The Styles of Leadership and Project Success Relationship in the Construction Industry of Zambia

Tao Xiangxing,Jonathan Musonda

doi:10.18483/ijsci.2479

Abstract

Adequate leadership is a vital key to the successful performance of any firm or business, and it is much more important to the construction industry. The main objective of this paper is to explore the relationship between different leadership style practices and project success in the Zambian construction industry. The data used in this research were derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was collected via a detailed review of related literature. The primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire aimed at 150 project and construction managers in the Zambian construction industry. However, 110 questionnaires were received representing a 73% response rate. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 software. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between leadership styles and project success. Likewise, the relationship between the different leadership styles and project successes in the Zambian construction industry was investigated using Pearson Product-moment Correlation Coefficient. Findings from the study revealed that there is a positive relationship between transactional leadership and project success. The results further revealed that there is no relationship between Laissez faire leadership style and construction project success. However, the study explores the relationship between leadership styles and project success in the Zambian construction industry. The study contributes to the body of knowledge of construction leadership by providing a robust background on construction leadership style practices of project and construction managers.

Highlights

It iis iimportant ito inote ithat ithe ileader iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iis iresponsible ifor ithe iperformance iof ithe iteam iand ithe iachievement iof itheir igoals. iTherefore, ithe iconstruction ileader iwho ihas igood iskills iand imanagement istyles ican iexpect igood iresults ifrom ithe iteam ientrusted ito ithem. iHence, ithis ipaper iinvestigates ithe irelationship ibetween idifferent ileadership istyle ipractices iand iproject isuccess iin ithe iZambian iconstruction iindustry ias iit iis ivery iimportant ito iunderstand ithe ileadership istyles iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iand itheir iresultant ieffects ion iproject isuccesses
Leadership iin ithe iConstruction iIndustry It iis ialso ievident ithat ithe iconstruction iindustry ihas ia igreater ineed ifor ileadership ithan iarguably iany iother iindustry. iMany ireasons isupport ithis inotion iand iit iis ievident iin ithe inature iof ithe iconstruction iprojects, iand iconstructed iproducts i[3]. iIf ione iword icould idescribe ithe iessence iof iconstruction imanagement iit iis iresponsibility isince iproject ileaders iare iresponsible ifor iall ithat ihappens iin ia iconstruction iproject. iThis idoes inot imean
The Styles of Leadership and Project Success Relationship in the Construction Industry of Zambia ithat ithe iproject ileader ishould ior icould ido ieverything iassociated iwith ithe iproject; ibut iit idoes imean ithat ithey ihave iultimate iresponsibility ifor ithe iproject. iIn iother iwords, ithe ibuck istops iwith ithe iproject ileader. iSince iconstruction iprojects iare ilarge iand itechnically icomplex iand ithey iinvolve ia icombination iof ispecialized iskills. iLikewise, iconstruction iteams iare inot ionly ilarge ibut iare ialso imultiidisciplinary iand ithe imembers iare ifrom iseveral idifferent iconstruction idisciplines iand ithis imakes igood ileadership istyle ivital iin ithis iindustry

Summary

Introduction

Good ileadership ihelps iany inational istate ithrough itimes iof ichallenges iand ifurther imakes ibusiness iorganization ito ibe isuccessful. iIt ialso ienables icompanies ito ifulfil itheir imissions. iLeadership iis ieven imore ivital iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iwere isuccess iis imeasured iby ithe iprojects ibeing ion itime iand iwithin ibudget. iOn ithe icontrary, ithe iabsence iof ileadership iis iequally idramatic iin iits ieffects. iWithout ileadership, iorganizations imove itoo islowly, istagnate, iand ilose itheir iway. iThus, iit iis iimportant ito iunderstand ihow ileaders iinfluence ibehaviour, ichange ithe icourse iof ievents iand iovercome iresistance. iMoreover, iit iis ialso inecessary ito iunderstand itheir ileadership ipractices ifor iproject isuccess. iHence, iOgunlana i[1] istates ithat, ithe isuccess iof ia iconstruction iproject idepends ion iseveral ifactors, ione iof iwhich iis ithe icompetencies iof ithe iproject ileaders, itheir ipersonalities, icharacteristics, iskills iand ileadership istyles, iamongst iothers. iAll ithese iimpacts isignificantly ion iconstruction iproject ioutcomes. iAccording ito iMüller iand iTurner i[2], ithere iis iincreasingly irecognition ithat idifferent itypes iof iprojects irequire idifferent imethods ifor itheir imanagement iand ileadership, ias iwell ias irequiring imanagement iprocedures itailored ito imeet ithe ineeds iof ithe ispecific iproject.It iis iimportant ito inote ithat ithe ileader iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iis iresponsible ifor ithe iperformance iof ithe iteam iand ithe iachievement iof itheir igoals. iTherefore, ithe iconstruction ileader iwho ihas igood iskills iand imanagement istyles ican iexpect igood iresults ifrom ithe iteam ientrusted ito ithem. iHence, ithis ipaper iinvestigates ithe irelationship ibetween idifferent ileadership istyle ipractices iand iproject isuccess iin ithe iZambian iconstruction iindustry ias iit iis ivery iimportant ito iunderstand ithe ileadership istyles iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iand itheir iresultant ieffects ion iproject isuccesses.2. It iis iimportant ito inote ithat ithe ileader iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iis iresponsible ifor ithe iperformance iof ithe iteam iand ithe iachievement iof itheir igoals. IHence, ithis ipaper iinvestigates ithe irelationship ibetween idifferent ileadership istyle ipractices iand iproject isuccess iin ithe iZambian iconstruction iindustry ias iit iis ivery iimportant ito iunderstand ithe ileadership istyles iin ithe iconstruction iindustry iand itheir iresultant ieffects ion iproject isuccesses.

Results

Conclusion