A Research on the Capacity Development of Chinese Construction Project
Manager Based on Theory of Competency Model
Peng Huang
Auditing Department，Shandong Polytechnic University, Jinan, China
(hp1204@126.com)
Abstract - The particularity of construction project
determines the core position of the project manager.
Therefore, the development of construction project manager
plays an important role in increasing enterprise’s
competitive ability. Studies show development of Chinese
construction project manager is guaranteed by their
capacity and leadership. This article, from the perspective of
competency model, focuses on the content, way and
effectiveness of Chinese construction project manager,
concluding that the development of project manager is
related with attentive selection, while development of
capacity can be acquired through business training or
learning.
Keywords - construction project, project manager,
competency model, capacity development
I. INTRODUCTION
At present, most of the construction enterprises are
taking a project management model, that is, a project
manager responsibility system. For this management
model, project is the most basic construction unit, most
direct economic source of revenue, and biggest place that
resources are invested into.
Improving management is one of the most important
work of the project department. Project has its unique
particularity; most of projects are one-time, periodical and
complex [1]. The ability of project manager directly
determines the success of a particular project. Therefore,
improving the ability and management of project manager
can most benefit enterprise’s competitive competence.
To develop the capacity of the construction project
manager，three key problems must be solved. First, the
capacity content of the project manager must be
considered; next, the development way must be
determined; the last, how to evaluate the development
effect must be made clear. At the same time, the theory of
competency model has provided a new angle of view for
further analyzing the content, method and effectiveness
evaluation to the Chinese project managers. [2]
II. METHOD AND SCOPE OF RESEARCH
Since the competency model theory was put forward, it
had been widely applied; the relative study was also
abundant which laid the foundation of this article. It
adopts the method of literature to study the capacity
development of Chinese construction project manager,
further analyzing the importance of ability and plasticity,
the way and methods of project development.
For the research object, this paper concentrates on
construction enterprise, taking project manager as
research object, while not involving IT and other industry
project manager.
III. COMPETENCY MODEL OF CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT MANAGER
Study of competency model was proposed by
McClelland in the late 1960 s. [3] since then, the research
and application of competence theory grow rapidly. At
present, the competency model has already become a
powerful tool of human resources development, and
provided a successful model for a specific organization,
job or role [4]. A classic of competence theory model such
as “iceberg model” and “onion model” is the foundation
of constructing an enterprise and a post. Nowadays, a
more influential competency model is “iceberg model”
put forward by Spencer L.M & Spencer S.M. According
to “iceberg model”, competence model can be divided
into knowledge, skill, concept of self, characteristic and
motivation, among which knowledge means the paradigm
and experience information possessed by the individual in
a particular area; Skill refers to structured knowledge used
to accomplish a specific task; The concept of self refers to
the individual’s attitude, value or self image;
characteristic refers to the individual’s physiological
characteristic and the
response of consistency to
situation; Motivation refers to individual’s inherent power
of behavior. [5] By contrast, knowledge and skill are
visible and relatively explicit characteristics which are
easy to change; while the concept of self, characteristic
and motivation are more subtle characters, they are deep
and central part which are not easy to change and can
predict individual’s long-term performance. "Iceberg
model" is shown in Fig. 1.
Competency model provides a new way for the
selection, training and development of construction
project which has also attracted widespread attention.
Boston university enterprise education center (BUCEC)
and Fox consulting company jointly develop a project
manager of competence model (called BUCEC model) [6].
The model divides project manager into five types of
technical skill, personal ability, capacity and leadership.
Technical skill includes management of integration,
scope, time, cost, quality, human resources,
communication, risk and procurement; capacity and
leadership include comprehensive attention, a sharp
business mind and organization to create a good working
environment; Individual characteristic mainly includes
achievement and action, ability of good communication,
influence and management so on.
Project Manager Competency
Skill
Knowledge
Knowledge
Competency
Performance
Competency
Personal
Competency
Units of
Competence (9
Knowledge Areas)
Units of Competence
(9 Knowledge Areas)
Units of
Competence (6
Separate Units)
Competency
Clusters for Each
Units (5 PM
Processes)
Social role
Elements of
Competence for
Each Cluster
Self-image
Trait
“Project Management Competency Development
Framework” (PMCD) is sponsored by Project
Management Institute of America and has been widely
applied in countries all over the world. PMCD focuses on
knowledge [8], skills and behavior characteristic needed by
successful project manager which is shown in Fig. 2.
Knowledge competency consists of 9 knowledge area
elements; Performance competency consists of 9 elements;
Personal competency consists of 6 elements.
In China, Jin Zhang (2007) established competence
model of enterprise project management from three
dimensional structures, namely management skills,
interpersonal relationship and personal qualities.
Guozheng Chen (2008) put forward dimensions of
knowledge and skill, attitude, values, competency model
of project manager which is composed by leadership
traits. Huiling Xu (2010) put the idea that competency
model of international construction project is composed
by four dimensions and 22 competence model structures,
the four dimensions are personal characteristics,
management skills, interpersonal relationship and basic
knowledge [9].
From relative research of project manager, competence
of project manager mainly includes general knowledge
and skills, personal and leadership traits, and interpersonal
relationship which can be summarized and shown in
Table I.
Elements of
Competence for
Each Cluster
Performance
Criteria for Each
Element
Motive
Fig. 1. Iceberg model [7]
(Source: Spencer, L.M. &Spencer, S.M.(1993) Competence at work:
Models for Superior Performance. New York: Wiley）
Competency Clusters for
Each Units (5 PM
Processes)
Underpinning
knowledge
Performance
Criteria for Each
Element
Competency Clusters
(2-4 Clusters per
units)
Elements of
Competence for Each
Cluster
Performance
Criteria for Each
Element
Demonstrable
Performance
Fig. 2. PMCD Framework [10]
（Source：2002 Project Management Institute, Four Campus
Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA）
Table I
Competence model of project manager
No
Project manager
of competence
category
Characteristics competence of construction
project manager
Management knowledge
Technical knowledge
Communication ability
Ability of organization and coordination
1
Knowledge and
skills
Ability of judging and making decisions
Time management
Risk identification and control ability
Ability of controlling cost and budget
Ability of management in conflict
Ability of Planning target management
Leadership motivation
Establish relationships
2
Interpersonal
relationship
Team establishment
Authorization
Influencial ability
3
Personal
and
Vision
leadership traits
Initiative
Responsibility
Integrity
the second and fourth quadrant which can be acquired and
improved through development. Interpersonal skills of
competence also belong to the fourth quadrant which
should take the organization development primarily.
Achievement orientation
High
Ⅳ Quadrant: high significance,
high plasticity, organization
development mainly.
Confidence
Innovation spirit
Consciousnessof serving customers
Ⅳ
Plasticity
Consciousness of quality
Ⅱ
Ⅲ Quadrant: high significance,
low plasticity, selection and
selection of development
primarily.
Personnel training
Middle
（Source: According to relevant research and conference）
This article mainly aims at the capacity development of
project manager, so specific project manager competence
is no longer involved in this paper.
Ⅰ
Ⅲ
Ⅰ Quadrant: low significance,
low plasticity, in a self training
primarily.
IV. EVALUATION AND WAY OF CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT
Competency model guides the way of capacity
development. Therefore, in point of application of the
model, specific project is required to make evaluation
concerning its significance and plasticity, because
organization’s resources are limited, especially for
enterprises, they pursue the maximization of profit and the
best input-output ratio [11]. While plasticity evaluation
compensates the disadvantages depending on some
competency training and development project is difficult
to improve.
Usually, for competence with high plasticity and great
significance, we are supposed to choose the best human
resources and execute compulsive training, helping them
develop rapidly; For competence with low plasticity and
great significance, we should take it as the focus of
investigation, do not employ or promote those who can
not meet the requirements of a particular post; For
competence with high plasticity and low significance , we
can provide them with in-house training by volunteer
instructor; For competence with low plasticity and low
significance, it is suggested to give priority to self-study.
Therefore, different ways of developing competence can
be executed in view of significance and plasticity of
different competence [12]. Significance of competence and
matrix of plasticity evaluation and its corresponding way
of development are shown in Fig. 3.
According to the above theory and methodology, table
2 analyzes the corresponding development way and
evaluates its plasticity and significance of competence
characteristics for Chinese project manager listed in table
1 and is shown in Table II.
According to the above analysis, the personal and
leadership traits of project manager mostly belong to the
third quadrant, which is hard to depend on acquired
cultivation; knowledge and skills of competence belong to
Ⅱ Quadrant: low significance,
high plasticity, learning from
work, development mainly.
Low
Middle
High
significance
Fig. 3. Significance of competence and matrix of plasticity evaluation
and its corresponding way of development [13]
Management knowledge and technical skills factors
belong to the second quadrant and can be developed by
training and schooling. Time management skill, risk
identification and control ability, ability of controlling
cost and budget and ability of management in conflict
belong to the second quadrant and can be developed by
work-based learning. Now, workplace learning is not a
unitary concept. Holliday thinks that workplace learning
is learning processes and outcomes in the way the staff to
individuals or groups in particular in the workplace. This
learning process and outcomes related to member of
emotion and the value change, understanding of
knowledge, as well as with the specific job related skills.
[14]
Factors belonging to the third quadrant are influential
ability, vision, initiative, responsibility, integrity,
achievement orientation, confidence, innovation spirit, etc.
These factors are often congenital form, or have formed in
the early period [15]. In general, these factors are stable,
and not easy to change. So, how to select these factors
becomes very critical. Chinese construction enterprises
should establish selection mechanism to select these
factors that project manager should have. Chinese
construction enterprises can set up corresponding quality
evaluation method to the selection of these features by
combining the external advisory body.
The factors belonging to the fourth quadrant are
communication ability, ability of organization and
coordination, ability to make judgment and decision,
ability of planning target management, leadership
motivation, established relationships and team
construction, etc. These factors can be developed by
enterprises. Chinese construction enterprises should take
corresponding development way and method to develop
project manager’s ability according to their characteristics.
knowledge and skills of competence belong to the second
and fourth quadrant which can be acquired and improved
through development; Interpersonal skills of competence
also belong to the fourth quadrant.
Table II
Evaluation model of significance and plasticity of competence for
project manager
REFERENCES
No
1
2
3
Characteristics competence
of
construction
project
manager
Evaluation of
significance
and plasticity
Management knowledge
Ⅱquadrant
Technical knowledge
Ⅱquadrant
Communication ability
Ⅳquadrant
Ability of organization and
coordination
Ability to make judgment
and decision
Ⅳquadrant
Time management
Ⅱquadrant
Risk
identification
and
control ability
Ability of control cost and
budget
Ability of management in
conflict
Ability of planning target
management
Ⅱquadrant
Leadership motivation
Ⅳquadrant
Established relationships
Ⅳquadrant
Team construction
Ⅳquadrant
Authorization
Ⅱquadrant
Influential ability
Ⅲquadrant
Vision
Ⅲquadrant
Initiative
Ⅲquadrant
Responsibility
Ⅲquadrant
Integrity
Ⅲquadrant
Achievement orientation
Ⅲquadrant
Confidence
Ⅲquadrant
Innovation spirit
Ⅲquadrant
of
Personnel training
Learning and
developing in
working
Organization
development
Ⅳquadrant
Ⅱquadrant
Learning and
developing in
working
Ⅱquadrant
Ⅳquadrant
Organization
development
Selection and
development
Ⅳquadrant
Quality consciousness
Consciousness
customers
Way
of
development
serving
Ⅳquadrant
Organization
development
Ⅳquadrant
V. CONCLUSION
This paper studies the capacity and competence of
Chinese project manager according to recent research,
dividing it into three aspects, that is, knowledge and
skills, interpersonal relationship, personal and leadership
traits. Besides, it evaluates the competence of Chinese
project manager on basis of plasticity evaluation matrix.
The results show that the personal and leadership traits
of project manager mostly belong to the third quadrant,
which is hard to depend on acquired cultivation;
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