Factors influencing project team performance: The Case study of China Construction First Building Group Corporation Limited

Abstract

The Chinese construction industry is currently the largest in the world, with its contribution to the $10 trillion Chinese economy adding up to about a quarter of the economy, and almost a quarter of the global construction output. Much of this growth is attributed o effective project team performance in the sector. This research assesses the factors influencing project team performance in Chinese construction industry, using China Construction First Building Group Corporation Limited as a case example. The research adopts interviews as the data collection instrument and the data is analysed through content analysis procedure. The findings of the research shows that some of these roles may include; cutting operational costs, offering excellent construction services, identifying and eliminating unnecessary procedures or barriers, brainstorming of ideas, creating good relations amongst employees, and improving organisational productivity and efficiency. They also show that the factors influencing project team performance in Chinese construction industry include; interaction capabilities, communication skills, education, income levels, cultural backgrounds, race and religion. They also include;homogeneity and heterogeneity aspects such as personal characteristics, skills and abilities, education, income levels, trust, openness, sincerity, and generational and cultural backgrounds, among others. Some of the challenges encountered when managing project teams in Chinese construction companies high frequency of conflicts, uncertainty and fear caused by performing appraisals, and homogeneity, which leads to neglect of the minority team members. The research shows that performance of project teams in Chinese construction industry can be improved by introducing training programmes geared towards equipping members with cultural diversity skills and incorporate effective staffing methods, team-sharing, knowledge sharing, and work sharing. Additionally, offering leadership which supports flexibility, innovation and creativity at the workplace is another key element for boosting the performance of project teams in this industry.