Communication Within The Construction Industry - Essay Example

In this context, it has been found that the Simon reports (1944, 1945, 1948) could be possibly regarded as a primary theoretical approach to the issue of communication in the construction industry. These reports refer to the “distribution of building materials, awareness of the problems faced and the contingency planning required to overcome post-war problems” (Emmitt et al., 2003, 12). In other words, there was an ‘indirect’ reference to the communication as a necessary element for the successful completion of a construction project.

The study of the role of communication in the development of a construction project was expanded after the decade of 1960s while in the 1970s one of the most important studies appeared in the area is that of Broadbent’s Design and Architecture in 1973 which included “an entire chapter for the issue of communication” (Emmitt et al., 2003, 16). Another important study was also that of Paterson ‘Information Methods: For Design and Construction’ in 1977 which refer to the value of information towards the successful completion of a construction project.

Other studies also followed in recent years emphasizing the need for effective communication in order to achieve the targets set in any construction project. Communication should be considered as an element of primary importance for the success of any construction project. In this context, it has been supported by Brown (2001, 1) that “communication has been cited by 25 per cent of all construction employers as a basic reason for failure”. On the other hand, it has been found that “differences in communication techniques, language and subsequent translation of the language into the design product mean that the existence of certain hurdles must be accepted; techniques need to be developed to ensure that they become simple obstacles, as opposed to