Abstract

Literature describes the construction business relationship (CBR) situation in developing countries like Ghana as harsh, adversarial and non-collaborative, resulting in several business relationship challenges among Design Service Delivery (DSD) actors. This non-collaborative business relationship situation causes discords, disputes and conflicts (DDC), affecting improvement of DSD activities. This paper seeks to describe the current CBR situation among DSD actors in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI) and its effect on development and constitution of supply chains of information flow (SCIfs). Drawing on action-oriented system theory, system thinking and rethinking approaches the current CBR situation among DSD actors are isolated for their conceptual and empirical understanding. A case study approach was used to achieve the study objectives and the data was analysed using content analysis and pareto analysis. A stringent eligibility criteria enabled nine different professional groups of five DSD actors each to be purposively selected for the study. Fourteen percent (14%) of DSD actors described the current CBR situation as “lacking harmonization of professional work and good business relationships” and “hostile, frustrating, with tension and conflicts”, 13% described the situation as “lacking interdependencies and sustainability” and 9% described it as “having mixed relationships of affiliates and training mates relationships” among others. The resultant effects of the current CBR situation among DSD actors include “difficulties in sharing and exchanging information”, “disturbance of time schedule/control”, “reduction in quality of work”, and “cost ineffectiveness”. The paper makes an important theoretical contribution to knowledge by providing empirical description of the current CBR situation and its effect on design service delivery in the construction industry, especially in the context of developing countries. It brings to the fore the need for proactive management action to help address the situation in developing countries such as Ghana.

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