Cultural and institutional barriers to the take-up of construction management in Jordan

The aims and objectives of this thesis are to investigate the cultural and institutional barriers to the take-up of Construction Management in Jordan. As CM was developed and influenced by the Western capitalist culture where it originated, it will pose challenges when introduced into an Eastern culture like that found in Jordan. The literature review and theory-based discussions lead to the generation of propositions and questions and the formulation of hypotheses. The study adopts both quantitative and qualitative methodology including a field survey of 120 senior managers of Jordanian construction firms classified grade-1 by the Ministry of Public Works and case studies of five CM-based projects recently executed in Japan. The research reveals that nepotism, the 'top-man' syndrome, bureaucracy, favouritism, corruption, procrastination, the 'shame' culture, Jordan's tribal legacy, and the culture of participants in the construction industry, (owners, CM firms, consultants, contractors and the government) plague the current organisational structure of most Jordanian institutions. The study finds that these cultural and institutional barriers have influenced the adoption and implementation of the CM procurement method in Jordan. The study makes a number of recommendations, such as enhancing the managerial and financial capabilities of the construction industry, increasing support for research and development and technology transfer, and amending the legislation governing processional associations and tendering procedures. It also identifies lessons to be learned from Western practice in establishing an official body to administer, monitor, and promote the Construction Management procurement method in Jordan.