Competence levels of alternate dispute resolution facilitators in the construction industry in South Africa
Du Preez, Olive
English: The complex nature of the construction industry calls for an effective claims management system which is supported by Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). Research indicates that ADR is not applied effectively in the industry, which raises the question as to the competence levels of practicing professionals in the role of ADR facilitator. The purpose of the study was to identify the requirements for effective ADR practice and to determine the competence levels of practicing professionals facilitating ADR in the South African construction industry. The findings of the research are intended to determine possible education and training requirements which may be employed to ultimately improve the contribution of ADR in the industry. A literature review was conducted to identify the requirements for effective ADR practice based on international standard practice. A questionnaire based on identified competencies was then developed and administered amongst the practicing professionals in order to determine current knowledge, skills, attributes and experience levels of practicing professionals in the South African construction industry. The findings of the data analysis were plotted on a competence model which reflected the key competencies as identified in the literature review. The competence models reflected the competence levels of practitioners in the industry. A situational competence model was developed illustrating the development process required for ADR facilitators in the construction industry through which professionals should progress in achieving competence however; the model is based on the current situation and will be subjected to variations as the situation changes. The situational competence model suggests that practicing professionals progress through four stages before becoming fully competent in facilitating ADR. Respondents were also grouped into age groups in order to address education and training compared to experience gained. This was intended to determine at which point competence is achieved by comparing the state of the new entrants to the industry with the more experienced professionals. Qualitative data was obtained by means of interviews and open ended questions posed in the questionnaire provided the information required to assess the current situation in the industry. The findings indicated that the problem areas tend toward the the application of the methods, skills and techniques however, respondents consider the application of the fundamentals of ADR important and they are applied effectively as required for successful dispute resolution. The high ratings on the self analysis in terms of the active listening competence raised the question as to the possibility that there may have been a degree of misinterpretation regarding the effective application of this competency. This response also suggests the possible influence of response bias. It was concluded that ADR in the industry is not applied according to the requirements of standard practice and according to the data analysis of the self evaluation; practicing professionals do not meet the requirements for competence in the practice of ADR. It was also identified that experience needs to be addressed in order to achieve competence. Practicing professionals are knowledgeable of the requirements for effective practice, however, experience is lacking. A further need which was identified in practice was for conciliation to be facilitated on site in order to minimize the risk of dispute, in the project environment. The findings support the need for more emphasis to be placed on ADR in the construction industry in the form of education, training and mentorship.
Afrikaans: Die komplekse aard van die boubedryf noop ‘n effektiewe eise-bestuurstelsel wat deur die Alternatiewe Dispuut Resolusie (ADR) ondersteun word. Navorsing dui aan dat ADR nie doeltreffend in die bedryf toegepas word nie, wat vrae laat ontstaan rondom die bevoegdheidsvlakke van praktiserende professionele persone wat die rol van die ADRfasiliteerders vervul. Die doel van die studie was om die vereistes vir effektiewe ADRpraktyk te identifiseer en om die bevoegdheidsvlakke van praktiserende professionele persone wat in die SA boubedryf fasiliteer, te bepaal. Die bevindings van die navorsing is gerig op die vasstelling van moontlike vereistes vir onderrig en opleiding, wat dan toegepas kan word om uiteindelik die bydrae van ADR in die bedryf te verhoog. ‘n Literatuurstudie is gedoen om die vereistes vir effektiewe ADR-praktyk, gebaseer op internasionale standaardpraktyk, te identifiseer. ‘n Vraelys, gebaseer op geïdentifiseerde bevoegdhede, is daarna saamgestel en onder praktiserende professionele persone versprei om die huidige vlakke van kennis, vaardighede, eienskappe en ondervinding van praktiserende professionele persone in die Suid-Afrikaanse boubedryf vas te stel. Die bevindings van die data-analise is op ‘n vaardigheidsmodel aangebring wat die kernvaardighede, soos geïdentifiseer in die literatuurstudie, weerspieël. Die vaardigheidsmodelle het die vaardigheidsvlakke van praktisyne in die bedryf aantoon. ‘n Situasie-vaardigheidsmodel wat die ontwikkelingsproses waardeur die ADR-fasiliteerders in die boubedryf moet vorder om vaardigheid te bereik, is ontwikkel. Die model is egter op die huidige situasie gebaseer en sal aan variasies onderworpe wees na gelang van veranderinge in die situasie. Die situasie-vaardigheidsmodel dui aan dat praktiserende professionele persone deur vier fases vorder voordat volle vaardigheid ten opsigte van ADRfasilitering bereik word. Respondente is ook volgens ouderdomsgroepe gegroepeer om onderrig en opleiding met verworwe ondervinding te kan vergelyk. Die doel was om te bepaal op watter stadium vaardigheidsbevoegdheid bereik word deur die nuwelinge in die bedryf met die meer ervare professionele persone te vergelyk. Kwalitatiewe data is verkry deur middel van onderhoude, asook ope vrae gestel in die vrae lys waaruit die nodige inligting om die huidige situasie in die bedryf te beoordeel, verkry is. Die bevindings het aangetoon dat die probleemareas na die toepassing van metodes, vaardighede en tegnieke neig. Die respondente beskou egter die toepassing van die grondbeginsels van ADR as belangrik en dit word doeltreffend toegepas soos noodsaaklik vir suksesvolle dispuutoplossing. Die hoë beoordelings binne die self-analise in terme van aktiewe luistervaardighede het die vraag laat onstaan of daar ‘n moontlikheid kon wees van ‘n mate van waninterpretasie ten opsigte van die doeltreffende toepassing van hierdie vaardigheid. Hierdie respons dui ook op moontlike respons-vooroordeel. Die afleiding is dat ADR in die bedryf nie volgens die vereistes van standaardpraktyk toegepas word nie. Volgens die data-analise van die self-evaluering, voldoen praktiserende professionele persone nie aan die vereistes vir vaardigheid in die ADR-praktyk nie. Dit is ook geïndentifiseer dat ondervinding aangespreek moet word sodat vaardigheid ten volle bereik kan word. Praktiserende professionele persone is kundig omtrent die vereistes vir doeltreffende praktyk, maar daar is ‘n gebrek aan ondervinding. ‘n Verdere geïdentifiseerde behoefte in die praktyk is dat konsiliasie op terrein gefasiliteer behoort te word om sodoende die risiko vir dispute in die projekomgewing te verminder. Die bevindings onderskryf die behoefte dat meer klem op ADR in die boubedryf geplaas moet word in die vorm van onderrig, opleiding en mentorskap.