IMPROVING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS IN VIETNAM

Abstract

Good relationships among project team members in the construction industry are very important for project success. Previous studies found that the deterioration of relationships not only affects project performance such as cost and time overrun, but also negatively influences the formation of trust, satisfaction of buyers and so on. This study aims to identify effective practices to improve relationships among team members of construction projects in Vietnam. The specific objectives are to find out the extent of satisfaction, trust and relationships in construction projects as well as to investigate factors that affect relationships among team members in Vietnam. It also recommends strategies and practices to improve relationships among team members in Vietnam.

With the aid of a quantitative survey questionnaire, data were collected through face-to-face interviews and emails with 31 practitioners operating in the Vietnam’s construction industry. Each respondent was required to provide information on one completed construction project where respondents, as buyers, felt there were trust, satisfaction and good relationships with their sellers. The overall results show that although there are time overrun and on budget in most projects in Vietnam, satisfaction, trust and relationships are significantly good. Trust between buyers and sellers is of high level at the start of the projects and this improves further at the end of the projects. In addition, it was found that there are a high level of trust and satisfaction among the buyers with the sellers. Although relationships with sellers are low at the start of the projects, their levels increase when projects end.

The research also revealed that while cost escalation and time delay are not associated with relationships among parties, satisfaction and trust have a positive effect on relationships with sellers at the end of the projects. Lastly, the study found that effective practices and strategies that can improve relationships among project team members in the Vietnam’s construction industry are: sellers’ selection criteria, sellers’ competencies, effective communication among team members, good conflict management, sellers’ commitment, alignment of goal.