This study evaluates the relationships among internal stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry. The objectives are to evaluate the factors influencing good working relationships, with priority placed on relationship indicators and variation in effect/priority among groups of relationships. A survey of 95 purposively sampled stakeholders resulted in 72 valid structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using mean score and KruskalÀWallis tests. The study concludes that unitary relationships are more associated with professionals; coercive relationships more associated with contractors; while mutuality relationships are least prevalent. The influence of factors promoting/hindering good relationships do not significantly vary among the internal stakeholders (p-values D 0.665 and 0.468), while significant variation exists in the priority placed on relationship-oriented indicators (p-value D 0.015). The study recommends encouragement of mutual relationships, clear/regular communication, trust/respect for contractual conditions, cooperation/collaboration, adequate job descriptions and good job attitudes. Priority should be placed on seamless/collaborative operation, collective understanding and gain/pain-sharing, which encourage team integration.

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Contractors, among other construction stakeholders, are vital in achieving the set goals of a project. Adequately engaging a capable contractor is an important task for a client. This study aims at determining the reasons for clients contending with contractors that are not committed to health and safety (H&S). The study was conducted through a literature review, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 286 construction stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry. Cronbach alpha was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire used for data collection. Mean scores (MSs) were adopted to determine the major factors that influence clients’ selections and factor analysis was used to cluster variables of high inter-correlations. Findings from the survey reveal that H&S is not a clients’ goal or a project value hence, H&S is not viewed as a vital pre-qualification criterion for contractor selection. This results in a poor checklist concerning contractors’ quality assurance and inadequate verification of contractors’ H&S history. Therefore, appointing non-compliant H&S contractors. The findings provide information on the influence clients have respecting H&S as a prequalification criterion and towards construction workers’ H&S. This will enable construction stakeholders to make the right decision in the pre-qualification of contractors.

This study evaluates the nature and influence of contractual claims on the performance of traditional construction projects in Nigeria. The objectives are to evaluate frequency of occurrence, magnitude, as well as influence of factors on claims, influence of claims on cost, time and quality and importance of claims' mitigation strategies. The study purposively sampled 72 contractors, 66 professionals and 45 clients using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed by using Likert scale, severity index, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The results show that extra-work, change orders and delay/extension claims are most frequent. Average estimated claim values vary between 6.9% and 30.7% of bid price. Stakeholders have similar view of frequency of occurrence and magnitude of claims (p-values = 0.826 and 0.972 > 0.05). There is a difference in the effect of factors between owners' and contractors' claims (p-value=0.001<0.05), while the influence of contractual claims does not vary among cost, time and quality (p-value=0.691>0.05). The study recommends that stakeholders should avoid claims, by placing priority on the factors with high significance. Stakeholders should adopt the identified mitigation strategies, with emphasis on holding periodic progress reviews and inspections, as well as reading and understanding the contract documents.

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