Managing consultants as key construction stakeholders for enhanced stakeholder management and project delivery

Abstract

Abstract: Meeting stakeholders’ needs and satisfaction is a primary project success factor in addition to cost, time and quality. Though studies have suggested stakeholders’ dissatisfaction with project success, there is lack of studies on quantity surveyors’ role and management in developing countries in achieving project success. This paper explored and evaluated consultant’s management approach as part of a broader study aimed at ‘Developing sustainable stakeholder management framework for construction projects in Ghana’. Firstly, literature on construction stakeholder management from journals and published dissertations were reviewed. GETFund tertiary education projects in Ghana were used as case study. Data was analysed using the stakeholder circle, salience and matrix approaches suggested by scholars and used in similar researches to identify and evaluate key stakeholders role and management. The study confirmed the identification and role of Quantity Surveyors as key stakeholders though not managed as such by project managers. It established project failures as effect of stakeholder management absence and recommends the education, consideration of stakeholder management by project managers, keeping Quantity Surveyors well informed, monitored and actively involved in the project planning