Group 2 FInal Thesis

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Construction Technology and Management
BSc. THESIS
Impact of Poor Communication Management on Building Construction
Projects in Wolkite Town
Group 2
A THESIS SUBMITTED INPARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

AWARD OF DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
AND MANAGEMENT
Principal advisor: Mr. Hailu Abera
Co Advisor: Mr. Hamdu Nesru
June 16, 2022
Wolkite, Ethiopia
Wolkite University
College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Construction Technology and Management
Impact of Poor Communication Management on Building Construction

Projects in Wolkite Town
BSc. THESIS
Prepared by
1. Abebe Mekonnen ………………………..……. ENGR/040/10
2. Ezana Tsehaye ……………………….…….…. ENGR/367/10
3. Faysel Jemal ……………………………….…. ENGR/379/10
4. Mebrate Gebremariyam …………………….… ENGR/598/10
5. Saron Habtamu ………………………………... ENGR/769/10
Principal advisor: Mr. Hailu Abera
Co Advisor: Mr. Hamdu Nesru
June 16, 2022
Wolkite, Ethiopia
Impact of Poor Communication Management on Building Construction 2014
Projects in wolkite town
APPROVAL
Impact of Poor Communication Management on Building Construction Projects in Wolkite Town
Submitted by:
Name of Student Signature Date
1.Abebe Mekonnen ______________ ____________________
2. Ezana Tsehaye ______________ ____________________

3. Faysel Jemal ______________ ____________________
4. Mebrate Gebremariyam ______________ ____________________
5. Saron Habtamu ______________ __________________
Approved for submittal to a thesis assessment committee
Advisor’s Signature Date
1. Mr. Hailu Abera ________________ ____________________
2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ________________ ____________________
Department Head Signature Date
3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _______________ ____________________
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page i

Declaration
We declare that this is our work and this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement
any material previously submitted for a Degree or Diploma in any other University or institute of
higher learning and to the best of our knowledge, except for the literature whose sources have been
explicitly stated and belief it does not contain material which is written by another person except
where acknowledgement is made in the text.
Name of participant signature Date
1.Abebe Mekonnen ______________ ____________________
2. Ezana Tsehaye ______________ ____________________

3. Faysel Jemal ______________ ____________________
4. Mebrate Gebremariyam ______________ ____________________
5. Saron Habtamu ______________ __________________
Approved for submittal to a thesis assessment committee
Advisor’s Signature Date
1. Mr. Hailu Abera ________________ ____________________
2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ________________ ____________________
Department Head Signature Date
3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _______________ ____________________
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page ii

Acknowledgment
First and foremost, we are grateful to the Almighty God for his guidance and protection. And also
this research study would not be possible without the assistance and dedication of numerous
individuals and organizations. Therefore, we take this opportunity to convey our gratefulness to
every one of them. And pay gratitude to our dynamic and inspirational supervisors, Mr. Hailu and
Mr. Hamdu for all the guidance, assistance and continuous encouragement provided to us. We are also
indebted to them for the constructive criticisms and most importantly for their extraordinary patience.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Head of the Department, Mr Kalkiyas
and other staff members of the department for their support given to our to complete our Thesis
successfully.
Finally Special thanks go to the construction companies and industry practitioners who
participated in this study, for providing access to organizations and their contribution and
supportiveness towards giving necessary data needed for the accomplishment of the study.
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page iii

Abbreviation
PM=Project Management
HRM=Human Resource Management
CPM=Communication Project Management
BC=Building Contractor
QS=quantity survivor
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page iv

Table of Contents
APPROVAL ……… .................................................................................................................................................. i
Declaration ............................................................................................................................................................. ii
Acknowledgment .................................................................................................................................................. iii
Abbreviation.......................................................................................................................................................... iv
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................................ 1
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the study .......................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the problem ......................................................................................................................... 1
1.3. Research Questions ................................................................................................................................. 2
1.4 General Objective .................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1.4 Specific objective............................................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Scope of the research ............................................................................................................................... 3
1.7 Limitation of the Study .............................................................................................................................. 3
CHAPTER 2.............................................................................................................................................................. 4
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ........................................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Communication Defined ............................................................................................................................ 4
2.3 Characteristics of Communication .............................................................................................................. 5
2.4 Types of Communication ........................................................................................................................... 5
2.4.1 Inter Personal Communications ....................................................................................................... 6
2.4.2 Group and team communication...................................................................................................... 6
2.4.3 Organizational communication ......................................................................................................... 7
2.4.4 Corporate Communication ............................................................................................................... 7
2.5 Purpose and Objectives of Project Communication .................................................................................... 7
2.6 Role of Project Communication ................................................................................................................. 7
2.7 Communication in Construction Industry ................................................................................................... 8
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page v

2.8 Communication Management ..................................................................................................................... 8
2.9 Project Communication Management ......................................................................................................... 9
2.10 Types of communication documents ......................................................................................................10
2.11 Communication planning .......................................................................................................................11
2.12 Project communication plan ...................................................................................................................12
2.13 Project organizational structure ..............................................................................................................12
2.14 Project communication levels .................................................................................................................13
2.14.1 Internal communication................................................................................................................13
2.14.2 External communication ...............................................................................................................14
2.15 Lines of communication .........................................................................................................................14
2.16 Information distribution..........................................................................................................................17
2.16.1 Reporting project performance ....................................................................................................17
2.16.2 Manage stakeholders....................................................................................................................18
2.17 Communication Channels ......................................................................................................................18
2.18 Patterns of communication with in construction industrys ......................................................................19
2.19 Communication at conception/ design stage............................................................................................20
2.20 Communication during approval by the planning authority .....................................................................20
2.21 Communication between design team and building team ........................................................................21
2.22Communication within contractor’s organization .....................................................................................21
2.23Communication between parties on site ...................................................................................................21
2.24Communication key to productive construction .......................................................................................22
2.25 Significance of Communication Management for Project Success...........................................................22
2.26 Effective Communication Management ..................................................................................................23
2.27 Barriers to Effective Communication in construction .............................................................................24
2.27.1 Absence of feedback .....................................................................................................................24
2.27.2 Frame of reference and selective listening ..................................................................................24
2.27.3 Sender credibility ..........................................................................................................................24
2.27.4 Technical language and jargon......................................................................................................24
2.27.5 Filtering .........................................................................................................................................25
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page vi

2.27.6 Status differences .........................................................................................................................25
CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................................................26
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................................26
3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................26
3.2 Research Design .....................................................................................................................................26
3.3 Population, Sampling Techniques and sample size ...............................................................................26
3.4 Data Sources............................................................................................................................................27
3.5 Instruments /Tools of Data Collection ......................................................................................................27
3.6 Method of Data Analysis ..........................................................................................................................27
CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................................................28
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................28
4.1 Demographic profile of the respondents ..................................................................................................28
4.2 Descriptive statistical analysis of the study ...............................................................................................30
4.2.2 Descriptive Statistics of communication channels .........................................................................31
4.2.3 Descriptive statistics of barriers of communication in construction projects ...............................32
Chapter 5..............................................................................................................................................................36
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................36
5.1 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................................36
5.2 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................36
5.3 Future Research Directions ......................................................................................................................37
Reference ............................................................................................................................................................38
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page vii

LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 1Project communication ...........................................................................................................................13

Figure 2 Communication flows (Adapted from Smit & Cronje, 2002) .................................................................15
Figure 3 The three communication channels of the project manager (Adopted from Keyton, 2011) ................19
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page viii

List of table
Table 1 Population, Sampling Techniques and sample size ................................................................................. 26
Table 2 Demograhic profile of respondent ......................................................................................................... 29
Table 3 Descriptive Statistics of communication management system .............................................................. 30
Table 4 Descriptive Statistics of communication channels .................................................................................. 31
Table 5 Descriptive statistics of barriers of communication in construction projects ........................................ 32
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page ix

Abstract
The construction industry is project based with teams assembled from various parties. With the
increased complexity of projects, particularly construction projects, and tighter Schedules
imposed, communication and information management systems become increasingly important.
Completion of every construction project needs not only material labor, which is carried out on
communication labor that produces construction commodity by both skilled and unskilled labor
Communication is an important and essential skill for managerial tool in the construction industry
All the various stages of construction rely on professionals transferring appropriate and relevant
information to develop a buildable design that meets the client’s requirements. As the project
unfolds and the design is realized, information in the form of drawings, specifications and
construction methods must be communicated from one expert to another. Therefore, using an
appropriate communication method and communication medium to resolve construction and
design problems is essential. In order to fully appreciate communication in wolkite town
construction industry, we were articulated different question for the research and the research
sampled 20 professionals working with project manager, consultants, project clients and
contractors. The research established that within the wolkite town construction project, there
is a strong appreciation of the importance of project communication and its importance within the
industry. Indeed, various levels and channels of communications have been established within the
construction industry notably the communication between the clients and consultants or
consultants and contractors. In spite of that, there have been many hindrances to effective
communication on construction projects in wolkite town. These includes; Poor planning, poor
listeners, poor leadership, unclear communication objectives, unclear channels of communication,
ineffective reporting system, ineffective communication between the parties on the project,
stereotyping and language difficulties. Finally, the research established that poor communication
had resulted in project delays, project cost overrun and project abandonment. Project
communications was also shown to strongly affect the performance of professionals within the
construction industry. This research paper contains introduction, literature review, methodology,
data presentation and analysis, conclusion and recommendation.
Keywords
Communication Management, Communication System, Construction Projects,

Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page x
CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Construction is the process of making buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and related
activities available to the end of their useful life. It mostly starts with planning, financing, and
designing, and continues until the asset is built and available for use. Construction includes repair
and maintenance work, all work for asset expansion, and improvement, as well as final demolition
or decommissioning.
One of the main problems in construction projects is poor communication. Communication is an

important process that involves the transfer of information between a sender and a receiver over a
medium. This process is considered successful when the receiver understands the message and
provides timely and appropriate feedback to the sender. This process is dynamic and complex and
involves multiple organizations and stakeholders. Effective communication is essential throughout
the lifecycle of a project, as its role in the success of a project cannot be underestimated.
Communication skills are very important for effective communication because skills and
experience alone are not enough. Poor communication, described as poor interaction between
project participants, is a common problem in the construction industry. Project failure is directly
related to the lack of communication, which is considered one of the biggest problems in the
construction industry (Olaniran, 2015)
Communication is critical during project execution. It is essential at all stages of construction,

including design, production, organization, and management (Mehra, 2009). For any given project
to be successful, various professionals in the construction industry must communicate effectively.
The efficiency of construction is determined by the quality of relationships between clients,

professionals, contractors, and subcontractors. In other words, construction issues are a
communication issue (Zulch, 2014). An ineffective communication system results in a
demotivated workforce, design errors, a slowdown in the entire job, and production failure
(Barret, 2002). In other words, information must be transferred and comprehended in order for the
various aspects of the project to be assembled in order to realize the design.
1.2 Statement of the problem

Construction industry is a complex, diversified, and fragmented in nature whereby it is distributed
over a large area, involves many parties, and the projects comprises of many activities and sub-
activities (Dainty, 2006). Hence, communication exhibits complexity and it is not performed in a
timely and effective method (Pérez, 2017). Additionally, the project information is not delivered
on a proper channeling, satisfying accuracy, and lacks of appropriate generation, inefficient
storage and distribution (Crowe, 2005; Fichet & Giraud, 2007). Poor communication also appears
in internal and external communication of the companies and seriously hampered the overall
Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page 1
project performance (Xie et al., 2010). Furthermore, poor and ineffective communication is
attributed directly or indirectly to cause many challenges to the construction projects such as cost
and time overruns, poor quality, lack of safety, rework, dispute among parties, improper
coordination between project parties, and failure of the projects (Alaghbari et al., 2007; Memon &
Ismail, 2014; Brandt, 2017). Hence, parties engage in construction projects require an effective
communication to disseminate information especially during the construction stage. The
importance of communication in construction projects cannot be overstated, as numerous
professionals in the construction industry must communicate effectively in order for any given
project to succeed. In construction management, a lack of effective communication and the
application n of communication skills results in project outcomes that do not meet project
objectives. One of the causes of construction
project failures is an ineffective communication management system or a lack of available
instructions or technical information during project delivery.
According to (BRE, 2011)there are numerous issues associated with inadequate of effective
communication, such as a unmotivated workforce, incompleteness of the design, a project's pre-
construction phase problem, a slowdown in the entire job, poorly detailed drawings, and
disruptions in project executions, and inexperienced interpretation of work drawings. These
problems result in construction project delays, poor quality of construction, and project
completion budget overruns. Poor communication also results in unfavorable outcomes which
include frustration, confusion, discouragement, and agitated environment wherein construction
parties are not motivated to be productive and inspired to collaborate amongst them
Even so, most research on the industry has focused primarily on the impact of factors such as
procurement activities, health and safety, access to credit, performance improvement, and so on;
very little has been done on other areas such as assessing construction communication
management and how it affects the Ethiopian construction industry
1.3. Research Questions

This study aims at addressing the following research questions.
a. What are the major causes of poor communication management in building construction
project?
b. What are the impacts of poor communication management in building construction?
c. What are the possible measures to minimize the impact of poor communication management in
building construction?
1.4 General Objective
The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of poor communication management on building
construction projects in Wolkite town.

1.1.4 Specific objective

 To identifying the root cause of poor communication management in building construction
projects.
 To assess the impact of inadequate communication management in building construction
projects.
 To identify possible actions to minimize the impact of lack of communication management
of building projects
1.5 Significance of the Study

The paper primarily serves us to achieve the requirement for the partial fulfillment of B.Sc. degree
in Construction Technology and Management. In addition it demonstrates communication
management trends of construction projects in Wolkite town by assessing various points and
forwarding potential recommendations and solutions for projects. It can be used as a resource for
others who want to learn more about communication management in construction projects.
1.6 Scope of the research

The study was limited to the examination of communication management in Wolkite town.
It was focused on the construction industry. The construction industry in Wokite Town includes all
players involved in the construction of buildings. The study focused on the players in the construction
industry. This study was likely to cover the period from the start of the project's construction to the
present.
1.7 Limitation of the Study

Due to inflation, many projects are not working; we are having difficulty finding a running project.
Poor data management and documentation system of the construction project caused difficulties
in getting appropriate and relevant data on hand, Lack of financial resource and time constraint,
Lack of willingness of employees to respond the questionnaire are some of the expected limitations
of this study.

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
The right to communication is a basic human right, which points to every human beings basic
need to express what he or she thinks about any matter. It is essential to that morality of
inter-subjectivity whose prime characteristic is the relationship and also sets freedom,
equality, and solidarity above all else. Since all democratic relationships presuppose
interactions that are mutual, there can be no relationship without dialogue. To enter into
relationships, to establish communities, to survive, people must communicate. Genuine
communication is therefore a basic human need like food, clothing and shelter (Johnson, 2012).
Individual members within a group of professionals therefore need to communicate with each
other in order to accomplish their production and social functions within the organizations.
All the various stages of construction rely on professionals transferring appropriate and relevant
information to develop a buildable design that meets the clients requirements.
As the project unfolds and the design is realized, information in the form of drawings,
specifications and construction methods must be communicated from one expert to
another. In other words information must be transferred and understood so that the various
aspects of the project can be assemble do realize the design. (Gorse, 2003)
This chapter deals about the literature review. It provides a brief definition and explanation about
Communication, Characteristics, Types, Purpose and Objectives of Project Communication, Role
of Project Communication, Communication in Construction Industry, Project Communication
Management, Project communication levels, Information distribution, Communication Channels,
Patterns of communication with in construction industry, Significance of Communication
Management for project success, Effective Communication Management, and Barriers to Effective
Communication in construction.
2.2 Communication Defined

Communication is the process of sharing ideas, information, and messages with others in a
particular time and place. Communication includes writing and talking, as well as nonverbal
communication (such as facial expressions, body language, or gestures), visual communication
(the use of images or pictures, such as painting, photography, video or film) and electronic

communication (telephone calls, electronic mail, cable television, or satellite broadcasts).

Communication is a vital part of personal life and is also important in business, education, and any
other situations where people encounter each other (Hoezen, 2006, july).
To better understand communication process, as it is stated by (Kliem, 2007) the process of

communication is consistent with the sender, receiver, message and medium. First, the sender
develops the message to be sent to the receiver, while the receiver is informed and then deals with
the message accordingly. Furthermore, the medium of communication can be in any format that is
relevant to the project environment, and finally, the message is the core of this process as it initiates
the relationship between the sender and the receiver.
In terms of projects, to communicate is to exchange and emphasize the project-related information

and data to create mutual understanding between the participants (Rani, 2007). Communication
is a leading key to maintaining project parties well-informed of the progress, as well as to keep
them on track to achieve project objective. It was confirmed by many
researchers that communication plays a major role for projects, and effective communication is an
essential factor of project success (Zulch, 2014).
2.3 Characteristics of Communication

Some of the characteristics of communication according to (Tipili, 2014, June) are as follows;
 Communication is a process – it is continuous, on-going, and dynamic

 Communication requires a sender and a receiver
 Communication has information (message/content)
 Communication requires a medium (symbols, signs, behavior, speech, writing, or signals)
 Communication requires shared understanding – all parties understanding the same thing
the same way
 Communication is transactional and irreversible
2.4 Types of Communication

Types of communication in the construction project, from individuals to corporation are listed
below.

2.4.1 Inter Personal Communications

Interpersonal communication generally refers to the process of communicating between two or
more people. An interpersonal channel is one that involves a face-to-face exchange between a
source and receiver. Some writers refers to interpersonal communication in a group context, there
are arguably May differences between the patterns of interaction manifested between individuals
in comparison to groups of people (Gorse, 2003). The way in which one person will
attempt to communicate with another will depend upon how they assume that the recipient will
interpret and respond to the information they wish to transmit to them. Effective interpersonal
communication at all levels is, however, always crucial to the performance of construction
projects.
2.4.2 Group and team communication

Construction project activity is a collectivist Endeavour. This means that will inevitably involve
groups of people with different skills, knowledge and abilities working together, which each will
ideally make a distinct contribution to the overall production activity. For example, consider a
project team managing a construction of a large building for contracting organization. This will
involve a range of construction managers with responsibility the various packages of work,
quantity surveyors overseeing the commercial aspects of the Endeavour, site engineers responsible
for setting out the works, first line supervisors dealing directly with the work force and sub-
contractors and a project manager overseeing and coordinating the work of the team and
maintaining the relationship with the designers and client organizations. Each person will have
distinct responsibilities, but this will support and complement those of their colleagues. Groups of
people working together in this way are often referred to as being members of “team”, which infers
that they work together in a way that synergistically utilizes their skills and knowledge. However,
if they fail to communicate effectively, then they will be unable to exploit their collective talents
and could instead operate less effectively as disparate ‘work group’. In this chapter, the way in
which people work together in groups and teams within the industry is the explored. Initially,
internal team communication dynamics is considered, before exploring inter-group
communication in terms of how teams communicate with their external environment (Gorse, 2003).

2.4.3 Organizational communication

Communication can be regarded as the ‘substance’ of everyday organizational life although
information technology can facilitate communication; effective information flow is ultimately
achieved through effective interaction amongst people who operate within the context of their
groups, teams and networks. Such interaction is neither random nor accidental, but is contained
within structures or organizations which, inter alia, channel communications between people
Organizational communication in terms of the ways in which people communicate within and
across the boundaries of the firm. This will inevitably involve information flow across
professional, departmental, team and/or functional boundaries and so it accounts for some
extremely complex processes of interaction, especially within larger and more complex
organizations.
2.4.4 Corporate Communication

Defining ‘corporate communication’ is difficult because it is nebulous and all-encompassing term
which will mean dissimilar things to different organization. Academics and scholars place different
emphases on certain aspects of corporate communication to practitioners and so there remains a
definite tension between theory and practices The common dominator, however, is that most
definitions refers to the importance of communicating a positive image for the entity concerned.
2.5 Purpose and Objectives of Project Communication

The purpose of all Project communication is to:
 Promote awareness of and excitement for the project

 Ensure adoption of the responsibilities and actions assigned to each stakeholder, and
 Encourage two-way communication about the project between the project team and
agency stakeholder groups
2.6 Role of Project Communication

The improvement of project communication processes and technologies on different functional
levels may change the organization of future projects and how its business activities and work
routines are designed, planned and performed. This can for example help enabling just-in-time
deliveries and the more industrialized and rational business processes that the construction industry
in fact is striving for. On-demand access and mobility of information, enhanced communication

components of this development process. The full recognition and determination to improve
collaborative communication and information exchange throughout all project phases will
probably have considerable effects on the industrialization process of construction projects. These
issues have lately started to become a focal point for the construction industry. That is a welcomed
change of attitude in a project based industry that historically has seemed to have taken appropriate
project communication practices for granted.
Clearly, organizations that communicate more effectively have more successful projects. Findings
show that high performers are more effective communicators. Thus, it is no surprise that highly-
effective communicators are five times more likely to be high performers than minimally-effective
communicators.
2.7 Communication in Construction Industry

In the construction industry, project information is extensively and inclusively exchanged
throughout the duration of project planning and executing. It was outlined that communication is
highly required whenever a project is implemented by and involves humans. Studies confirmed
that project managers spend about 90% of their time communicating with the involved parties to
the project (Čulo, 2010).To Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin (2014), the project’s
final results are directly affected by the communication and coordination of the project processes
that seek to meet client’s expectations, cost resources and completion date. Thus, (PMI,2013c)
indicated that 55% of project managers identify effective communication as the main pivotal factor
for project success. Therefore, it is a major need to manage and coordinate the exchange of this
information among participants (Melzner et al, 2015). Additionally, is it critical to improve
communication in the construction industry to increase innovation and positive decision making
(Hoezen, 2006, july), and to avoid misunderstanding that causes conflicts of
incorrect messages exchanged that result in project failure (Zulch, 2014).
2.8 Communication Management

Communication management is this substantial area of project management, as it designates the
heart of project management that has been emerging notably due to the significant effect on the
projects, including construction projects. (PMI, 2013a) defined it as the fundamental knowledge
area of project management that determines the required processes to be carried out to properly
generate, collect, distribute, store and retrieve the project information in a timely manner. Prior to

managing all the harmonized forms for internally and externally communicating used altogether
to achieve effective results. Literature indicated the nature of project communication management
as a systematic process, while it systematically performs controls and reviews the used
communication channel of the project, and it accurately organizes and distributes the instructions
of communication (Elving et al. 2012).
The processes of communication management help to approach a key connection between the
involved individuals and the needed information for fulfilling communication success (Caltrans
,2007). As a result, studies illustrated how project communication management be useful and the
project, where it was indicated that it assists in developing a project communication plan,
effectively use relevant methods to disseminate information and to document the project records
for future needs (Ahuja, 2015)
2.9 Project Communication Management

The management of project communication consists of the processes required to ensure timely and
appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval and ultimately disposal of project
information. Project managers spend the majority of their time communicating with team members
and other stakeholders, either internally within or externally to the organization (PMBOK, 2008).
The process to follow in the management of communication for effective projects is:
- Identify stakeholders.
- Plan communications.
- Distribute information.
- Manage stakeholder expectations.
- Report performance (PMBOK, 2008).
Effective communication is fundamental to project management. Effective communication creates

a bridge between diverse stakeholders involved in a project, connecting various cultural and
organizational backgrounds, different levels of expertise and various perspectives and interests in
the project execution or outcome It is estimated that project managers and project team members
spend about 90% of their working time engaged in some form of communication, be it meetings,
writing emails, reading reports, or talking to project stakeholders (burke, 2006).

(burke, 2006)sttess that the project’s communication plan, status report, variance report trends
reports, earned value reports, exception reports and monthly reports are documents that the project
manager can apply as instruments to communicate effectively. Add meeting agendas and meeting
minutes as instruments as well.
(Kerzner Harold, 1987) states effective communication ensures that people send the right
information to the right persons at the right time and in a cost-effective manner. States that
effective communication is the key to ensure coordination and integration in projects.
Communication is important for all business activities. Effective communication in
organizations supplies a positive contribution to construction projects, that increase production
and improve motivation of team members
In project management different levels of experience and responsibilities are expected from people
involved. A critical factor in the success of corporate projects is communication protocol that
stipulates clear lines of competencies and responsibilities (Knipe et al., 2002).
(Zack 2004, CD) states that project communications management are those processes required to
collect and distribute appropriate information concerning the project to the proper recipients in a
timely manner. The one area of communication management where a skilled cost engineer is likely
to excel is project performance reporting. Project communication management provides the critical
linking of people, ideas and information that is necessary for success For projects to succeed there
is a continuous need for effective communication to issue instructions, solve problems, make
decisions, resolve conflicts, and keep all stakeholders involved with the project supplied with the
latest information (Burke, 2010)
2.10 Types of communication documents

There are several types of communication documents. The communication plan should include a
detailed description of the document, the purpose and the frequency of communication (Morris,
2008).The contract documentation in construction also prescribes communication links and
obligations of parties and agents thus ensuring effective communication According to
(Morris,2008) the following documents are some of the project documents. Not all are planned to
be used for the duration of a project, but may be of value to know and be used if necessary. Status
updates reports include emails to stakeholders, sponsors and the project team, or weekly reports to

report on the progress. Status reports are formal documents. Agendas of meetings are emailed to
the project team two days prior to the meeting to prepare team members for participation during
the meeting. Meeting notes are available to absent team members and the project team, who have
not attended the meetings as needed. The project plan forms part of the status report. It should be
communicated weekly to show the time frames and tasks to the project team, as well as the task to
do list for each resource. The budget gives information on the financial status of the project to the
project sponsors weekly and/or monthly the type of communication document determines the
communication skill needed by the construction project manager, in order to use the documents
effectively to manage a project successfully.
2.11 Communication planning

According to (Morris, 2008) part of the communication plan is a description of types of
communication documents as well as the purpose and the frequency of these communication
documents. The project manager and project office are at the heart of the project’s information and
control system. It is the project manager’s responsibility to develop not only the project’s
organizational structure, but to develop the project’s communication plan and lines of
communication (Burke, 2007). A formal communication plan should be compiled to identify how
stakeholder opinions and actions will be managed (Engel Brecht, 2010).
The purpose of the Communication Management Plan is to define the communication

requirements for the project and how information will be distributed to and feedback received from
all stakeholders. The Communication Management Plan is a working document that defines the
following:
- Stakeholder communication requirements

- Analysis, design, development and evaluation of communications
- Identification and best use of communication vehicles
- Handling recurring and triggered communications
- Communication standards for the project
- Completion and use of the Communication Matrix
This Communication Management Plan sets the communications framework for the project. It
serves as a guide for communications throughout the life of the project. This is a working

document and will be updated as communication needs change. This plan identifies and defines
the stakeholders of Project with whom it is critical to communicate. It also contains the
Communication Matrix which maps specific messages to stakeholders or stakeholder groups. The
items captured on the Communications Matrix are then built into the Project Schedule
2.12 Project communication plan

The communication plan should outline the following:
 Who (lines of communication – sender and receiver – responsibility and authority).

 What (scope of communication and format). How (email, document, telephone, meeting,
presentation).
 When (schedule). Feedback (confirms message received and understood – document
control).
 Filing (retrieval, storing, disaster recovery) (Burke, 2003).
It is advisable that a communication plan is agreed upon in advance in order to provide a clear
direction to all parties involved, particularly for complex projects (CIOB, 2010).The development
of a communication plan should focus on facilitating the process of keeping the key stakeholders
informed of the projects progress and to promote the project by making it visible at all times
2.13 Project organizational structure

Organizations are structured in such a way as to achieve the goals and objectives. There are two
basic structures. Firstly, the bureaucratic structure that is arranged in a pyramidal hierarchy, with
authority increasing from one level to the other, as one moves up in the organization. This pyramid
gives employees an indication of what to do, their responsibilities, level of authority and how many
subordinates report to whom. The authority lies in the position rather than in the people who
occupy it. Secondly, the matrix structure that breaks the unity of command where every employee
has one person to report to. This structure allows flexibility and involvement, which leads to
greater motivation and teamwork (van Riel, 1995).
The bureaucratic structure may be the best solution in some situations of communicating a
problem, while in other situations the matrix structure is needed. This implies that the most
effective organizational structure for a construction project manager is to apply a structure that

managers when appointed to a project (Burke, 2010) and implies the contractual authority given
by the employer. The organizational structures and the lines of communication are important for
the effective flow of information
2.14 Project communication levels

Communication does not function in isolation but within a process. It is thus important to review
internal and external communication levels between members of an organization in order to
achieve a mutual goal or goals. (Le Roux et al. 1999) suggest that project communication takes
place on two levels, namely internally and externally (Peltoniemi and Jokinen,2006 CD) refer to
project communication as intra-project communication and extra-project communication. The
construction project manager needs skills to communicate effectively with both the internal and
external parties involved in the project
Figure 1 Project communication
2.14.1 Internal communication

To achieve project goals, it is necessary to communicate or interact at various levels during the
project. This is known as internal communication. Internal or intra-project communication takes
place between parties involved in the project, such as the client, contractor and team members
According to (Le Roux et al. 1999) and (Dow and Taylor 2008) different methods of internal
communication exist:
Oral communication takes place in the form of meetings, discussion groups, talks, interviews,
announcements and conversations, both face to face and over the telephone. Written
communication takes place by means of letters, emails, circulars, memoranda and minutes oF
meetings. Non-verbal communication may convey powerful messages in the business world by
means of gestures, appearance or attitudes. Electronic communication makes it possible to send
messages all over the world at a very high speed. Messages may be sent and received using
computer terminals, electronic mail (email) and fax facilities. Visual communication takes place
by means of presentations, DVDs and videos.
2.14.2 External communication

Members have to communicate with individuals or groups who are not members of the
organization or project. This is referred to as external communication. External communication
takes place between parties that are not directly involved in the project, for example the
community.
According to (Le Roux et al. 1999) every member of an organization is involved in communicating
with customers, shareholders, the media and members of the public on a daily basis. The external
communication of each of these members of the organization conveys a particular image of the
organization to the outside world (Le Roux et al., 1999)
2.15 Lines of communication

At the start of a project, it is important to determine the lines of communication and the methods
of managing information (Fisk & Reynolds, 2010). (Smit and Cronje 2002) propose two primary
lines of communication, namely formal communication and informal communication.
According to (Smit and Cronje, 2002) and (Tubbs and Moss, 2008) formal communication flows
in four directions. Downward communication starts at the top and flows down through the project
levels to workers. The major purpose of downward communication is to provide information on
goals, strategies and policies to subordinates. Downward communication is likely to be filtered,

modified, or halted at each level as managers decide what should be passed down to employees
(Campbell, 2011;Fielding, 2005)(Smit & Cronje, 2002)When employees send a message to
superiors, upward communication takes place. The main function of upward communication is to
supply information to the upper levels about what is happening at the lower levels
Horizontal/lateral communication takes place between people on the same level of the hierarchy
and is designed to ensure or improve coordination of the work effort. It is formal communication,
but does not follow the chain of command. Effective horizontal communication should prevent
tunnel vision in the organization (Campbell, 2011; Fielding, 2005; Smit & Cronje, 2002).
Diagonal communication takes place between people at different levels of the hierarchy and is
usually designed to provide information, coordination or assistance to either or both parties
(Campbell, 2011; Fielding, 2005; Smit & Cronje, 2002). (Gronstedt 2000) adds external
communication as a formal communication direction. It takes place between the project team and
people who are not part of the project. It is the responsibility of the project manager to empower
and support the project team. The next Figure shows the lines of communication in a project.
Information flows from the project manager through the hierarchy of the project team to, for
example, the foreman.
Figure 2 Communication flows (Adapted from Smit & Cronje, 2002)
Downward communication flows from the project manager to the team involved in the project.
Upward communication, for example, happens when the sales representative reports to the

marketing manager. Horizontal communication involves interaction between people on the same
level, for example the marketing manager and the financial manager communicate with each other
and diagonal communication takes place between people on different levels such as interaction
between the financial manager and the foreman of the project. The four directions of the flow of
communication are shown in Figure 3.
The position in the hierarchy of project management is important, because the position determines
the skills needed to communicate effectively. The construction project manager needs to know
how to communicate effectively with each team member at a specific level, therefore also needs
different communication skills to communicate effectively.
In respect of construction communication lines the contract documents, as formal agreements, also
prescribe the links, authority, obligations and rights of the parties and their representatives (Berry,
2012).
(William,2010) states that the best way to avoid disputes during and after a construction project is
to provide open lines of communication between project stakeholders in order to solve problems
and disputes quickly before they lead to costly arbitrations or litigation. The flow of
communication between different people on a project indicates the skills needed to communicate
effectively. Lines of communication in the project should be short and well established.
Informal communication uses the channels such as the grapevine, (rumours Tubbs & Moss, 2008),
informal social groupings and phobic communication (Van Staden et al., 2002).The grapevine
constitutes informal and unofficial communication in which information is based on facts or
rumors (Fielding, 2005; Van Staden et al., 2002). It may begin with anyone in the organization
and may flow in any direction. The grapevine’s prime function is to disseminate information to
employees (both managerial and non-managerial) that is relevant to the needs. Rumors and the
grapevine are not the same. Rumors are information without a factual base (Smit & Cronje,
2002).Informal social groupings refer to groups formed among fellow workers during work time
or after hours to discuss staff issues (Van Staden et al., 2002) The deduction may be made that it
may be a good idea for the construction project manager to form part of these groupings, in order
to know what is said on the ground and to get in touch with people’s feelings and needs.
Phobic communication involves the use of words to convey feeling rather than meaning. Words
are used as a formula for opening a conversation and to establish good interpersonal or social

relationships. A conversation serves to maintain good interpersonal relationships and rapport.

Phobic communication contributes towards a culture of openness and cooperation between team
members and the manager (Van Staden et al., 2002). Informal communication takes place without
influence from the project manager, but influences the project manager’s effectiveness.
The lines of communication, formal and informal, are also evidence of how communication takes
place in the construction project industry. The construction project manager, as the communicator
in the property development and construction industry, needs communication skills to
communicate effectively
2.16 Information distribution

Process to make information available to project stakeholders as planned includes implementing
the communications management plan, as well as responding to unexpected requests for
information.
Tools and Techniques used are:

 Communications Methods
 Information Distribution Tools
 Output is Organizational Process Assets Updates.
 The organizational process assets that may be updated include:
 Stakeholder notifications
 Project reports
 Project presentations
 Project records
 Feedback from stakeholders
 Lessons learned documentation
2.16.1 Reporting project performance

Describe the project ‘of internal and external reporting, reporting schedule, and informational
requirements for each report. Reports should never substitute for ongoing communication
between the project manager, project team, client senior management, and/or any other project
stakeholder needing information. Include descriptions and distribution policies for items such as
Status reporting– It is best practice for the project manager to distribute formal project Status
Project schedule – The project schedule documents key goals of the project and tasks to be
accomplished and controls the progress of the project
2.16.2 Manage stakeholders

The project manager must understand and build a working relationship with various stakeholders.
They should specifically address how communication gains satisfy the needs and expectations of
the stakeholders. To assist with managing stakeholders and provide the project sponsor with
guidelines to measure scope, time, and cost goals an expectation management matrix will be
created to clarify expectations.
Another tool helps manage Stakeholders and also resolve project issue log. The issue log will be
kept on file by the project manager. The issue log will be electronic and hardcopy will be kept as
a backup method. The log will include: Issue number, is description, impact on project, date
reported, reported by (whom), assigned to (who handled the issue), priority (H.M.L) high, medium,
low, due date, status (open, closed) and additional comments.
Stakeholders should be notified at changes and progress on a weekly basis. A formal meeting will
be held monthly to discuss progress, plans, scope, goals, budget concerns, etc. stakeholders will
be able to access project manager or project sponsor via email and phone. Occasional email chat
will be available to discuss issues. Email etiquette is enforced. If immediate attention is needed,
the project manager or project sponsor should be notified immediately)
2.17 Communication Channels

During a project, communication can occur in various directions depending on who is
communicating. There is upward communication to management from your own organization and
the customer’s organization. Lateral communication takes place with customers and within project
teams. Machinery needs to be put in place for further communication to take place, either
downward communication (from superior to sub-ordinate), horizontal communication (between
colleagues) or upward communication (from sub-ordinates to superior). (Mehra,2009) stated that
communication will always involve more than one person.

Figure 3 the three communication channels of the project manager (Adopted from Keyton, 2011)
2.18 Patterns of communication with in construction industrys

Good communications is one of the main prerequisites for the smooth and profitable running of
any organization. This is particularly so in the construction industry as communication in the
industry according to (Shutt, 1992) is often hampered for the following reasons:
a) Lack of co-operation and early consultation between the various stages of construction, i.e
client’s conception stages, design stages, planning and other legislative approvals, erection stage.
b) The increasing proportion of subcontract labor (if nominated) over which the main contractor
has no direct control.

c) The problem of the erection site being far from the specialist head office functions often leads
to instructions being issued by phone, rather than more concise written instructions being given.
2.19 Communication at conception/ design stage

At this stage, communication is between the client (owner) and the consultants are a continuous
process from inception to completion of the project. The client’s statement of requirements which
include information such as the size of building, nature of building, funds available, building
function and timely intention of the project will be made available to the consultants.
As stated earlier by (Shut,1992), it is the lack of early consultation and cooperation that has
hampered communication and subsequently timely project delivery. The architect prepare a
general outline of client requirements after carrying out feasibility studies with the other
consultants and communicates it to the rest of the members of the design team for collective action
As soon as the client approval is obtained, the architect and the engineer start preparing the
working drawings, schedule and specification at the same time seeking the opinion of the quantity
surveyor who sees to the cost implication at the project to see if the project design is still within
approved budget
2.20 Communication during approval by the planning authority

The role of the construction industry in the society is to satisfy the wants of the consumers in terms
of construction projects, whether they are houses, places of work, entertainment, or transportation
routes (Shutt, 1992). To this end, approval from the planning Authorities can be considered at two
levels.
Structure plans
These look at the overall area in relation to its surroundings and lay down policies within the areas
of employment, transport, recreation, housing, industry, population and education. These plans are
not detailed, but tend to be proposed statements of policy for the area with regard to the various
considerations (Shutt, 1992).
Local plans
These are prepared to examine in detail the local area under construction and to prevent problems
that might arise from complications due to conflicts on planning applications. It would be not be
imprudent, for example, to proceed with a planning application for a extension to a

affect the factory. All development plans are available for inspection at Local Authority Planning
offices to forestall problems with certain clauses in the Building Regulations (Shutt, 1992).
2.21 Communication between design team and building team

On nearly every job, certain difficulties arise, usually practical difficulties in construction to certain
detailed drawing. These problems in many cases could have been overcome, had there been
consultation between the architect and builder at an earlier stage. (Shutt,1992) stated that builders
are seldom aware of many such problems until the job has progressed considerably, because of the
usual procedure of issuing detailed drawings long after the project has started. This point alone
raises communication problems, in that the builder may have to order purpose-made component,
and the project could be delayed during their manufacture.
On the other hand, many builders cause a lot of delays. There are many situations where it is
obvious to the builder or site agent that he is going to have to seek the architect’s advice or ask for
details about certain points, but it is not mentioned until such a late stage that delay occurs
2.22Communication within contractor’s organization

Within a building company, the type of communication system and the speed with which it works
are to a large extent a function of the size of the organization (Shutt, 1992). The smaller the
company, the faster information will be disseminated. With large companies, a communication
network has to be developed that ensure that the information necessary for decision-making gets
to where it may be wanted. This can sometimes lead to overload “in” trays with the majority of
the information being irrelevant to the particular department
2.23Communication between parties on site

The construction site is the place where the efforts made by the design team in visualizing the
client’s requirements will be put into practice and the client’s dream made a reality. Site meetings
are the regular meetings held on site to discuss the progress of the project to date, the difficulties
and delays arising from the project at hand.
According to (Shutt,1992), communication on site between the parties can be greatly improved
with the aid of site meetings. All the relevant parties like the architect, contract manager, general

communication on site include weekly reports, which are a complete record summarizing daily
happenings on site for the week and recorded by the clerk of works.
2.24Communication key to productive construction

(Parker,1980) indicated that construction productivity is directly related to the amount and quality
of communication that flows between those people who are managing and those who are doing
the work. Parker's work is fascinating, taking into consideration the uniqueness of construction
projects and the uniqueness of construction workers, including the difference between the physical
object, plan and specification. This indicates the difference between the construction industry and
other industries. His study can be related to the contemporary communication theory that examines
various aspects of human communication. The effects of communication and employees'
participation on efficiency, job satisfaction, employees' attitudes, management attitudes or
behavior can be linked with this theory. (Halterman,1968), each provide outlines and views about
the relationships between managers and employees and communication and control within the
administered organization. These authors combine a system and operation in a way that allows for
many existing disparate, discrete thoughts about the concept of human communication.
2.25 Significance of Communication Management for Project Success

Communication management is broadly described in the literature mainly due to the great
importance that is attributed to this area of project management and because of its impact on the
success of the project Effective communication management within virtual project teams is of
paramount importance and a fundamental competency that, if properly executed, connects every
member of a project team, so that they can work together to achieve the project’s objectives. If
communication is not managed effectively and fully understood by Project Managers, project
outcomes may be at risk.
Effective project communications ensure that the right information reaches the right person at the
right time and in a cost-effective manner. Communication is the key to keeping team members,
managers, and stakeholders informed and on track to pursue the project objectives, as well as to
identifying issues, risks, misunderstandings, and all other challenges to project completion.
Effective communication is a critical element of team effectiveness, both in traditional and virtual
teams (Mehra, 2009)

Poor communication during projects affects the schedule, the cost, the safety of workers and the
project quality. Improved communication by the project manager may lead to less failure,
innovation and technical solutions, positively influencing the quality and leading to better decision
making (Komi &Tihinen, 2005)
To be able to complete construction projects the conclusion may be that each of the parties
involved should have a thorough understanding of what is required. Information becomes essential
to each of the parties involved in project management and such information results from effective
communication.
2.26 Effective Communication Management

Effective Communication Management refers to systematic initiatives directed towards planning,
monitoring and controlling all communication channels within an organization. Aspects of
communication management include developing corporate communication strategies, designing
internal and external communications directives, and managing the flow of information, including
online communication (Johnson, 2012). Communication management in projects in many ways is
a proactive endeavor from management side to manage the expectations and requirements of all
stakeholder groups involved in the project.
Effective communication management signifies a process in which multiple types of

communications are delivered in such a way that the objective for which the communication is
released is achieved to the maximum extent. In a project context, as mentioned by (Kerzner,1987),
the definition of effective communication includes the following essential factors: (a) an exchange
of information, (b) an act or instance of transmitting information, (c) verbal or a written message,
(d) a technique for expressing ideas effectively, and (e) a process by which meanings are
exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols.
Effective communication management in the case of stakeholder relationship management is a

process of effective information exchange is about ensuring that the project or other activity
receives the information it needs to manage stakeholder expectations and ensure that the work is
progressing in the best way possible. It is also about providing each stakeholder, particularly the
most important stakeholders, with the information they need to believe that their expectations are
known and being delivered (Bourne, 2016).

2.27 Barriers to Effective Communication in construction

Effective communication results in both sender and receiver achieving mutual understanding, and
communication are made efficient when mutual understanding is achieved at minimum resource
expenditure (Olaniran, 2015). To achieve effective and efficient safety communications and
maximum benefit from a total safety communication management system, management and
employees should attempt to remove all barriers. There are 6 main barriers as follows:
2.27.1 Absence of feedback

Feedback informs the sender if the receiver requires further safety information or safety issue
clarification. If feedback is not provided communication effectiveness is reduced and management
assumes that mutual understanding of the safety issues has been achieved (Gibson et al. 1994,
Thomas et al. 1998). Feedback ensures management can take proactive action, educate and
reinforce safety issues.
2.27.2 Frame of reference and selective listening

A sender or receivers frame of reference will mean they encode, decode and interpret messages
differently dependent on their education, relationship with sender or receiver, attitude and
experience. Safety communication effectiveness and efficiency can be reduced if sender or
receiver experience frame of reference problems, as mutual understanding will not be achieved
(Gibson et al. 1994). Another problem experienced is selective listening, which involves the
receiver ignoring any safety information that conflicts with their perception of safety issues,
preventing mutual understanding and only partial communication of the safety message.
2.27.3 Sender credibility

If the receiver does not see the sender as a credible source of safety information premature value
judgments will be made and mutual understanding will be prevented (Gibson et al. 1994). Sender
credibility is influenced by trust, confidence, and past experience and takes a long time to develop.
It needs to be maintained by management to achieve any degree of safety communication
improvement.
2.27.4 Technical language and jargon

Communication involves the sender transmitting the safety message in symbols which are

interpreted by the receiver. If the receiver does not attach the same meaning to the symbols as the
sender, mutual understanding will not occur (Gibson et al. 1994, Bowditch and (Buono, 1994).
The construction industry is well known for technical jargon. However, if used to communicate
safety information to those with no past experience, confusion and misunderstanding may occur.
2.27.5 Filtering
Filtering of upward communication so management perceives the safety situation on site as
positive is very common within the construction industry. This is because the safety situation is
poor (Gibson et al. 1994, Thomas et al. 1998). Filtering ensures the middle and lower level
management are seen to be performing well but provides upper level management with an
inaccurate scenario of the true situation, preventing proactive action to improve safety
communication and control on site until an incident occurs.
2.27.6 Status differences

In the construction industry, where sub-contracting is heavily utilized, management status
differences can lead to a number of problems. Receivers of lower status can perceive management
as more knowledgeable and accept safety messages without questions or feedback (Gibson et al.
1994). Also management may dismiss feedback from those of lower status by adopting a ‘what do
they know’ attitud

CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter explains the procedures and method employed to fulfill the objective of the study. Itentai
ls the availability and selection of appropriate research design; Data Collection, Population
and Sample Techniques and method that helped address the key questions raised
3.2 Research Design

The design that was used for the study was descriptive design. It refers to set of method and
procedures that describes communication management variables. Descriptive research use a
scientific method and procedures to collect raw data and create data structures that describe the
existing characteristics. This research design was the appropriate one because it provides an
opportunity of collecting data from various sources such as Project Managers, Architects, and
project supervisors.
3.3 Population, Sampling Techniques and sample size

The survey targeted on stakeholder who had sufficient working experience in the construction
industry or and stake holder which participate in wolkite town construction project such as
Project Consultancy Firms and/or Agencies, Building Contractors, Quantity Surveyors, Civil
Engineers, Structural Engineers, Project Managers and Architects, project supervisors. The
statistical selection method employed to select respondents was random sampling Technique.
Table 1 Population, Sampling Techniques and sample size
Population Size Low Medium High

51-90 5 13 20
91-150 8 20 32
151-280 13 32 50
281-500 20 50 80
501-1200 32 80 125
1201-3200 50 125 200
3021-10000 80 200 315
10001-35000 125 315 500
35001-45000 200 500 800
Source ; carvalho

According to Wolkite town urban development and construction project bureau

the population size of the study in Construction projects that are found in Wokite town is 128. Those
are 76 of public building project and 52 of private building project available in the town. So the
range is found in 91-151. According to Carvalho’s sample size determination indicated in Table
above, Thus taking to account a small population size variance and the cost of taking samples and
time consuming for large sample size medium sample size was applied in according with the given
population size. Therefore the sample size selected for the study under consideration was 20.
3.4 Data Sources

The main sources of data for the study were acquired from both primary and secondary data
sources. The primary data sources include consultant, Architects, project manager, technical
staffs, contractor, and the Secondary data source was collected from books, documents from
the projects and websites.
3.5 Instruments /Tools of Data Collection

Data collection tools appropriate for designed research type to gather the data was a
questionnaire, and a self-administered five-point ranking system and a five-level scale of
extremely low, low, moderate, high and extremely high was be developed to obtain extensive
and practicable information from these project professionals.
3.6 Method of Data Analysis
Data analysis tool used to analyze the obtained data was Descriptive data analysis, and by using
this tool data was presented in tables consisting of frequencies and percentage made using the
excel statistical software and interpretations were on the based on the findings by
the mean score value using the following formula
∑ 𝒙�
. 𝑿� =
𝒏�
Where X: is the mean
∑ 𝒙� : is summation of the values
𝑛�: is the total frequency

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
It is well known that construction project need highly effective communication system and
management due to project complexity and high requirements of resources so this chapter of our
research deals with the presentation of data, analysis and interpretation of research concerning
communication management system in construction project. To collect the data and extract
findings, questionnaire was prepared and distributed to professionals found in some projects found
in wolkite town.
This chapter presents the findings of the research in accordance to the research objectives and basic
research questions. The analysis and interpretation of the data collected from the respondents was
presented. It began with a description of the demographic and general characteristics of the
participating respondents. The results from each section of the questionnaire were also presented
in this chapter. All tables and figures as well as graphs in the analysis were generated from survey
data through the SPSS 24 statistical software.
The result of questionnaires analysis shows that out of 20 (twenty) total respondents, 16 (80%)
responded the questionnaire. From the responded questionnaires, 4 (20%) was discarded because
they were not completely filled. Depending on this, 16 responses which represent 80 percent
response rate were taken into account. This implies that the response rate is sufficient or plenty to
continue data analysis, and the subsequent data analyzed were based on the responses of 16
respondents.
4.1 Demographic profile of the respondents
This aspect of the analysis deals with the respondents’ basic data on the questionnaires distributed
to them. The basic data comprise of the respondents’ gender, age, educational background, income,
marital status, position, and experience of the professionals within construction industry.
The table below shows that the respondents are comprised of 77.8% males and 22.2% females.
This shows difference between the respondents’ gender and regarding their ages, 72.2% of the
respondents’ age lies between 30 and 45 followed by respondents aged 18 to 29. This implies that
majority of the projects in Wolkite town are dominated by matured age male professionals.

As indicated hereafter, out of all of the respondents, 94.4% are Degree and above holders while
the rest 5.6% hold Diploma. So, it is possible to conclude that most of the respondents have the
ability to understand the objectives of the study or they were able to understand the questions
designed and asked about the communication management system of their project sites and this
contributes the greatest contribution on the quality of the study.
Table 2 Demographic profile of respondent
Frequency Percent
Male 15 93.75
Female 1 6.25
Gender
Total 16 100.0
18-29 3 18.75
Age 30-45 11 68.75
46-60 2 12.5
Total 16 100.0
Diploma 2 12.5
Educational Degree and Above 14 87.5
Background Total 16 100.0
Quantity Surveyor 2 12.5
Project Manager 7 43.75
Position of the Principal Consultant 1 6.25
Respondents Contractor 4 25
Other 2 12.5
Total 16 100.0
Experience of the Less than 1 year 2 12.5
Respondents in 1-5 9 56.25
construction industry 6-10 5 31.25
Total 16 100.0

The finding in above revealed that 43.75% of the respondent are professionals who were project
managesfollowed by contractors,others and quantitysurveyorsthat account 43.75%,25%,12.5%,
12.5% respectively. This dictates that majority of the professional were project managers.
The table above showed that, 56.25% of the respondenthave 1 to 5 years’ followed by31.25%
of respondents having from 6 to 10 years’ experience of working in construction industry.From this it
can be summarized that, majority of professionals experience of working inconstruction
industry in wolkite town ranges between 1 to 5 years. This implies that, most ofthe respondents have
better understanding about the construction industry or the majority of theconstruction professionals
in wolkite town were well informed about the communicationmanagement system.
4.2 Descriptive statistical analysis of the study
For the analysis of all these variables, mean value of the response has been considered important
indicator to extents of each questions having five point Likert scales. To conclude, each items of
a variable’s Mean value was calculated and used for analysis.
If the mean value is between (0 to 1.50) this implies the respondents strongly disagree, if the mean
value is between (1.50 to 2.50) indicates the respondents disagreed, the mean value between 2.50
to 3.50) indicates the respondents neutral, the mean value between 3.50 to 4.5 implies that the
respondents agreed and mean value 4.50 and above implies that the respondents strongly agreed.
Accordingly the mean score was computed for all variables by equally weighting the mean score
of all the items under each dimension. The average mean result together with their respective
variables was separately presented, analyzed and interpreted as follows.
Table 3 Descriptive Statistics of communication management system
N Mean
Corporate 16 2.00
Personal 16 4.00

As the above Table 3.0 indicated that the respondents disagreed on their use of the corporate
communication management system with cumulative mean (Mean = 2.00), while agreeing on their
implementation of personal communication management system with cumulative mean (Mean =
4.00), and it indicates that, there is a guarantee that construction projects in wolkite town has
been properly adopting personal communication management system at their construction sites.
4.2.2 Descriptive Statistics of communication channels

The following table and figure portrays the findings from the questionnaire distributed to the
respondents regarding the existing communication channels of project communication that is
found at project area at the professionals. The respondents had chosen the communication channels
that exist in their project from various alternatives given to them
Table 4 Descriptive Statistics of communication channels
Communication Channel Yes / % No/ % Rank

Face to face discussions 16 (100) 0 (0%) 1
Formal communication – email, letter, telephone, 15 (83.3) 1 (16.7) 2
Site Review meetings 13 (77.8) 4 (22.2) 23
Notice board 12(66.7) 3 (33.3) 4
Annual report 11 (61.1) 5 (38.9) 5
Team work 10 (55.6) 6 (44.4) 6
Newsletter 3 (27.8) 13 (72.2) 7
General meetings 4 (22.2) 12 (77.8) 8
Meeting suppliers/ customers 2 (22.2) 14 (77.8) 8
Web site 1 (11.1) 15 (89.9) 9
100
80
60
40
20
0 Series1
Wolkite University Page 31

Both the table and the figure illustrated that respondents pointed out the project communication
channel that is found at their project. Depending on this, Face to face discussions, Formal
communication including email, letter, telephone, Site Review meetings, notice board,
Annual report with frequency and percentage values of 16 (100), 15 (83.3), 13 (77.8), 12 (66.7),
11 (61.1) respectively were seen to be the communication channels that the professional
respondents use in their project sites.
In addition to the frequency and percentage indicated on both the table and figure above,
the communication channels is also presented in rank showing that was the 1st ranked channel
of communication is Face to face discussions followed by Formal communication and site
review being 2nd and 3rd respectively. From this it can be summarizedthat Face to face discussions is a
dominant communication channel used in constructions projects in wolkite town.
4.2.3 Descriptive statistics of barriers of communication in construction projects

Respondents were asked to state how frequent the following communication barriers Occur during
project by using the Mean formula.
Mean=
Where n1 is the number of respondents who answer ‘’extremly Low”, n2 the number of respondents who
answered “Low”, n3 the number of respondents who
answered “medium”, n4 the number of respondents who answered “High” and , n5 is the number
of respondents who said that “Exteremly High’’
Table 5 Descriptive statistics of barriers of communication in construction projects
No of Respondents
Barrier to communication in on each scale of Mean Rank
Construction projects measurement
1 2 3 4 5
Poor listeners - - 2 8 6 4.25 1
Unclear channels of communication 1 1 3 6 5 4.06 2
Language difficulties 1 1 4 5 5 3.94 3
Lack of necessary skills 1 1 4 6 4 3.69 4
Status difference 2 - 2 6 5 3.56 5

Ineffective reporting system 2 2 2 5 5 3.56 6

Lack of concern 4 7 1 3 1 2.38 7
Poor planning 6 3 4 2 1 2.31 8
Poor leadership 6 5 2 2 1 2.19 9
Political/community interfrence 7 3 4 1 1 2.13 10
Religious issues 8 4 3 1 1 2.13 10
Stereotyping 9 4 1 3 - 2.00 11
Lack of trust 8 5 - 2 1 1.94 12
Conflicting cultural values 10 3 1 1 1 1.75 13
Conflicting business/indus try ethics 11 3 - 1 1 1.63 14
As it can be observed from the above table 5, fourteen (14) barrier of communication in that face the
, construction industry are given as options the professional respondents for ratings. Out of the
fifteen variables, poor listeners, unclear channels of communication, language difficulties, lack
of necessary skills, status difference, with Mean value of 4.25, 4.06, 3.943.69, and, 3.56 respectively.
From rank point of view, communication barrier is also presented in
rank depicting that Poor listeners was the 1st ranked barrier of communication followed by
language difficulties and unclear channel of communication being 2nd and 3rd respectively. This
shows that the stated three variables having very high mean value are considered as dominant
barrier of communication in construction projects that are found in wolkite town.

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0 Series1
Table 6 Methods used in alleviating communication
No of Respondents on
Methods used in alleviating communication each scale of
barriers measurement Mean Rank
1 2 3 4 5
Asking for clarification - - 1 4 11 4.62 1
Being active listener - 1 - 4 11 4.56 2
Give direct and clear messages 2 1 1 1 11 4.13 3
Arranging conducive working conditione 1 4 3 1 7 3.56 4
The administrators send messages on time - 6 3 3 4 3.31 5
Providing training in communication skill 3 2 4 4 3 3.13 6
Give opportunity for feedback 3 6 2 1 4 2.81 7
Using alternative methods of communication 6 4 1 2 3 2.50 8

The above table and figure indicates out of eight methods of alleviating communication barriers
like asking for clarification, being active listener, arranging conducive working condition, the
administrators send messages on time, give direct and clear messages, providing training I
communication skill, give opportunity for feedback, using alternative methods of communicationprovided
for choice for the professional respondents, Asking for clarification, being active listener,and Give direct
and clear messages are found to be the major methods of alleviating communication barriers being
st rd
ranked 1 , 2nd and 3 with their mean score value of 4.62, 4.56, and 4.13 respectively.

Chapter 5
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In this study the authors tried to assess communication management systems of construction
projects found in wolkite town , and also determined communication channels and
their effects on project delivery, communication barriers and as well as the method of alleviating
project communication barriers. In this chapter conclusions and recommendations and future
research directions are presented based on the analysis and interpretations made in the previous
chapter.
5.1 Conclusion
The study broadly evaluated the communication management system of Constructions projects in
wolkite town. Based on previous theories and researches conducted in the areas of
communication management system its outcomes, this study could show clear evidence, which
helps to deeply understand the communication management system, communication channels,
communication barriers and methods of lessening communication barriers.
The study portrayed, Constructions projects in wolkite town adopt personal communication
management system at their construction sites, in addition to this the projects use face to face
discussions as a dominant communication channel followed by formal communication including
email, letter, telephone, fax, and site review. Barrier of communication that face the construction
industry were given as options for the professional respondents to assign their ratings. Out of the
variables, poor listeners, unclear channels of communication and language difficulties, were the
major barriers of communication respectively. However, Asking for clarification, was found to be
the major methods of alleviating communication barriers in Constructions projects in wolkite
town followed by being active listener, and arranging conducive working condition.
5.2 Recommendations
The finding of this research is important evidence for project professionals who take charge of
project communication management. It is helpful for project professionals to understand the
effectiveness of project communication systems from project delivery point of view. In light of
the findings and conclusions, the following possible recommendations are suggested as being
valuable to the Constructions projects in wolkite town for improving their communication
management activities.
 Creating awareness of construction project participants for the use of good communication
management system without language difficulty.
 Using more methods to reduce the communication barriers that hinder the communication
flow in the project.
 Conducting frequent site meetings so that there is always flow of updated information
between the personnel involved in the project site.
5.3 Future Research Directions

This study owe few limitations or discussible issues, which may be taken into account when
conducting similar studies in the future. First, the data were collected from much smaller number
sample size of the professionals. Also the focus of this study lies on communication management
system in which datas are collected from professionals. However future researchers may change
the sample size into considerable amount and also include non-professionals in the sample size.

Reference
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Appendix: Questionnaires to Collect Information
This Questionnaire is prepared to obtain information from key informants with semi-structured questions.
The information is required for the academic research entitled “Impact of Poor Communication
Management on Building Construction Projects in Case of Wolkite Town”, which is being conducted as
partial fulfillment of BSc degree in Construction Technology and Management.
Your response, in this regard, is highly valuable and contributory to the outcome of the research. All
feedback will be kept strictly confidential and utilized for this academic research only.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance!
General Instructions
No need to write your name.
In all cases where answer options are available please tick (√) in the appropriate box.
PART I. Demographic Profile

1. Gender: Male Female
2. Age: 18-29 30-45 46-60 Above 60
3. Educational Background:
-Primary school completed Secondary school completed Certificate
-Diploma Degree and above
Other, please specify ___________
4. Position:
Quantity Surveyor project Manager Architect
Principal consultant Managing director Contractor
Others (specify.)___________________________
5. How long have you been working in construction?

Less than 1 year 1-5 6-10 11-15 Above 15

PART II.Substantial Parts

Section I. Communication Management System
Please show the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements given below.
No, Communication Management System 1 2 3 4 5

1. Construction projects in Wolkite Town implement a corporate
communication management system.
2. Construction projects in Wolkite Town implement a personal
communication management system.
This is to assess the following on the scales of strongly disagree to strongly agree.
Section II - Questions relating to Communication Channels

Below are some communication channels of project communication in wolkite town. From
your experience, please tick the appropriate cell by indicating “Yes” or “No” to whether any of the
communication channels below is present at any of the project you are currently involved in.
Communication Channel Yes No

Annual report
Site Review meetings
Meeting suppliers/ customers
Web site
Notice board
General meetings
Formal communication – email, letter, telephone, fax
Team work
Face to face discussions
Newsletter

Section III - Questions relating to Causes of communication Barriers
Below are potential causes of project communication barriers in wolkite town. From your
experience, please tick the appropriate cell by indicating rate the frequency of occurrence for each
on projects in wolkite town.
Frequency - 1. Extremely-low 2. Quite/low 3.Moderate,
4.High, 5 .Very High
Frequency
Communication barrier
1 2 3 4 5
1 Political/community interference
2 Poor listeners
3 Poor leadership
4 Conflicting cultural values
5 Unclear channels of communication
6 Ineffective reporting system
7 Lack necessary skills
8 Conflicting business/industry ethics
9 Poor planning
10 Lack of trust
11 Religious issues
12 Language difficulties
13 Lack of concern
14 Stereotyping
15 Status differences

Section IV.Effect of Communication Channel on the project delivery

From your experience/, please tick the appropriate cell by indicating rate the magnitude of the effect
of each communication channel on project delivery in wolkite town.
1. Extremely Low Effect 2. Low Effect 3.Moderate Effect 4 .High Effect
5. Extremely High Effect
Effect of Communication Channel 1 2 3 4 5

Annual report
Site Review meetings
Meeting suppliers/ customers
Web site
Notice board
General meetings
Formal communication – email, letter, telephone, fax
Team work
Face to face discussions
Newsletter
Section V. Method of alleviating Communication Challenges in construction project in

Wolkite town
From your experience, please tick the appropriate cell by indicating rate of the
method used in communication management in Wolkite town
1. Extremely Low Effect 2. Low Effect 3.Moderate Effect 4 .High Effect 5. Extremely High Effect
No Method of alleviating Communication Challenges 1 2 3 4 5
1 Give direct and clear messages
2 Being active listener
3 The administrators send messages on time
4 Arranging conducive working condition
5 Providing training in communication skill
6 Give opportunity for feedback
7 Asking for clarification
8 Using alternative methods of communication

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College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Construction Technology and Management

A THESIS SUBMITTED INPARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

Principal advisor: Mr. Hailu Abera

Co Advisor: Mr. Hamdu Nesru

June 16, 2022

Department of Construction Technology and Management

Impact of Poor Communication Management on Building Construction

1. Abebe Mekonnen ………………………..……. ENGR/040/10

2. Ezana Tsehaye ……………………….…….…. ENGR/367/10

3. Faysel Jemal ……………………………….…. ENGR/379/10

4. Mebrate Gebremariyam …………………….… ENGR/598/10

5. Saron Habtamu ………………………………... ENGR/769/10

Principal advisor: Mr. Hailu Abera

Co Advisor: Mr. Hamdu Nesru

June 16, 2022

Name of Student Signature Date

1.Abebe Mekonnen ______________ ____________________

2. Ezana Tsehaye ______________ ____________________

5. Saron Habtamu ______________ __________________

Approved for submittal to a thesis assessment committee

Advisor’s Signature Date

1. Mr. Hailu Abera ________________ ____________________

2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ________________ ____________________

Department Head Signature Date

3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _______________ ____________________

Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page i

Name of participant signature Date

1.Abebe Mekonnen ______________ ____________________

2. Ezana Tsehaye ______________ ____________________

5. Saron Habtamu ______________ __________________

Approved for submittal to a thesis assessment committee

Advisor’s Signature Date

1. Mr. Hailu Abera ________________ ____________________

2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ________________ ____________________

Department Head Signature Date

3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _______________ ____________________

Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page ii

Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page iii

Wolkite University/ BSc Thesis Page iv

Acknowledgment .................................................................................................................................................. iii

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Background of the study .......................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the problem ......................................................................................................................... 1

1.3. Research Questions ................................................................................................................................. 2

1.4 General Objective .................................................................................................................................... 2

1.1.4 Specific objective............................................................................................................................... 3

1.5 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 3

1.6 Scope of the research ............................................................................................................................... 3

1.7 Limitation of the Study .............................................................................................................................. 3

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ........................................................................................................................ 4

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 4

2.2 Communication Defined ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.3 Characteristics of Communication .............................................................................................................. 5

2.4 Types of Communication ........................................................................................................................... 5

2.4.1 Inter Personal Communications ....................................................................................................... 6

2.4.2 Group and team communication...................................................................................................... 6

2.4.3 Organizational communication ......................................................................................................... 7

2.4.4 Corporate Communication ............................................................................................................... 7

1.Abebe Mekonnen ______

2. Ezana Tsehaye ______

5. Saron Habtamu ____

1. Mr. Hailu Abera ____

2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ____

3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _ ______

1.Abebe Mekonnen ______

2. Ezana Tsehaye ______

5. Saron Habtamu ____

1. Mr. Hailu Abera ____

2. Mr. Hamdu Nesru ____

3. Mr. Kelkiyas Alemu _ ______