Human Resource Practices in the Construction Industry: Does the Involvement of Expatriates rather than Host Employees Affect work Quality? A Study of RCC and JB

Abstract

This study investigates the human resources practices in the construction industry and examines if involvement of expatriates rather than host employees affect work quality in the Nigerian construction industry. To achieve the main objective, the study utilized survey design and data was collected though a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 45 respondents who were randomly picked from two communities in Anambra and Enugu states where two purposively selected companies Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) and Julius Berger (JB) were undergoing construction works. Having analyzed the data, the study found out that engaging expatriates by the Nigerian construction companies facilitate reliable and effective work quality than the engaging host employees. This finding was informed from the respondents’ opinions’ to the seven-item questions raised. The work among other things, recommended that local employees in construction organizations must be committed to a program of capacity development so that their capacity building can be developed and enhanced. The work, in addition to that, also advised that construction firms may send expatriates’ on shorter assignment and engage in teleconferencing, telecommuting, and other electronic means with host employees so as to reduce inter-racial/ethnic conflict and to facilitate communication between their international divisions.