A contractor-driven stakeholder relationship management framework for Botswana's construction industry

Abstract

Evidence from relevant literature indicates that abandoned and failed projects have become prevalent in the Botswana context. Poor stakeholder management has been identified as a salient contributor to this challenge. To this end, various stakeholder management (SM) frameworks, models and methodologies have been developed. Nevertheless, the increasing incidence of project failure and abandonment in the Botswana construction industry indicates significant underperformance of these SM methodologies. A cursory appraisal of SM models highlights the linearity of the stakeholder relationship management (SRM) curve, i.e. between the client, consultants and contractors, with SRM responsibilities being domiciled with the client or their representative in most cases. Also, the dynamics associated with changes in stakeholder attributes during project delivery are not catered for by extant SM and relationship management models. In addition, extant SM models focus on the relationship between the project stakeholders on the one hand and the external stakeholders on the other, and others cater for project stakeholders alone. This implies that the models currently deployed for SM in the Botswana construction context remain defective. Contracting organisations (contractors) have been blamed for their inability to manage relationships with projects and external stakeholders during project delivery. Yet, these entities are not at the epicentre of SRM on construction projects. This study provides answers to the gaps highlighted. As its central objective, this study set out to develop and validate a contractor-driven stakeholder relationship management framework (CSRMF) for the Botswana construction industry. The emergent framework which leverages on the attributes of the customer relationship model (CRM) overcomes the shortcomings mentioned previously. An interpretivist philosophical paradigm was adopted in this qualitative case study research study based on pre-determined case selection criteria. Owing to the need to attain analytic generalisation through adherence to replication logic, a multi-case study research design was utilised. Six contractor organisations categorised according to scale and operating within Gaborone were selected. The unit of analysis centred on the relationship between the contracting organisations and other project stakeholders on selected projects being procured and delivered under a diverse range of contracting strategies. Data was collected through a sequential multi-method approach in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with project managers representing these construction contracting organisations on the selected projects. To enable replication, care was taken to select two contracting organisations per level – large, medium and small according to prevalent grades. Samples across the different sizes of the contractors allowed for better generalisability. Relevant projects and organisational documents were reviewed. Furthermore, data from the various stages was analysed using the qualitative content analysis technique. The findings of the study show that most of the contractors in Botswana related to their project stakeholders without a model or framework when handling relationship management with project stakeholders. These findings are a reflection of the small, medium and large construction contractors in the Botswana construction industry. There was further indication that the small, medium and large contractors had a way of managing stakeholder relationships and resolving conflicts, and thus the level of experience and knowledge within the contracting firm had a significant influence on how they managed their project stakeholder relationships in the course of project procurement and delivery. In addition, the study findings demonstrate that the nature of contracting strategy had a significant influence on how various categories of contractors related to their stakeholders on construction projects. The traditional method was found to be the main procurement strategy used in the Botswana construction industry, and this approach was fairly rigid to implement effective contractor-driven stakeholder relationship management. Other procurement strategies, such as design-and-build, and construction management are used in Botswana with their positive and negative impacts on contractors’ capability to manage their project stakeholder relationships and related matters effectively. Further evaluation of the findings led to the identification of key success factors for CSRMF development to foster effective contractor-stakeholder relationship management. These key success factors are effective communication, collaboration, engagement and cooperation among clients and contractors and consultants’ commitment; employee (stakeholder) engagement and satisfaction and capacity building; in-depth understanding of all project stakeholders and their importance and influence; and strategies to manage their relationship effectively in the course of project design, procurement and delivery. Based on the evaluation of formulated propositions and analysis of empirical data and results tested in this study, the findings also support the following analytical generalisations: the construction contracting organisations in Botswana do not have any SRM frameworks in place for engaging with stakeholders in their different projects; contractors in Botswana recognise the need to do better in managing their project stakeholder relationships; and there is an apparent gap in technical skills and limited ability of contractors to manage relationships with project stakeholders. Premised on the findings, a contractor-driven stakeholder relationship management framework was developed. The CSRMF was validated by two focus groups, namely sampled project managers from the semi-structured interviews, and relevant professionals and other academics in the industry. The validation was done to assess the relevance of the CSRMF in their management of relations. The CSRMF will provide guidance for bridging the gaps identified. It will be adopted and utilised by contractors to achieve efficiencies in the management of relationships with stakeholders, thus saving time and costs and securing improved quality and, most of all, client satisfaction.

Volgens die literatuur misluk die meeste projekte in Botswana. Swak bestuur deur die belanghebbendes in die projekte is die hoofrede hiervoor. Talle raamwerke, modelle en metodologieë gemik op doeltreffende bestuur van belanghebbendes (BB) is as oplossing vir hierdie probleem voorgestel. Dat al hierdie BB-metodologieë egter gebrekkig is, blyk uit ʼn toename in die aantal mislukte projekte in die konstruksiebedryf wat laat vaar is. ʼn Oppervlakkige ondersoek van die BB-modelle het aan die lig gebring dat die belanghebbendeverhoudingsbestuur- (BVB) kromme afgeplat is. Hierdie kromme gee ʼn aanduiding van die verhouding tussen die kliënt, konsultante en kontrakteurs. Belanghebbendeverhoudingsbestuur berus meestal by kliënte of hulle verteenwoordigers. Die bestaande BB- en verhoudingsbestuurmodelle maak geensins vir veranderinge in die eienskappe van belanghebbendes tydens die lewering van ʼn projek voorsiening nie. Hierbenewens fokus sommige BB-modelle op die verhouding tussen eksterne belanghebbendes en projekbelanghebbendes, en party slegs op projekbelanghebbendes. Om hierdie rede is die modelle wat tans in Botswana se konstruksiebedryf toegepas word, ontoereikend. Kontrakteurorganisasies word dikwels daarvan beskuldig dat hulle nie tydens die lewering van ʼn projek in staat is om hulle verhouding tussen eksterne en projekbelanghebbendes te bestuur nie. Hierdie groepe staan egter nie in die brandpunt van konstruksieprojekte se BVB nie. Hierdie studie poog om oplossings te bied vir die tekortkomings wat aangetoon is. Die oogmerk is ʼn raamwerk vir kontrakteurgedrewe belanghebbendeverhoudingsbestuur (RKBVB) vir die konstruksiebedryf in Botswana. Hierdie raamwerk steun op die kliënteverhoudingsmodel (KVM) om die gemelde tekortkomings te verbeter. Hierdie kwalitatiewe gevallestudie berus op vooraf vasgestelde kriteria vir die keuse van gevalle. Daarby word ʼn interpretatiewe filosofiese paradigma in hierdie studie gevolg. Aangesien analitiese veralgemening volgens die eise van replikasielogika die doelwit was, behels die navorsingsontwerp veelvuldige gevallestudies. Ses kontrakteurorganisasies in Gaborone wat volgens ʼn skaal gekategoriseer is, is gekies. Die verhouding tussen hierdie kontrakteurorganisasies en die belanghebbendes in projekte wat volgens ʼn verskeidenheid kontrakstrategieë verkry en gelewer is, was die ontledingseenheid. Data is volgens ʼn sekwensiële multimetodebenadering ingewin, en halfgestruktureerde onderhoude is met die projekbestuurders van hierdie ix konstruksiemaatskappye gevoer. Om replisering te vergemaklik, is twee kontrakteurorganisasies volgens hulle vlak – groot, middelslag en klein en graad gekies. Die onderskeid op grond die grootte van die kontrakteurs het tot veralgemening meegehelp. Insae is in die projek- en maatskappydokumente verkry. Die data wat in elke stadium ingewin is, is volgens die kwalitatiewe tegniek ontleed. Op grond van die bevindings het die meeste kontrakteurs sonder enige model of raamwerk hulle verhouding met die projekbelanghebbendes bestuur. Hulle verteenwoordig alle klein, middelslag en groot konstruksiekontrakteurs in Botswana. Die gebrek aan kennis en ervaring in die bestuur van hulle verhouding met belanghebbendes en die beslegting van geskille in die verkryging en lewering van projekte was ooglopend. Daar is voorts bevind dat die aard van die kontraktuele strategie ʼn beduidende invloed gehad het op hoe die onderskeie kategorieë van kontrakteurs verhoudings met die belanghebbendes in konstruksieprojekte aanknoop. Verder is bevind dat die konstruksiebedryf tradisionele verkrygingstrategie meestal volg. Hierdie strategie is taamlik rigied en bevorder nie juis kontrakteurgedrewe belanghebbendeverhoudingsbestuur nie. Ander verkrygingstrategieë, soos die ontwerp-en-boustrategie, en konstruksiebestuur word in Botswana toegepas, en kan kontrakteurs se vermoë om hulle verhouding met die belanghebbendes in projekte en aanverwantesake doeltreffend te bestuur, enersyds bevorder en andersyds belemmer. Verskeie suksesfaktore vir kontakteur-belanghebberverhoudingsbestuur (KBVB) is op grond van die bevindings onderskei, te wete effektiewe kommunikasie, medewerking, betrokkenheid en samewerking tussen kliënte en kontrakteurs asook konsultante se verbintenis; werknemer (belanghebbendes) se betrokkenheid, bevrediging en kapasiteitsbou; ʼn grondige begrip van alle belanghebbendes in ʼn projek en van hulle belang en invloed; en strategieë om verhoudings effektief in die ontwerp, verkryging en lewering van ʼn projek effektief te bestuur. Die bevindings, wat op die beoordeling van die geformuleerde voorstelle en ʼn ontleding van die empiriese data berus, het tot die volgende analitiese veralgemenings gelei: konstruksiemaatskappye in Botswana het geen BVB-raamwerk waarvolgens hulle met belanghebbers in projekte omgaan nie; hulle besef dat hulle hul verhouding met belanghebbendes in projekte beter behoort te bestuur; en kontrakteurs beskik blykbaar nie oor die tegniese vaardighede en vermoëns om hulle verhouding met belanghebbendes in projekte te bestuur nie. x ʼn Raamwerk vir kontrakteurgedrewe belanghebberverhoudingsbestuur (RKBVB) is op grond van die bevindings ontwikkel. Die RKBVB is deur twee fokusgroepe gevalideer, naamlik projekbestuurders enersyds en beroepslui en akademici in die bedryf andersyds, ten einde die relevansie van die RKBVB te toets. Die raamwerk help kontrakteurs om die genoemde probleme op te los. Aangesien dit kontrakteurs sal help om hulle verhouding met belanghebbendes doeltreffend te bestuur, sal dit nie alleen tyd en geld spaar nie, maar ook die gehalte van hulle werk en bowenal kliënttevredenheid verbeter.

Bosupi go tswa mo dikwalong tse di maleba bo supa gore diporojeke tse di phuagantsweng le tse di padileng di dintsi kwa Botswana. Go supilwe botsamaisi jo bo bokoa jwa baamegi jaaka setshwaedi se segolo mo kgwetlhong eno. Ka ntlha ya seno, go tlhamilwe matlhomeso a le mmalwa a botsamaisi jwa baamegi (SM), dikao le mekgwa. Le fa go le jalo, koketsego ya ditiragalo tsa go pala le go phuaganngwa ga diporojeke mo indasetering ya kago kwa Botswana e supa tiragatso e e bokowa thata ya mekgwa eno ya SM. Tshekatsheko ya ka bonako ya dikao tsa SM e bontsha tatelano ya segoro sa botsamaisi jwa dikamano le baamegi (SRM), k.g.r. magareng ga modirelwa, baemedi le bakonteraka, mme maikarabelo a SRM a patagantswe le badirelwa gongwe baemedi ba bona mo mabakeng a le mantsi. Gape dintlha tse di amanang le diphetogo mo diponagalong tsa baamegi mo tsamaong ya tlamelo ya porojeke ga di a akarediwa mo dikaong tsa ga jaana tsa SM le botsamaisi jwa dikamano. Go tlalaletsa foo, dikao tsa ga jaana tsa SM di totile dikamano magareng ga baamegi ba diporojeke ka fa letsogong je lengwe, le baamegi ba kwa ntle ka fa go je lengwe, mme tse dingwe di lebelela baamegi ba diporojeke fela. Seno se kaya gore dikao tse di dirisiwang ga jaana mo dikonterakeng tsa Botswana ga di a siama. Ditlamo tsa kago (bakonteraka) di latofalediwa go palelwa ke go tsamaisa dikamano tsa diporojeke le baamegi ba kwa ntle ka nako ya tsamaiso ya diporojeke. Fela, ditheo tseo ga di mo mookong wa SRM mo diporojekeng tsa kago. Thutopatlisiso e neela dikarabo tsa ditlhaelo tse di supilweng. Maikaelelomagolo a thutopatlisiso e ne e le go tlhamela le go tlhomamisetsa indaseteri ya kago ya Botswana letlhomeso la botsamaisi jwa dikamano tsa baamegi (CSRMF) le le tsamaisiwang ke mokonteraka. Letlhomeso le le tlhagelelang le le dirisang diponagalo tsa sekao sa dikamano tsa badirisi (CRM) le fenya ditlhaelo tse di kailweng fa pejana. Go dirisitswe mokgwa wa filosofi o o ikaegileng ka go ranola le go tlhaloganya mo thutopatlisisong eno e e lebelelang mabaka mme go dirisitswe mokgwa wa go tlhopha dikgetse o o sweditsweng pele. Ka ntlha ya botlhokwa jwa go lebelela gore a diphitlhelelo tsa tshekatsheko di ka fetisega ka go obamela ntlha ya ntsifatso, go dirisitswe thadiso ya thutopatlisiso ya dikgetsidintsi. Go tlhophilwe ditheo di le thataro tsa dikonteraka tse di arogantsweng go ya ka seelo mme di dira kwa Gaborone. Tokololo e ne e ikaegile ka dikamano magareng ga ditheo tsa kago le baamegi ba bangwe ba diporojeke mo diporojekeng tse di tlhophilweng tse di rebotsweng le go xii diragadiwa ka ditogamaano tse di farologaneng tsa kago. Go kokoantswe data ka molebo wa mekgwamentsi o o dirang ka tatelano moo go dirilweng dipotsolotso tse di batlileng di rulagane le batsamaisi ba diporojeke ba ba neng ba emetse ditheo tseno tsa kago mo diporojekeng tse di tlhophilweng. Go kgontsha ntsifatso, go etswe tlhhoko gore go tlhophiwa ditheo tse pedi tsa kago mo legatong lengwe le lengwe – le legolo, le le magareng le le lennye go ya ka dikaroganyo tse di gona. Go dirisa disampole go ralala dikonteraka tsa bogolo jo bo farologaneng go dirile gore go akaretsa go nne botoka. Go sekasekilwe diporojeke le dikwalo tse di maleba tsa ditheo Mo godimo ga moo, go lokolotswe go tswa mo dateng ya magato a a farologaneng go dirisiwa thekeniki ya go lokolola diteng go lebeletswe mabaka. Diphitlhelelo tsa thutopatlisiso di bontsha gore bontsi jwa dikonteraka mo Botswana bo amana le baamegi ba diporojeke kwa ntle ga sekao gongwe letlhomeso fa bo tsamaisa dikamano le baamegi. Diphitlhelelo tseno di bontsha dikonteraka tse dinnye, tse dimagareng le tse dikgolo mo indasetering ya kago ya Botswana. Gape go na le sesupo se sengwe sa gore dikonteraka tse dinnye, tse dimagareng le tse dikgolo di na le tsela ya go tsamaisa dikamano le baamegi le go rarabolola dikgotlhang, mme ka jalo seelo sa maitemogelo le kitso mo difemeng tsa kago se na le tlhotlheletso mo go reng di tsamaisa jang dikamano tsa tsona le baamegi ba diporojeke mo tsamaong ya theko le tiragatso ya porojeke. Go tlaleletsa, diphitlhelelo tsa thutopatlisiso di bontsha gore mofuta wa togamaano ya konteraka o na le tlhotlheletso e e bonalang mo go reng dikarolo tsa dikonteraka di amanang jang le baamegi ba tsona mo diporojekeng tsa kago. Mokgwa wa tlwaelo o fitlhetswe e le togamaano e kgolo ya theko e e dirisiwang mo indasetering ya kago ya Botswana, mme mokgwa ono o tsepame thata go ka diragatsa botsamaisi jo bo nonofileng jwa kamano ya baamegi e e tsamaisiwang ke mokonteraka. Go dirisiwa ditogamaano tse dingwe tsa go reka di tshwana le thadisa-o-age, le botsamaisi jwa kago mo Botswana ka ditlamorago tsa tsona tse di siameng le tse di sa siamang mo bokgoning jo bo nonofileng jwa mokonteraka go tsamaisa dikamano tsa gagwe tsa baamegi ba porojeke le dintlha tse dingwe tse di amanang. Tshekatsheko e nngwe ya diphitlhelelo e lebisitse kwa go supiweng ga dintlha tsa botlhokwa tsa katlego tsa go tlhamiwa ga CSRMF gore go nne le botsamaisi jo bo bokgoni jwa kamano ya mokonteraka le baamegi. Dintlha tseno tsa botlhokwa tsa katlego ke tlhaeletsano e e bokgoni, tirisanommogo, therisano le tirisano magareng ga badirelwa le bakonteraka mmogo xiii le maitlamo a moemedi; therisano le badiri (baamegi) le kgotsofalo mmogo le katiso; go tlhaloganya go go boteng ga baamegi botlhe ba porojeke mmogo le botlhokwa le tlhotlheletso ya bona; le ditogamaano tsa go tsamaisa dikamano ka bokgoni mo tsamaong ya thadiso ya porojeke, theko le tiragatso. Go ikaegilwe ka tshekatsheko ya ditshitshinyo tse di dirilweng le tokololo ya data ya maitemogelo le dipholo tse di tlhatlhobilweng mo thutopatlisisong eno, diphitlhelelo di tshegetsa dikakaretso tse di latelang: ditheo tsa dikonteraka kwa Botswana ga di na matlhomeso ape a SRM go rerisana le baamegi mo diporojekeng tse di farologaneng; bakonteraka ba Botswana ba lemoga tlhokego ya go dira botoka go tsamaisa dikamano tsa bona le baamegi ba diporojeke; mme go na le phatlha e e bonalang ya bokgoni jwa setegeniki le bokgoni jo bo lekanyediitsweng jwa bakonteraka go tsamaisa dikamano tsa bona le baamegi ba diporojeke. Go ikaegilwe ka diphitlhelelo, go tlhamilwe letlhomeso la botsamaisi jwa dikamano tsa baamegi tse di tsamaisiwang ke mokonteraka. Letlhomeso (CSRMF) le tlhomamisitswe ke ditlhopha tse pedi tse go buisanweng natso, e leng, batsamaisi ba diporojeke ba ba neng ba le mo sampoleng go tswa mo dipotsolotsong tse di batlileng di rulagane, le baporofešenale ba ba maleba mmogo le barutegi ba bangwe mo indasetering. Tlhomamiso e ne e direlwa go sekaseka bomaleba jwa CSRMF mo tsamaisong ya dikamano. Letlhomeso (CSRMF) le tlaa tlamela ka kaedi ya go fokotsa phatlha e e supilweng. Le tlaa amogelwa le go dirisiwa ke bakonteraka go fitlhelela dinonofo mo tsamaisong ya dikamano le baamegi, mme ka go rialo ba boloka nako le ditshenyegelo le go netefatsa boleng jo bo tokafetseng le, go feta tsotlhe, kgotsofalo ya badirelwa.