An evaluation of management’s impact on knowledge and related service diversification within quantity surveying firms

Abstract

Many South African quantity surveying practitioners are not committed to developing knowledge and skills, a factor that may hinder the development and viability of the firm. Owing to this problem, the research focuses on the strategic role of management with an emphasis on the support mechanisms for learning and the development of knowledge. The research population focuses on professional quantity surveying firms in the Western Cape region of South Africa. The aim of the research is to understand and identify key components of management‟s strategic influence on: (a) the organisation‟s culture, (b) the development of knowledge and (c) the development of related services and skills within professional quantity surveying firms. The research methodology consists of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Management members provided qualitative data by participating in interviews and staff members provided quantitative data by completing questionnaires. The data for the research comprised a criterion sample of eleven small- and medium-sized diversified firms. The core elements of the research are the organisational culture, learning, and the development of knowledge and service diversification. The research expands information on management‟s role in the organisation‟s culture and development of knowledge in professional quantity surveying firms. The research found that there are many supportive learning elements within the organisational cultures of most quantity surveying firms. Most management members discuss employee development and performance issues, and the lessons learnt from projects. Management occasionally mentors employees and regularly allows employees to undertake challenging work activities. Management members do not, however, include employees in the development of the firm‟s related services. Management primarily established related services because there was a need for these services. The development and transfer of related service knowledge and skills are restricted to management members to a large degree. Management‟s influence on the development of knowledge and skills of employees is somewhat limited and inconsistent. Organisational culture factors such as job satisfaction and the professional development of staff members have to be given appropriate attention by management, especially from a consistency and formal standpoint. Elements that require reviewing include the time allocated for internal learning activities and learning initiatives, other than on-the-job training. Service diversification factors, such as management members restriction of staff members to core quantity surveying services, also have to be reconsidered. Elements of some related services may improve the quality of core quantity surveying services. KEYWORDS: QUANTITY SURVEYING; PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRM; CULTURE; LEARNING; KNOWLEDGE; SERVICE DIVERSIFICATION