Effect of Poor Communication on Construction Project Performance on Site

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to establish the effect of poor communication on construction project performance on site by profiling the demographic composition of survey respondents, testing the reliability of the questionnaire scale that measures performance effects, ranking the specific performance effects reported on site, and comparing perceived performance impact across respondent category and project sector

Research Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered to Clients/Employers, Consultants and Contractors engaged in construction projects in Sindh, Pakistan. Questionnaire was used to measure effect of communication on project performance with a five-point Likert scale. This yielded in collection of 154 valid responses which were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Findings: Data analysis showed that internal consistency for a ten-item behavioural scale with Cronbach's alpha of 0.642. Rework caused by unclear or undocumented instructions and quality problems caused by miscommunication were ranked as the most severe communication issues affecting on project performance. Although time delay was the lowest-ranked effect, all performance effects were rated highly by respondents. The findings showed that Clients, Consultants, and Contractors generally agreed on the negative impact of poor communication, with no significant differences between their views. In contrast, respondents working on public-sector projects perceived poor communication to have a greater impact on project performance than those working on private-sector projects.

Originality: This study identifies and confirms the major effects of poor communication among Clients, Consultants, and Contractors on construction project performance in Sindh. It also shows that poor communication has a greater impact on public-sector projects than on private-sector projects, providing useful insights for improving project management and communication practices.