A Critical Study Of The Practice Characteristics Of Architectural Firms In Nigeria

A Critical Study Of The Practice Characteristics Of Architectural Firms In Nigeria

Abstract

veritably little is known about the architectural enterprises in Nigeria. The study therefore explored the

characteristics of architectural enterprises in Nigeria empirically using the systems approach to the study of associations. The study delved the organizational biographies, societies, strategies and structures of the architectural enterprises. The tasks and information technology characteristics of the architectural enterprises as well as the external influences on the enterprises were also delved , climaxing in the disquisition of the types of architectural enterprises that was inNigeria.This study therefore took an approach which was exploratory and descriptive. thus, the exploration was substantially inductive. The architectural practice was studied as a professional association and the architectural enterprises were studied holistically, taking the systems approach. The sample size was deduced from the list of architectural enterprises registered by Engineers Registration Council of Nigeria( ARCON, 2006). The intentional and arbitrary slice styles were employed. The check and qualitative styles were used, with the establishment as the unit of analysis. The check instrument was the structured questionnaire, while the qualitative instrument was the interview schedule. The ninety- two( 92) questionnaires collected were anatomized using frequentness, cross tabulations, the ki-square test, top element analysis, the measure of correlation( Pearson†™ s product- moment correlation measure), Multiple Analysis of Variance,( MANOVA), discriminant analysis, retrogression analysis and cluster analysis. The data from the interview were anatomized using content analysis.

The five types of enterprises linked by the study included manly- dominated enterprises, unformed

enterprises, conventional enterprises, stable/ traditional enterprises and protean enterprises. The most important causes of differences between the types of architectural enterprises in Nigeria were position of specialization of conditioning, and kinds of services offered, which reckoned for further than half of the differences between the enterprises.

utmost of the architectural enterprises tried in Nigeria were set up to be further than ten( 10)

times old, small sized, and possessed by a sole star. They had the culture of invention, but not the culture of aggression in the pursuit of business openings or concern for profit. The study set up that utmost of the guests of the architectural enterprises were private individualities in Nigeria and utmost of their systems were domestic systems. utmost of the guests of the architectural enterprises were sourced through particular contact and the systems utmost of the enterprises carried out were those that they were suitable to gain commissions for. utmost of the enterprises were engaged in systems which used the design and figure system and these enterprises were set up to have further domestic systems. Also participation in design and figure system appeared to be a survival strategy as the enterprises that had was for further than 15 times didn’t share in systems which used this system. The enterprises substantially used capability in design, followed by AUTOCAD and information technology knowledge as criteria for the selection of staff. Findings of the study indicated that information technology installations were largely available in utmost of the enterprises, and the internet was substantially used for sourcing information. The results also suggest that the internet was used as a tool for centralization.

The study further set up that the external influences on utmost of the architectural enterprises were

not so strong and the topmost influences were those wielded by guests, advances in information technology and the public frugality. The characteristics of the enterprises most affected by these external influences were the staff operation culture of the enterprises, the strategic pretensions of the enterprises and the qualification and experience of the star.

The study concluded that architectural enterprises need to take advantage of the openings

handed by information technology to operate on a global position. There’s a need for architectural seminaries in Nigeria to completely integrate externship into the study of armature as well as train scholars considerably in construction styles to meet the demands of architectural enterprises. The study further concluded that there’s a need for the business training of engineers as this was a factor responsible for the success of architectural enterprises. The systems approach to the study of architectural enterprises had been useful and practical. further studies are needed, using the systems approach, on tricks of architectural enterprises and their operation strategies.

Table Of Content

————————— i

protestation————————— ii

instrument————————– iii

fidelity————————– iv

Acknowledgement———————— v

Abstract————————– vi

Table of Content——————— viii

List of Tables———————— xiv

List of Figure———————— xvi

List of Plates———————— xx

supplements———————— xxi

Chapter One Preface

1. Background of Study—————– 1

Problem description——————– 3

2. Aim and objects of the Research—————- 8

3. defense———————- 8

4. compass of Study—————— 10

Summary——————– 11

Chapter Two Literature Review

preface——————— 12

Perspectives in the Study of Organizations————- 12

Contingency proposition and Organizational Characteristics——— 14

Characteristics of Associations————– 14

Technological Characteristics———— 18

Structural Characteristics————— 20

Strategy—————— 21

labor force Characteristics————— 21

Physical Environment————– 22

Culture of Organizations pretensions and Value Systems—— 22

External Environment————– 23

Organizational Configuration and Organizational Patterns——— 24

Organizational Bracket————– 25

Approaches to Organizational Bracket——– 26

Typological and Taxonomical Procedures in Organizational Bracket—————- 28

The Study of Professions—————– 30

The Study of Professional Organizations————- 32

The Architectural Profession and its Characteristics———– 33

The Architectural establishment————— 34

Architectural Practice as Professional service——- 35

Architectural Practice as Creative Endeavour——- 36

Architecture as Business————- 36

Challenges to Architectural Practice————– 49

The Characteristics of Architectural enterprises———— 41

Strategies of Architectural enterprises———- 42

1 Business Strategies——— 43

Competitive Strategy——— 44

Staffing Strategies———— 46

Structure of Architectural enterprises———– 47

Organizational Profile of Architectural enterprises——— 49

Technological characteristics———– 50

Studies of Architectural enterprises————- 52

Methodological Approaches to the Study of Architectural enterprises. —— 53

Summary——————- 54

CHAPTER THREE Abstract frame

preface——————– 57

The System Approach to the Study of Associations——- 57

Empirical Approach to bracket———– 60

Summary——————– 61

CHAPTER FOUR METHODOLOGY

preface——————— 62

Methodological Approach—————– 62

The Study Population—————- 62

slice system——————- 63

Size of Sample—————— 63

Subjects——————– 66

Data Collection Instruments————– 66

Questionnaire/ Interview Design————— 66

Data Collection and Treatment————– 67

Sub Problem 1—————- 67

Sub Problem 2—————- 68

Sub Problem 3—————- 69

Sub Problem 4—————- 69

Sub Problem 5—————- 70

Airman Test——————— 70

primary Survey Details—————– 70

Chapter Summary——————- 71

CHAPTER FIVE Biographies OF ARCHITECTURAL enterprises

preface——————— 73

Age Biographies of enterprises——————- 73

Power Form of enterprises—————– 74

Reasons Why Headliners Started enterprises—– 77

Registration Status of enterprises————– 77

Staff Biographies of the Architectural enterprises———— 78

Number of Staff in Architectural establishment———- 78

The Number of Professionals in the enterprises———– 80

The Number of Support Staffs in the enterprises———– 81

Qualification of the Engineers in the enterprises———– 83

Designation of Engineers————— 84

Gender Profile—————- 85

customer Profile—————— 87

Clientele and Power Form of Architectural enterprises—— 88

customer and Age of Architectural establishment————- 89

Economic Profile——————- 90

Average Size of systems Carried Out in the Last two Times——- 90

2 Sizes of systems Targeted in the Next One Time——— 92

Means of Remuneration————– 93

Perception of the Successes of the Architectural enterprises—— 94

Characteristics of the star————– 96

Gender of star—————– 96

Age of star—————- 97

Number of enterprises that star preliminarily Worked in—— 98

Loftiest Qualification of star————- 99

fresh Qualifications of Headliners———- 100

Times of Experience of star———— 101

Number of Times of experience of star before Starting enterprises——- 103

Institutions Attended by Headliners———– 103

Factors of Organizational Profile of Architectural enterprises—- 105

Types of Architecture enterprises Grounded on the Biographies of the enterprises—– 107

Profile Attributes of enterprises in cluster 1——– 108

Profile Attributes of enterprises in cluster 2——– 109

Profile Attributes of enterprises in cluster 3——– 109

Profile Attributes of enterprises in cluster 4——– 110

Profile Attributes of enterprises in cluster 5——– 111

Summary—————— 111

CHAPTER SIX Artistic PROFILE OF ARCHITECTURAL enterprises

preface——————– 114

Organizational Culture of Architectural enterprises——— 114

Major Cultural values of Architectural enterprises———— 118

Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises and Other Characteristics of the establishment—- 119

Organizational Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises and Innovation– 119

Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises and Power Form—- 120

Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises and Means of Remuneration—–

121

Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises and the Age of the star—– 121

Leadership Styles of the star————– 122

Spatial Arrangement of utmost corridor of Architectural services—– 124

Personalization of the event Area———– 125

Factors of organizational Culture of Architectural enterprises——– 126

Types of Architectural enterprises Grounded on the societies of the enterprises—— 128

Cultural Attributes of enterprises in the First Cluster——- 129

Cultural Attributes of enterprises in the Alternate Cluster——– 130

Cultural Attributes of enterprises in the Third Cluster——– 131

Cultural Attributes of enterprises in the Fourth Cluster——– 132

Summary——————- 133

CHAPTER SEVEN ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES OF ARCHITECTURAL enterprises

preface——————– 135

Business Strategies of Architectural enterprises———— 135

customer Group Targeted————- 135

systems in the Firm†™ s Portfolio———– 137

Reasons for the Proportions of Different design Types—– 138

Means of Building guests————— 139

Competitive Strategies of Architectural enterprises———- 142

Network of Branches of Architectural enterprises——– 143

Network of Branches in West Africa and other corridor of the World——- 144

Collaboration with other enterprises———— 145

Long- term Contracts andSub-Commissions——– 150

Architectural enterprises and structure Procurement styles——- 152

Ranking of Strategic Principles of Architectural enterprises—— 155

Major Strategic Principles of Architectural enterprises——— 157

Staffing strategies of enterprises—————– 158

Criteria for Selection of Staffs( Engineers)———– 158

Means of Retaining Competent staffs———- 160

Staffing Mode of Architectural enterprises———- 163

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Strategies of the enterprises——- 164

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Business strategies—- 164

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Competitive Strategies——- 168

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Staffing Strategies—- 172

Summary——————– 175

CHAPTER EIGHT THE services STRUCTURE AND TASK AND INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY CHARACTERISTICS OF ARCHITECTURAL enterprises

preface——————— 178

Specialization of Duties—————- 178

Formalization of Conditioning—————– 181

Centralization of Decision Making————— 182

Delegation of Authority—————- 185

Forms of Organizational Structures of the Architectural enterprises—— 186

Task and information technology characteristics of Architectural enterprises—– 189

Services Offered by the Architectural enterprises——– 189

Organization of Staff for prosecution of systems——– 190

Subletting of Services————– 191

Information Technology Characteristics of the enterprises———– 194

Vacuity of Information Technology installations in enterprises——- 194

operation of Internet installations in Architectural enterprises——- 195

Websites and Electronic Correspondence(E-Mail) Addresses——— 198

Information Technology, Size Power Forms and Structures of

Architectural enterprises—————– 197

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Office Structures; and Task and

Information Technology Characteristics of the enterprises——– 199

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Office Structures—- 199

Types of Architectural enterprises grounded on the Task and Information

Technology Characteristics of Architectural enterprises——— 203

Summary——————– 205

CHAPTER NINE TYPOLOGIES OF enterprises AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCES ON enterprises

preface——————— 208

Strength of External Influences on enterprises————- 208

The External Environment and other Characteristics of Architectural enterprises—– 210

Characteristics of architectural enterprises and success of the establishment—— 212

Characteristics of architectural enterprises and success of the enterprises when the enterprises

are oppressively told by the external terrain——– 216

Description of the External Factors of the Architectural enterprises 222

Types of Architectural enterprises—————– 223

Determinants of Organizational Differences between Architectural enterprises—– 227

Summary——————– 228

Chapter Ten Summary And Conclusion

preface——————— 230

Summary of Results and Conclusion—————- 230

Counteraccusations of the Findings—————– 233

openings for farther Research————— 234

Concluding reflections——————- 235

References———————- 236

List Of Tables

Table 1 position of Registered Architectural enterprises in Nigeria——- 10

Table4.1 Calculated Sample Sizes————— 65

Table4.2 Distribution of Questionnaires to Architectural enterprises According to City

locales——————- 71

Table5.1 periods of enterprises as Contained in the Register of Architectural enterprises Entitled to

Practice in Nigeria—————— 74

Table5.2 Power Form of enterprises from the Register of Architectural enterprises Entitled to

Practice in Nigeria—————— 79

Table5.3 Number of Professionals in enterprises————– 81

Table5.4 Number of Support Staffs in enterprises————– 82

Table5.5 Qualification of Engineers—————- 84

Table5.6 Designation of Engineers—————- 85

Table5.7 coitus of Staffs—————– 86

Table5.8 guests of Architectural enterprises————- 88

Table5.9 Means of Remuneration————— 93

Table5.10 fresh Qualifications of headliners of armature enterprises—- 101

Table5.11 Institution Attended by star————- 104

Table5.12 Profile Factor Descriptions————— 106

Table6.1 Ranking of Cultural Values————— 115

Table6.2 Factors of Cultural Values of Architectural enterprises——— 118

Table6.3 Correlations between Innovation and other Cultural Attributes—- 120

Table6.4 Cultural Factor Descriptions————— 128

Table7.1 Reasons for Collaboration———— 149

Table7.2 Ranking of Strategic Principles of Architectural enterprises—- 156

Table7.3 Factors of Strategic Principles of Architectural enterprises—— 158

Table7.4 Ranking of Criteria for Selection of Staffs( Engineers)—— 159

Table8.1 Formalization of Conditioning———— 182

Table8.2 Centralization of opinions———— 183

Table8.3 Ranking of the frequentness of Services offered by Architectural enterprises—- 190

Table8.4 Ranking of Vacuity of Information Technology installations—- 194

Table8.5 Ranking of the operation of Internet installations——— 195

Table9.1 Ranking of Strength of external Influences on Architectural enterprises—– 209

Table9.2 Discriminant Analysis- Success of enterprises———–

— 213

Table9.3 Canonical Discriminant Function Portions Success of enterprises—– 214

Table9.4 Functions at Group Centroids- Success of enterprises——— 214

Table9.5 Bracket Results Success of enterprises———– 215

Table9.6 Discriminant Analysis- Success under severe external influences—– 217

Table9.7 Canonical Discriminant Function Portions- Success under severe external

influences——————- 217

Table9.8 Functions at Group Centroids- Success under severe external influences 218

Table9.9 Bracket Results Success under severe external influences——– 218

Table9.10 Discriminant Analysis- Success under weak external influences—– 220

Table9.11 Canonical Discriminant Function Portions- Success under weak external influences——– 221

Table9.12 Functions at Group Centroids- Success under weak external influences 221

Table9.13 Bracket Results- Success under weak external influences—– 221

Table9.14 Categorical star element Analysis” Model Summary—- 223

Table9.15 Description of confines of the external terrain——- 223

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure2.1 The Organizational System—————— 17

Figure2.2 Sources of Business for Professionals †˜————– 38

Figure3.1 figure of the Researcher†™ s Process of Thought———— 60

Figure5.1 periods of enterprises——————- 74

Figure5.2 Power Forms of enterprises—————— 75

Figure5.3 Registration of establishment with ARCON—————- 78

Figure5.4 Total figures of Staff in Architectural enterprises———– 79

Figure5.5 Chance of Staff of Architecture enterprises who were Women——- 86

Figure5.6 Average Size of design done in the last two times——— 91

Figure5.7 Cost of systems Targeted in the Next One Time———— 92

Figure5.8 Perception of the Firm†™ s Success—————- 94

Figure5.9 Gender of star——————– 96

Figure5.10 Age Group of star—————– 97

Figure5.11 Number of enterprises that star preliminarily worked in——— 98

Figure5.12 Loftiest Qualification of star——— 99

Figure5.13 Possession of Other Qualifications by star———– 101

Figure5.14 Number of Times of experience of star———- 102

Figure5.15 Number of Times that the star had been registered with Engineers

enrollment Council of Nigeria( ARCON)————- 102

Figure5.16 Number of Times of Experience of star Before Starting enterprises——- 103

Figure5.17 Cluster Distributions of Types of Architectural enterprises Grounded on the Biographies

of the enterprises—————— 108

Figure5.18 Variables Important in the conformation of Cluster 1 of enterprises Grounded on Biographies– 108

Figure5.19 Variables Important in the conformation of Cluster 2 of enterprises Grounded on Biographies– 109

Figure5.20 Variables Important in the conformation of Cluster 3 of enterprises Grounded on Biographies– 110

Figure5.21 Variables Important in the conformation of Cluster 4 of enterprises Grounded on Biographies– 110

Figure5.22 Variables Important in the conformation of Cluster 5 of enterprises Grounded on Biographies– 111

Figure6.1 Description of the Headliners————– 123

Figure6.2 Spatial Arrangements of Architectural services———– 124

Figure6.3 Number of particulars in the event Area———– 125

Figure6.4 Are there delineations in the event Area?——– 125

Figure6.5 Are there Models in the event Area?——– 125

Figure6.6 Are there artworks or oils in the event Area?——— 126

Figure6.7 Are there shops in the event Area?———– 126

Figure6.8 Are there Awards, Pillars or monuments in the event Area?——- 126

Figure6.9 Are there Reading Accoutrements in the event Area?————

126

Figure6.10 Cluster distribution of enterprises Grounded on societies———– 129

Figure6.11 Attributes of enterprises in the First Cluster Grounded on Culture——— 130

Figure6.12 Attributes of enterprises in the Alternate Cluster Grounded on Culture——— 131

Figure6.13 Attributes of enterprises in the Third Cluster Grounded on Culture——— 131

Figure6.14 Attributes of enterprises in the Fourth Cluster Grounded on Culture——— 132

Figure7.1 customer Groups Targeted—————- 136

Figure7.2 customer Groups Targeted-Multiple Response Results——– 136

Figure7.3 Proportions of Different design Types in Firms†™ Portfolios——— 138

Figure7.4 Reasons for the Proportions of Project Types————– 139

Figure7.5 Proportions of guests from colorful Sources———- 140

Figure7.6 Network of Branches of Architectural enterprises———- 143

Figure7.7 Number of Branches of Architectural enterprises in Nigeria——– 143

Figure7.8 Network of Branches in West Africa and Other corridor of the World—- 145

Figure7.9 Does the establishment unite Locally with other enterprises?——- 146

Figure7.10 Does the establishment unite with other enterprises outside Nigeria?—– 146

Figure7.11 enterprises Banded with Locally————– 147

Figure7.12 enterprises Banded with Internationally———— 147

Figure7.13 Type of Collaboration enterprises Were Involved in——— 148

Figure7.14 Reasons for Collaboration-Multiple response Results——- 150

Figure7.15 Proportion of enterprises with Long- term Contracts——— 151