A survey on communications in large-scale construction projects in China

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to show how effective project team communications is one of the major challenges to a construction project's success. The success of large-scale construction projects is critical to Chinese economy. The purposes of the research are to grasp the current status of communications in large-scale construction projects in China and lay a basis for further research on project communications. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was conducted by postal questionnaire and telephone. Findings - Through analyzing the data obtained from the survey, the communication problems in large-scale construction projects in China are exposed. The roots of the problems are summarized as lack of good communication mechanism, weak organizational structures of construction teams, lack of uniform standards for construction information, and lack of support for advanced communication technologies. Originality/value - The paper presents the directions for further research to improve communications in large-scale construction projects in China.