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Original scientific article

ENHANCING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER SELECTION WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT

By
Mohd Nasrun bin Mohd Nawi Orcid logo ,
Mohd Nasrun bin Mohd Nawi

School of Technology Management and Logistic (STML), Universiti Utara Malaysia , Sintok, Kedah , Malaysia

Norhidayah Tamrin Orcid logo ,
Norhidayah Tamrin

School of Technology Management and Logistic (STML), Universiti Utara Malaysia , Sintok, Kedah , Malaysia

Abdul Ghafur Hanafi Orcid logo ,
Abdul Ghafur Hanafi

Quest International University (QIU) , Ipoh, Perak , Malaysia

Mohd Faizal Omar Orcid logo ,
Mohd Faizal Omar

School of Quantitative Sciences (SQS), Universiti Utara Malaysia , Sintok, Kedah , Malaysia

Mohd Kamarul Irwan Abdul Rahim Orcid logo ,
Mohd Kamarul Irwan Abdul Rahim

School of Technology Management and Logistic (STML), Universiti Utara Malaysia , Sintok, Kedah , Malaysia

Faizatul Akmar Abdul Nifa Orcid logo
Faizatul Akmar Abdul Nifa

School of Technology Management and Logistic (STML), Universiti Utara Malaysia , Sintok, Kedah , Malaysia

Abstract

Construction project managers have traditionally been chosen based on technical competence and experience, and little emphasis has been placed on emotional intelligence (EI), which plays an important part in the management of high-pressure environments, stakeholder relationships and conflict. The paper builds a contextual EI testing instrument based on the existing models of the emotional intelligence to assess the key competencies required to manage construction projects. The test is based on four main areas of EI, namely, self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management. The EI assessment is incorporated into a structured selection framework by implementing Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach. The sample used in testing the tool comprised candidates chosen from different construction projects, and the EI scores were identified to have a significant correlation with leadership effectiveness and motivating the team (p<0.05). The review shows that the elevated scores of EI contribute to a better project result especially regarding group cooperation and conflict management. This paper offers empirical evidence of the integration of EI in the selection process and shows that a systematic, open-minded assessment of candidates, in terms of EI and MCDM, may make the leadership more effective in building projects. The implications of the present study report indicate that EI should be taken into account in the recruitment procedure with the help of which the overall performance of the project is enhanced.

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