Risk management and leadership on construction site

Abstract

Currently, risk management on construction sites is ineffective in the Swedish construction industry. Even though a construction project consists of numerous stages, it is during the construction phase that all the ideas are converted into a final product via the cooperation of different actors with specialised skills. In this phase, the site managers and foremen are responsible for monitoring and controlling risks that may arise to ensure the efficient completion of the project. The literature imply that time delays and cost overruns are two risk factors that contribute to inefficiency on construction sites. The purpose of this research is to determine how Swedish site managers and foremen manage those risks and steer the diverse actors on the construction site successfully. Given the scarcity of prior research using qualitative research methods and merging leadership and risk management, this study analysed construction site risk management and leadership via qualitative research methods. Through semi-structured interviews with construction site managers and foremen from several construction firms, qualitative data was acquired. Since there were limited literatures on leadership covering construction sites, the obtained qualitative data was analysed using abductive reasoning. The findings of this study indicate that there are two categories of risks associated with time delays and cost overruns on construction sites: preventable and inevitable risks. The site managers and foremen utilise distinct methods to handle these risks, including a distinct leadership style suited to each project. Other external and internal variables affecting the competence of site managers and foremen in managing risk and practicing leadership have been identified and discussed. The conclusion of the study is that site managers and foremen must apply their management and leadership skills adequately to tackle the risks of time delays and cost overruns. Moreover, we conclude that good planning is essential for mitigating time delays and cost overruns, and more research should be devoted to enhancing the planning methods utilised. Future researchers interested in researching the role of site managers and foremen on construction sites may find the findings of this study useful.