Technical Competency Enhancement Framework for Civil Engineers Towards Successful Public Projects Delivery in Malaysia : Strategists Influence Challenges

Abstract

The process of applying project management standards to public sector construction projects is based on a rationalist conception that defines technical competence as an established set of predictable knowledge qualities. However, the lack of empirical data is found in the way civil engineers practice these qualities on the workplace surroundings, and especially in the public project context. Technical competency has long been recognised as one of the critical factors in determining the individual performance, but the research has taken little action in terms of establishing the key technical competencies that may be needed to successfully implement the public projects. Through the use of an established competency framework based on the human resource management theory, the study work empirically assesses the technical competencies of civil engineers at the different stages of the delivery of the public projects. It determines key issues which lead to the lack of technical competency, evaluates the consequences of these issues on project performance, and provides specific measures to boost technical competency. Through literature review and pilot study, a questionnaire survey on 359 respondents amongst the civil engineers who are directly involved in managing public project in Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Malaysia have been obtained and the analysis was conducts using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse quantitative data and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the structural relationships of the proposed framework. The results suggest that too much non-technical and administrative work are the most significant constraints on technical competency development and there is a strong preference towards work-integrated learning, on-site technical exposure and real-time project involvement found as the most effective strategies in improving technical competency. Therefore, this study aims at developing a model, which can be integrated to improve technical competency in civil engineers working on public projects in Malaysia. The results provide applicable knowledge to the organisations in the public sector, thus making it possible to plan and manage technical competency better and implement public projects in Malaysia in a more effective and successful way.