Personal factors influencing managerial effectiveness: A study of Australian construction site managers

Previous research into site managerial effectiveness in the construction industry has been primarily results orientated - based on factual evidence relating to project completion within prescribed parameters of time, cost and quality. These are factors often influenced by circumstances not within the control of the construction site manager. Thus, a need for a nonresults- based effectiveness measurement tool has been identified. Additionally, beliefs exist within the construction industry regarding personal attributes of managers which are thought to influence their effectiveness. There is a need to identify the personal factors which do actually influence effectiveness as distinct from those which are falsely believed to have influence. This research has developed such a non-results-based effectiveness measurement tool. Subordinates, peers and superiors of 46 current construction site managers, and a control group of 15 failed site managers, evaluated their site manager over 52 competency elements summated to establish an overall effectiveness score. A series of personal factors, which senior managers who recruit and promote site managers believed influenced the effectiveness of site managers, were identified. Each personal factor was then tested for correlation against the effectiveness score.