methods, industry analysis, housing and residential development, project management theory and practice, professional development, methods and analysis, Geography, production management, management, economic development |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Urban Studies, Human Resources, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Information Management, Construction Materials |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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