This paper investigates the impact that integration can have on teamwork effectiveness within construction project delivery teams. The level of team integration was assessed within selected award-winning delivery teams of completed projects. A similar assessment was made of teamwork effectiveness achieved within the same project teams. The findings of this research reveal that teams with different levels of integration had the same or similar levels of teamwork effectiveness. Thus whilst integration is desirable, it is not the only requirement or condition for improved teamwork within a construction sector context. The findings suggest that the role and value of integration in project teams is unclear relative to other performance enhancing approaches. Further research is recommended to identify the factors and conditions that influence the direct impact of integration on teamwork effectiveness within the project delivery team.
Project team integration can be defined as where different disciplines or organisations with different goals, needs and cultures merge into a single cohesive and mutually supporting unit (Baiden et al., 2006) with collaborative alignment of processes and cultures ( Ochieng and Price, 2009, Payne et al., 2003 and Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003). In construction, integration often refers to collaborative working practices, methods and behaviours that promote an environment where information is freely exchanged among the various parties. Within an integrated team environment various skills and knowledge are seen as shared, and traditional barriers separating the design process from construction activities are removed or marginalised to improve project delivery ( Austin et al., 2002 and Baiden et al., 2003). A fully integrated team, as considered within this paper, has a single project focus and objectives; boundaries between individuals are diminished and team members work towards mutually beneficial outcomes through the free sharing of information. A new team identity is thus formed by the fully integrated team and achievements, failures and successes are collectively shared (see Baiden et al., 2006, Ochieng and Price, 2009, Payne et al., 2003, Smith and Offodile, 2008, Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003 and White, 2002).
Integration has been suggested as providing a demonstrable means of improving the effectiveness of teamwork and project delivery team performance (Achieving Excellence in Construction, 2003, Constructing Excellence, 2004b, DBF, 2000, Egan, 2002, Payne et al., 2003 and Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003). Empirical evidence linking the two concepts has, however, not received much attention and examples of successful teamwork through integration are limited (Payne et al., 2003 and Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003). Quantifiable examples of successful integration of project delivery teams are scarce, although one exception is the Movement for Innovation (M4I) in the UK which attempted to demonstrate the benefits of integration through case examples taken from practice (Constructing Excellence, 2004a). Exemplary project delivery teams within the industry that can be examined to explore and better understand the process of project delivery team integration.
This research examines the impact of integration on teamwork effectiveness. It explores effective principles based on a scale of progression towards what is considered as ‘good or promising practice’ in teamwork integration. The effectiveness of teamwork and level of integration within nine award-wining delivery teams of completed projects were assessed. This was aimed at determining whether the integration of the project delivery team members improves teamwork effectiveness within the team, and/or if project objectives can successfully be realised without fully espousing the benefits of team integration.
This research suggests that integration is useful for improving the effectiveness of teamwork. Practices that meet the various requirements of integration either complement or increase the likelihood of fulfilling the key elements of effective teamwork. This research, therefore, supports the position that integration is desirable in improving teamwork effectiveness (Egan, 2002, Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003 and Vyse, 2001). The results also show, however, that teams that are integrated to different extents can have the same or similar levels of teamwork effectiveness. The results reinforce the suggestion that integration is a desirable or helpful and can help improve teamwork effectiveness (Egan, 2002, Lennard et al., 2002, Strategic Forum for Construction, 2003, Vyse, 2001 and White, 2002).
This research has established that integration is desirable and helpful in teamwork effectiveness, which is a very important tool for improved project delivery. Implication for research is that integration has the potential of impacting on the effectiveness of teamwork, however, further research needs to be conducted to isolate the particular factors and conditions that aid the direct impact of integration on teamwork effectiveness within the project delivery team.