Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of virtual team in Nigerian construction industry

The motivation to conduct this study arose from the fact that there is a transition from working with people of close visual proximity to working with people around the globe (Johnson et al. 2001). The newness of this team type has called for the need to exploit its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats it faces, which is the SWOT analysis (Kotler and Keller 2006, Grant 2005). SWOT is an alphabetization of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Adeniyi et al. 2011). This strategic planning tool is being used for analyses of VTs with the aim of recognizing its chances of success in the Nigerian construction industry. SWOT analysis draws its information from an environmental analysis and separates it into internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external issues (opportunities and threats) (Ommani 2011).

A SWOT analysis framework is used for identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Enterprises’ strengths and weaknesses are usually considered as internal factors that are controllable, while opportunities and threats are external factors over which enterprises have no direct control, but to which they can react to their own advantage (Pearce 1992). A number of researchers have used SWOT analyses in the examination of construction-related organizations (Zhao and Shen 2008).

Marina (2012) argued that internal analysis of a subject at hand should lead to an assessment of internal strengths/weaknesses that could be to its competitive advantage/disadvantage. For the purpose of this research work on the advantages and disadvantages of VT, strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors because they are connected to a company's or sector's resources, capabilities and core competencies. The internal analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on the internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market. Strength refers to core competencies that give the firm an advantage in meeting the needs of the target market.

Erica (2010) describes that external analysis focuses on the environmental characteristics that could produce opportunities as well as threats relative to the use of VT in the construction industry. It takes a look at the existing opportunities and threats. Opportunities are external factors that may be beneficial for the VT. Opportunities and threats are external factors that depend on the external environment (Marina 2012). This team type can gain advantage by making use of these opportunities. Threats arise when conditions in the external environment jeopardize the reliability and functionality of this team type in the Nigerian construction industry. Although the threats are inevitable, this team can take some actions to reduce their impact. Internal weaknesses are factors causing a concern that directly affects the viability and progressiveness of the use of the VT. Weaknesses are generally VT-domain-related problems that can be directly addressed to improve the overall advantage (Table 1).

As gathered from Bamgbade et al. (2014), diverse (cultural) workers exhibit a huge disadvantage to both workers and their employer, much more a team that is virtual. It was also deduced that bad Internet access complicated the work of VTs. Lack of technological uptake in the construction industry (Rob et al. 2001) makes the functioning of VT very difficult. Lars (1997) also observed that most engineers (construction workers) are familiar with setting up a traditional office or engineering environment but find it very difficult to set up networked computers as a medium for communication and collaboration. Lars (1997) added that motivation and responsibility of workers affect their functionality in a virtual environment; some are contented with their manual method of operation even when there are opportunities to try new things.

Piccoli et al. (2004) opined that the cost and difficulties of video and other high media-rich technology, failure to communicate and remember information about context, uneven distribution of information, differences in what information is salient, differences in speed and timing as well as uncertainty about the meaning of silence are other hindrances to the use of VT. In concurrence with this, VTs are particularly vulnerable to mistrust, communication breakdowns, conflicts and power struggles Aspin et al. (2001), and many managers are uncomfortable with the concept of a VT because successful management of VTs may require new methods of supervision (Jarvenpaa and Leidner 1999). It is therefore important to examine the attributes of VT. This study reveals the pros and cons of VT and the possibility of its use in the Nigeria construction industry.

In Nigeria, project management (an aspect of construction) is largely engrossed in traditional practice (Ekung 2012; Odusami et al. 2003). It is also noted by Ekung et al. (2015) that this is gradually transiting to VT practice. In addition, the authors address the ongoing transition from the traditional to the virtual project environment. The reason for this is not far-fetched: Nataša and Martina (2013) asserted that companies (or organizations) that are stuck in a rut and reject innovative thinking stand no chance in today's market. The Nigerian construction industry is on the move. Hence, dynamic structures such as VTs, with comparable consistent networks and well-defined roles, are emerging in the industry (Amirhossein et al. 2013).

Lars (1997) states that teamwork in a virtual environment challenges the disadvantages imposed by physical distance. This is seen in the traditional team. According to Souheil et al. (2001), VT enhances coordination and communication between various project partners and stakeholders in a planned construction better than the face-to-face team. The authors also assert that this team type evaluates the design in the early stages of the project as relating to different architectural, financial or even environmental constraints because the tools used in VT enables the design team to quickly gain insight of the project. This results in high-quality feedback on the project better than a face-to-face team.

It is noticed that VT displays various scenarios of some predictable happenings during the detail design phase so as to proffer solutions from different technical perspectives (Souheil et al. 2001) as well as reduce the gap between design, engineering and construction unlike the face-to-face team. As stated by the Management Study Guide (2015), compared to traditional teams, VT supports enhanced organization structure, with reduced lines of authorities and hierarchies, and information sharing is usually very rapid in VT, unlike in the traditional team, where only informal discussion gives room for information sharing.

VTs use evolving information technologies, such as the Internet, email, video conferencing, groupware, webinar and fax machine (David and Ugochukwu 2012). Building information modelling (BIM) is another strategy for communication in a virtual environment. BIM, as stated by Olatunji and Sher (2014), offers solutions to the numerous problems confronting traditional construction project management systems. Lars (1997) also opined that services such as telephone conferencing and video conferencing are also available. The author further added that Filing system, Mail, Application sharing, Workflow technology and the Web are the media of communication for VTs.

This study used the mixed-method research design approach. The design is such that one set of data is used to provide support for the other set, and as such, the supportive data are said to be embedded in the main data. Invariably, the qualitative methodology informed the quantitative methodology. The quantitative research was conducted by means of self-administration of a structured questionnaire. The research had to use the convenience sampling technique due to constraints encountered in terms of knowledge of professionals regarding VTs in the Nigerian construction industry. Therefore, 20 professionals consisting of seven quantity surveyors, five architects, three builders and five civil engineers in the building construction sectors were met at their various workplaces and interviewed. The questionnaire was hence drafted after the interview. Primary data were then collected systematically using the questionnaire by administration to selected team members of the construction industry, namely, quantity surveyors, architects, builders and civil engineers in Nigeria.

Exploratory interview was used for this research. Twenty professionals were selected due to ease of access, seven of whom were quantity surveyors; builders selected were three in number, while five were architects and five were civil engineers. They were met at their various offices (construction sites for builders and civil engineers). The interviewer asked questions that were related to the SWOT analysis of VT.

The interviewees gave their response in terms of their opinion on VT and the possibility of its incorporation in the Nigerian construction industry, as listed herein:

Quantity surveyor: “VT is a new team type. It is possible to be used in our industry because the use is flexible. The team members will learn to be creative, although most of us are afraid of these new technologies, but I can guarantee more timely delivery of project.”

Architect: “Team members might require special training, conflict will surely arise.”

Quantity surveyor: “Trust will help this team type, although team members might have a funny perception about it. They may also have tight schedules for work.”

What about client's acceptance too?

Civil engineer: “There will improved communication to foster construction activities.”

Builder: “Cultural differences will bar the use of this team, its effectiveness will be low, but I think there is faster market for production and team members will have personal knowledge capture.”

Builder: “There will be organizational barrier.”

Quantity surveyor: “This team will help better decision making in the industry.”

Architect: “There will be better productivity in the industry.”

Civil engineer: “Communication will be enhanced in the industry.”

Civil engineer: “Construction activities will be better coordinated since team members are far of, yet they must deliver on time.”

Quantity surveyor: “Infidelity might occur among team members.”

Quantity surveyor: “To a large extent, clients will be satisfied at the team performance.”

Architect: “There will be a strong resistance to changes in operation of the team.”

Civil engineer: “The impact of leadership on this team will be greatly felt.”

Builder: “A lot of talented professionals will function better.”

Quantity surveyor: “Better cohesion is guaranteed.”

Quantity surveyor: “Monitoring of projects may decrease.”

Architect: “The team will require technical application to function.”

Civil engineer: “There will be diversity in construction activities.”

Architect: “The leadership roles of professionals will be better felt through team coordination.”

A larger percentage of the interviewees were familiar with VT. They pointed out the strengths of this team type if it could be incorporated in the Nigerian construction industry.

Questionnaire was the other tool used for collection of primary data in this research. After carrying out thorough search of some selected literatures, the internal and external factors of VTs were outlined and a questionnaire was prepared in which the various factors were listed. The questionnaire was divided into three parts. The first part had the background information of the respondent in the design team of the construction industry; the second part was focused on the awareness regarding the VT type, while the third part involved analysing the internal and external factors affecting the adoption of VT. The internal factors are the strengths and weaknesses, while the external factors are the opportunities and threats. The respondents, therefore, were being made to tick the space provided for each factor against a scoring factor. The levels of scoring were as follows: very high (5), high (4), average (3), low (2) and very Low or none (1).

The findings presented in Table 2 show that most of the respondents are prominent professionals from the construction industry such as quantity surveyors (largest population), architects, builders and civil engineers. To ascertain the reliability and credibility of the respondents, they were asked to indicate their level of awareness and significance of the team type, which shows that they have moderate or average knowledge of the use of the team type for executing and delivery of project to cost, quality time and other requirements.

As depicted in Table 3, it was uniformly agreed by researchers that VTs possess numerous merits. Communication among team members, flexibility of operation and decision making are the factors mostly agreed upon as the strengths of VTs in the Nigerian construction industry, considering the level of awareness of professionals and their levels of significance. The works of Kayworth and Leidner (2002), Paul and Eddy (2003) and Staples and Zhao (2006) agree with the results of this study.

It was also agreed upon that professionals are aware that the need for special training for members of the VT, the presence of conflict among team members and the acceptability of the team for the client whose project is to be executed are the evident weaknesses of the use of VT in the Nigerian construction industry. This is in consonance with the studies of Liu et al. (2008), Staples and Zhao (2006) and Shikha (2013). The study also found that employee's schedules, decreased monitoring, work diversity and technophobia are the major weaknesses. They are also aware of the weight of these weaknesses on the VT.

As seen in Table 4, irrespective of these weaknesses, respondents believe that there are very good chances for the thriving of VT in the Nigerian construction industry. In evaluating the opportunities of a VT, reduction in time-to-market, the collaboration ability of team members and delivery time of project for the client are found to be the exploitable opportunities for the VT. This agrees with results from previous studies (Hoyt 2000; May and Carter 2001; Shikha 2013; Paul and Eddy 2003). The other identified opportunities are decision making, client satisfaction and integration of talents.

According to Table 4, it was found from this research that Effectiveness of VT is a threat; this is in accordance with results reported by others (Shikha 2013; Paul and Eddy 2003). Another threat to VT identified in the research is the performance level of team members. The work of Paul and Eddy (2003) and Shikha (2013) agrees with this. Infidelity, organizational barrier, participants’ perception, accuracy and cultural differences were the other identified factors. Nonetheless, for VT to stay, these identified factors must be tackled in the Nigerian construction industry.