Abstract:
Conflict is inevitable to individuals, teams, contractual relationships and
organizations in any context. In construction industry multiple professions team setup
to achieve specific goals. The project team is the core that holds the project. The
contribution of each member of the project team has a significant effect towards the
project deliverables. With the effect of conflict the overall outcome of the project can
be change significantly.
Researches who conducted research on conflict have identified three distinct types of
intragroup conflicts as task conflict, process conflict and relationship conflict. There
were literatures available in discussing these three types in the construction project
team setting regarding their interrelationship, effects in pre contract stage and the
ways of mitigating the negative effects of the intragroup conflicts and enhancing
their positive effects.
Therefore, this research explored how to manage intragroup conflicts in pre contract
stage by addressing their effects in pre construction project teams. This research
problem was approached through selected case studies of four construction projects,
which were operating under the traditional procurement method with remeasurement
contracts in Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were conducted
with three distinct participants of construction team during data collection.
The findings revealed the effects created by intragroup conflicts and relationship
between the types of intragroup aroused. Based on findings, a framework for
understand the effects of intragroup conflicts in each phase that would assist to
manage intragroup conflicts in construction project teams in Sri Lanka. Building on
the findings, researcher suggests mechanisms to proactively manage conflicts in pre
contract stage of construction projects. This will be useful to envelopment of
construction industry and clients operating in similar contexts.
