Drivers of mentoring practices in construction related firms: Nigerian quantity surveying firms' perspective

Purpose: The paper assessed the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms: a perspective of the quantity surveying (QS) firms in Nigeria with a view to providing possible drivers for effective mentoring relationships in the respective construction firms. Design/methodology/approach: Survey design was used to assess the level of knowledge, mentoring concept adoption and the required drivers of mentoring relationships in construction-related firms. QS firms in Abuja, Nigeria were sampled through the use of semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 149 questionnaires were administered to principal partners, partners, senior quantity surveyors and quantity surveyors in QS firms in Abuja through personal delivery. A total of 142 of them were returned and found suitable for analysis, representing 95.30% effective response rate. Percentage, mean, Kruskal–Wallis and factor analyses were utilized for the analysis of the data. Findings: The study revealed an appreciable knowledge of mentoring concept but not so much with the adoption in the respective firms. This connotes that there is a problem with the adoption of mentoring concept in construction-related firms despite knowledge of the concept. Also revealed by the study, are the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms. Practical implications: The findings show the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms and the recommendations to further the adoption and implementation of these drivers to ensure mentoring practices thrive in construction-related firms in the country. Originality/value: This paper reveals the required drivers of mentoring practices in Nigerian construction-related firms and provides ways through which the drivers can be implemented in the construction firms.