Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations

CHAPTER 5 – CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

The Chapter 4 provided a mechanism for discussion of the main issues arising out of
this study in the context of the literature reviewed in Chapter 2. The main
conclusions drawn from this integration process is presented in this chapter. The aim
of this chapter is to provide conclusions and recommendations. Further, this chapter
presents limitations of the research study and guides to further research studies.

5.2 Conclusions about the Research Problem

The available methods of communication for project managers in Sri Lanka which
were developed based on the findings of the empirical study is illustrated in the
Figure 4.1. For each project, it is important that the project-related information is
fully documented to ensure that all the people involved understand what has and is
happening. Each project has a great deal of communication and documentation. With
many projects using the same communication instruments, over and over again, the
running of the project will be much easier and more understandable if
communication instruments, plans, structure and flow are a standard process.
Standardisation will provide a system for effective management that is not too
complex, and may contribute towards the effective execution and completion of a
project. Figure 4.2 illustrates existing communication process at construction project
level.

Project communication is becoming complex by the day due to the numerous

stakeholders involved and their baggage of ideas, views, perceptions and standpoints.
A solid communication model backed up by processes should be in place to account
for the requirements of the various stakeholders. Having process and people
orientation is important to make communication effective. Project manager is the
most accountable person for communication management project. With the

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development economy and the growing size of construction projects, importance of

communication is increasing. The findings collected information on communication
management process, channels and media for communication, team communication,
barriers to communication and communication failure and effectiveness on
construction projects.

The empirical findings revealed that only some of the factors identified though
literature review have considerable impact on the current communication practice in
Sri Lankan construction industry. Two way communication; effective
communication strategies ensuring successful technological transfer; and, project
type and duration influences, communication strategy and structure were identified
as most important in the existing communication process in the construction
industry. Varying capacity and capability, varying concept of time, poor planning,
community interference and lack of necessary skills were hindered effective
communication. Communication strategies: timely reports; team meetings;
delegating responsibilities; clear communication channels; adjusting and adopting;
and, problem solving were frequently used by the construction project managers to
overcome communication barriers. This communication plan indicates all available
method for information distribution and including formal ways for messages delivery
to the project manager. Further, it provides guidance for project managers to manage
communication in construction to enhance production and timely completion of
projects.

Project communication and communication can be seen as same with it main

procedure (sender, receiver, message, media and feedback). But in deep study,
literature and industrial survey emphasised when considering frequency of message
send and receive, complexity, power and responsibility of information, project
communication is demonstrated clear difference with communication. With the level
of project organisation structure, the amount of information received is differing (See
figure 2.1). When deliver the information or data generated from lower levels to
higher level, the information and data filter by middle levels. Therefore amount of

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information received to top level reduce. But the heaviness of the information may
be amplified.

Theoretically, project communication management process can be divided into four

main regions as communication planning, information distribution, performance
reporting and manage stakeholders. The answers for the questions of how
information distributing, how performance reporting and how stakeholders managing
would be communication planning. Therefore main four features of the
communication management process are linked together with its process. The major
output of the communication planning process is communication plan.

Key function of the communication planning process is identification of what

information, when, how and to whom delivered. This would be the main function of
the project communication management process also. Identify communication
requirement and demand for the communication such as project structure,
stakeholders’ responsibility, disciplines and culture of the stakeholders involved with
the project, number of individuals and communication channels key aspect of the
communication planning. Further in planning process, it should be considered
purpose, frequency, start/end time, medium and responsible persons of
communication items for the develop communication plan.

The communication plan provides the guidance for information distribution,

reporting project performance and manages stakeholders of a project. Execution of
communication plan is accountable with the project manager duties and
responsibilities. Identify the time appropriate and secured method for information
distribution from the communication plan is one major duty of the project manager.
Due to the client and other parties are expected performance reporting is another
critical aspect be in possession of project manager. Not only because of parties
expected but also reporting is significance for future usage and evidence for the
communication. Number of stakeholders increased in the project can dramatically
increase the complexity of project. Each of these stakeholders usually has their own
interest with the project and it is cause for the different priorities and conflict.

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Construction can be seen as a team effort. As a leader of project team, project

manager’s one significant task is achieving effective communication for the team.
Effective communication is base for the successful project. All team members have
some responsibility for the effective communication. Responsibility will depend with
the member’s position of the team. Because of construction combined with more
party such as client, consultant, contractor and others, failure of one party may be the
failure of whole team. Therefore a holistic structure including all parities with
showing link between them is essential. Further reasons for inefficient
communication in the team are lack of detail, inexperience site agents, poor written
and listing, poor recording, tension of team members, complexity and lack of
personal knowledge and skills. The project manager is the responsible person for the
avoidance of those failures.

5.4 Recommendations

Considering the findings of the research, following can be recommended as

implications to theory and the construction industry. The implications to the
construction industry are consisted with suggested mechanisms to improve and
enhance communication processes of construction project which also fulfil the final
objective of the research.

5.4.1 Implications to theory

This research unearthed the communication process and its management of a

construction project. Construction related management literature over the years and
revealed a key finding; centralised towards to the communication planning and
managerial behaviours concerning to the communication management. The study
widened the scope of the concept of construction communication and draw attention
to some new research directions in construction management (See Section 5.6).

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5.4.2 Implications to construction industry

Following can be recommended as implications for the construction industry and this
study is expanded further by identifying mechanisms to improve project
communication process. This study was mainly focused on study the project
managers communication behaviours.

Effective communication with in the construction team is one critical factor for the
successful of project. As one leader of construction team, project managers’ main
aspect would be guide to the team by directing team aims and objectives. Therefore,
project managers attitudes behaviours should be capable enough for manage his
team. He can use communication as a tool for manage his team.

5.5 Limitations of the Research

The measures that were taken to validate the research have been discussed in detail
in Section 3.6. However, as emphasised and explained in Chapter 3, the
generalisability of the study is limited to the sample population, and, cannot be
generalised to a wider population or universe. At the beginning research had limited
only to the construction project including both civil and building and including at
least two higher level positions and four or five lower level positions to the project
manager level in the organisation structure. Since time duration is limited, data
collection will focused on civil engineering construction project which may have
complex communication on the project. Further, procurement system of project had
not considered to this research and therefore, final evaluation of the plan express
with the blank spaces for the frequency, sender, receiver and method (see Table 4.8).

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5.6 Further Research Directions

After carrying out this research it seemed appropriate that further research may focus
on the following areas.
 A study on team contribution for the effective communication

Due to the construction is team process and member of individuals involving the
construction communication in team complex and effective communication is
critical. Further this research was not deeply studied team communication; it can be
used as a basis for new study.

 A study on communication failures with dispute

As describe in this research most of the dispute arise with the communication failure
of the project. Therefore study on how communication failure affect for the disputes
and essential of effective communication to avoid dispute can b take as further
research on this research.

 Develop a effective communication plan base on procurement methods

Due to this research did not consider the procurement type of project, as a next step
of this research can be develop a communication plan with considering procurement
methods of projects. The literature on this research can be use for the next
development.

 A study on how individual behaviours affect for the effective project

communication

Since this research mainly focus on project managers behaviours and effective
communication on project was depend with the behaviours of all individual of the
project team, a study on how individual behaviours affect for the effective project
communication can be conducted as further research of this research.

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