Professional service quality in construction: determinants of the quality of documents produced by professionals in developing countries

Samuel Laryea, Neil Govender and Sarfo Mensah

Chapter 23 in Research Companion to Advances in the Construction Industry in the Global South, 2026, pp 548-580 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores factors influencing professional service quality in the construction industry, focusing on document quality produced by construction professionals in developing countries. Based on qualitative research in South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 637 professionals: 604 from South Africa, 29 from Ghana, and 4 from Nigeria. Key determinants of document quality include experience, time allocation, and professional compensation. The chapter provides actionable recommendations for stakeholders, emphasising adequate time for document preparation, fair compensation, robust procurement processes, quality assurance systems, and technological integration. By offering insights from three African countries, the findings have broader applicability to other developing regions facing similar challenges. The chapter's originality lies in its focus on developing countries and the perspectives of professionals directly responsible for document preparation, contributing to the limited body of construction literature on service quality determinants.

Keywords: Built environment professionals; Construction industry; Developing countries; Document preparation; Professional service quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035349012
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