Curbing Communication Challenges in Construction Project Management in Developing Countries

While there has been increasing emphasis on reducing challenges in construction project management linked to cost, time, quality, and safety, limited attention has been paid to project communication management (PCM). The aim of this chapter is to fill this gap by addressing the question: What practical measures will engender effective PCM in construction in developing countries? Drawing on examples of construction project practices, it is proposed, in this chapter, that project success is endangered when the planning, collection, sharing, and management of information are ineffective. The behavior-, culture-, diversity-, and platform-related issues that affect communication and project outcomes are examined. In the chapter, overall, emphasis has been placed on the notion that communication management has played a vital, but underrecognized, role in the realization of project performance in construction in developing countries. It is suggested that an effective practical approach to managing communication in construction in developing countries would be to mitigate language- and cultural diversity-related barriers in tandem with the use of digital technologies. The conceptual argument is that enabling social interaction and use of technologies curbs PCM challenges in construction in developing countries.