Abstract
<p>Quantity surveyors (QSs) in developing countries remain tied to their traditional duties. This study aims to investigate the level of duties and competencies of female QSs in the Malaysian construction industry. The research objectives are determined via a questionnaire administered to 37 construction firms around Peninsular Malaysia. In relation to the three types of competencies, female QSs possess mandatory competencies in teamwork and conduct rules, ethics, professional practice, communication, and negotiation. They also possess the core competencies of procurement and tendering, quantification and costing of construction work and project financial control and reporting and optional competencies in project evaluation, contract administration, and contract practice. Their main duties are focused on tasks related to the pre tendering, construction, and project completion stages, which involve final account, cost control, costing, and preparation of financial statements. These duties are significantly correlated with major competencies, such as procurement, quantification, costing of construction work, and project financial control. This study shows that the involvement of female QSs in the construction industry in Malaysia remains dominated by the traditional practices. Based on the profile of the respondents, this study considerably reflects the middle categories of female QSs who work in quantity surveying firms.</p>
Highlights
The extension of proper skills and competencies is critical and related to the development and continuing relevance of any profession
This study aims to investigate the level of duties and competencies of female Quantity surveyors (QSs) in the Malaysian construction industry
Female QSs are fairly competent in two competencies, namely, project evaluation and contract administration
Summary
The extension of proper skills and competencies is critical and related to the development and continuing relevance of any profession. The issue of competencies expected from quantity surveyors (QSs) and the issue of understanding the intrinsic dependencies among these competencies remain on the research agenda (Dada & Jagboro, 2012). QSs add value primarily to the financial and contractual management of construction projects at the preconstruction, construction, and post construction stages. They contribute to the overall construction project by acquiring, developing, and deploying appropriate competencies (Nkado & Meyer, 2001). Dada and Jagboro (2012) show that the investigation of QS competencies is significant to researchers in quantity surveying training and practice and in evaluating the performance expectation of QS Lenard (2000) argues that the changing nature of the construction and development industry, such as the adoption of innovative technological processes and development, the training of highly focused professionals, and the emergence of a full range of advanced technologies, necessitates a considerably greater emphasis on job competencies than previously required. Dada and Jagboro (2012) show that the investigation of QS competencies is significant to researchers in quantity surveying training and practice and in evaluating the performance expectation of QS
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