Factors Influencing Professional Project Management Ethical Practices in Building Construction

Abstract

Ethical practices are essential to providing quality work which cut across every sector. In building construction, adherence to project management ethical standards is essential to providing quality services that can stand the test of time. However, many building projects have been constructed with standards that are far below the professional ethics. This is evident in the cases of building failure reported throughout the country. The study examines the factors that influences project management ethical practices in Nigeria and specifically in Lagos. A total of 384 samples were selected from project stakeholders and construction professionals. A well-structured 25 items questionnaire was designed to elicit for response on ethical practices and factors that influences ethical practices. The results indicated that ethical practices in project management are influenced by various factors, including the project environment and stakeholder's impact as organizational factors. The major project-related factors that affect ethical practices are project scope and complexity, project financing, project risk, and project stakeholders, while project managers' technical skills, qualifications, and personal values have significant impacts on adherence to ethical practices. The influencing factors could be related to the organization, the project, or the professional, but in most cases, they are a combination of these factors. Therefore, it is recommended that thorough assessments are conducted before, during, and after construction, and different professionals should be assigned to ensure transparency and compliance with standards.