Core skills requirement and competencies expected of quantity surveyors: perspectives from quantity surveyors, allied professionals and clients in Nigeria

Abstract

Deployment of appropriate skills and competencies is crucial and germane to the development and continuous relevance of any profession. In the built environment, the art of selecting the required skills and competencies expected of quantity surveyors and understanding the inherent dependencies between them remains a research issue. The purpose of this study was to determine the skill requirements and competencies expected of quantity surveyors. A structured questionnaire was administered among quantity surveyors, architects, engineers, builders and clients in Nigeria. The respondents were asked to give rating, on a 5 point Likert scale, on usual skills and competencies required of quantity surveyors. A secondary objective of the study was to examine the important skills and competencies and categorized them into core skill, basic skill, core competence, optional competence and special competence. The results of the study indicate the important skills as computer literacy, building engineering, information technology, economics, measurement/quantification and knowledge of civil/heavy engineering works. The results also indicate the important competencies to be cost planning and control, estimating, construction procurement system, contract documentation, contract administration and project management. The findings of the research have considerable implications on the training and practice of quantity surveying in Nigeria.

Mode of Business Agreement with the Quantity Surveyor in the Informal Sector Economy of Nigeria: Sustainability of Professional Standards

“…Especially for the reason that of the principles and ethics guiding the quantity surveying practitioners according to Dada and Jagboro [3] however, this discovery of formality in business agreement makes this study conclude that there is high survival rate for any quantity surveyor that ventures into this sector.…”

“…31 of 1986 gave legal backing to it and also set up the Quantity Surveying Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) to regulate it [3]. The level of awareness and patronage level by clients engaging their services in the informal sector was found to be low from previous studies; Babalola [4].…”

“…This could most especially be due to the fact that there are principles and ethics guiding the quantity surveying practitioners [3,24]. This implies that manipulating contract relations for a professional in an unregulated environment could be tasking.…”

A Principal Component Analysis of Skills and Competencies Required of Quantity Surveyors: Nigerian Perspective

“…However, there is no clearly defined focus for these skill and competence requirements. Subsequently, Dada and Jagboro (2012) in their study on an exploratory survey that investigated the attributes of quantity surveyors skills and competencies identified twenty one skills and fifteen competence areas. The identified twenty one skill variables are: computer literacy, building engineering, information technology, economics, measurement/quantification, knowledge of civil/heavy engineering, professional practice, construction law, interpersonal skill, knowledge of mechanical and electrical services engineering, financial skill and leadership skill, communication skill, managerial skill, marketing/business skill, knowledge about international trading, investment analysis, mapping/surveying, actuarial science, gas/petrochemical engineering and solid mineral engineering.…”

“…This study attempts to make a useful contribution in this context. The study, which is a follow up to an exploratory survey that investigated the attributes of quantity surveyors skills and competencies (findings reported in Dada and Jagboro, 2012), used the principal component analysis to explore and detect the underlying relationship among the identified skills and competencies required of quantity surveyors. The study aims at reducing the complex and multiple categorizations of the identified skills and competencies required of quantity surveyors into clearly defined principal components.…”