TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ii
APPROVAL FOR SUBMISSION iii
ABSTRACT vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ix
LIST OF TABLES xiii
LIST OF FIGURES xv
LIST OF SYMBOLS / ABBREVIATIONS xvi
LIST OF APPENDICES xvii
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Research Aim 4
1.4 Research Objectives 4
1.5 Research Questions 5
1.6 Research Hypothesis 5
1.7 Research Scope 7
1.8 Significance of Research 7
1.9 Structure of Dissertation 8
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 10
2.1 Overview 10
2.2 Introduction of Mindfulness 11
2.2.1 Historical Development of Mindfulness 13
2.2.2 Scientific Perspectives on Mindfulness 15
2.2.3 Mindfulness Meditation 16
2.3 Introduction of Emotional Intelligence 19
2.4 Emotional Intelligence - Intrapersonal Competencies 21
2.4.1 Self-Awareness 22
2.4.2 Self-Management 24
2.4.3 Motivation 25
2.5 Emotional Intelligence - Interpersonal Competencies 26
2.5.1 Social Awareness 27
2.5.2 Relationship Management 29
2.6 Relationship between EI and Gender 31
2.7 Relationship between EI and Age 32
2.8 Effects of Mindfulness on EI of Project Team Members 34
2.8.1 Improved on Empathy 35
2.8.2 Improved on Affective Regulation 36
2.8.3 Increased on Focus 36
2.8.4 Ethical Decision Making 37
2.9 Conclusion 38
3 METHODOLOGY 39
3.1 Overview 39
3.2 Research Method 40
3.3 Survey Instrument 42
3.4 Survey Sample 44
3.5 Survey Questionnaire 45
3.5.1 Individual Survey 45
3.5.2 Mindfulness Practice Survey 46
3.5.3 WLEIS Survey 46
3.6 Analysis of Data 47
3.6.1 Demographics of Respondents 47
3.6.2 Cronbach\'s Alpha Test 48
3.6.3 One-way ANOVA Test 48
3.6.4 Independent T-Test 49
3.6.5 Pearson\'s Product-Moment Correlation Test 49
3.7 Conclusion 50
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 51
4.1 Overview 51
4.2 Demographics of Respondents 52
4.2.1 Genders of Respondents 53
4.2.2 Ages of Respondents 54
4.2.3 Academic Qualifications of Respondents 55
4.2.4 Professions of Respondents 56
4.2.5 Working Experiences of Respondents 57
4.2.6 Mindfulness Practices of Respondents 58
4.2.7 Frequencies of Mindfulness Practice 59
4.2.8 Experiences of Mindfulness Practice 60
4.2.9 Durations of Mindfulness Practice 61
4.3 Cronbach\'s Alpha Test 62
4.4 One-way ANOVA Test 64
4.4.1 Relationship between Age and EI of Project Team
Members 64
4.5 Independent T-Test 68
4.5.1 Relationship between Gender and EI of Project
Team Members 68
4.5.2 Comparison on the EI of Project Team Members
with and without Mindfulness Practice 70
4.6 Pearson\'s Product-Moment Correlation Test 73
4.6.1 Effects of Mindfulness Practice and the EI of Project
Team Members 73
4.7 Conclusion 79
5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 81
5.1 Overview 81
5.2 Conclusions 81
5.3 Limitations 83
5.3.1 Number of Respondents 83
5.3.2 Shortage of Knowledge for the Respondent 84
5.4 Recommendations for Further Research 84
REFERENCES 85
APPENDICES 96
CHAPTER 1
1INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
One of the largest industries that aid on the development of a country and the
economic growth is construction industry (Rohaida & Hock, 2013). Due to the
traditional way of management in construction industry, it has been resulted a slow
adaption on the new management techniques compared to other industries in the
globe (Loosemore, et al., 2003). However, some recent researches had showed that a
possible way of facilitating the interest in the improvement of the construction
project performance, planning, judgement and decision making of a project team
member by enchancing the emotional intelligence of a person (Ioannis & Ioannis,
2002). According to research, by enhancing the emotional intelligence of one\'s can
result the changes and improvements on performance of a project team member
(Mayer, et al., 2003).
Furthermore, some articles published have shown than emotional intelligence
may hold the key to improve the performance of a project team member (Zhang &
Fan, 2013). This argue that the successful collaboration among project participant
can achieve the result of effective interaction and which can help to improve the
project performance. Also, this is related to the competencies of emotional awareness
and emotional regulation (Songer & Walker, 2004). For instance, tasks that require
more emotional processing, such as tasks involving interpersonal interactions (e.g.,
communication) are more likely to be related to emotional intelligence than those
tasks that involve thinking ability (e.g., ordering material) or heuristics (e.g.,
scheduling work).
Charoensukmongkol (2014) found that mindfulness practice can helps to
enhance the emotional intelligence of one\'s. Mindfulness has been defined as paying
attention at the present moment awareness with an observing and non-judging stance
(Reb et al., 2014). The purpose of mindfulness practice is to train the mind to be
calm and start to pay attention to the sensation of the body (Tan, 2012). By practising
mindfulness meditation, it can help to develop a high resolution awareness of project
team members to enhance their focuses such as ability to understand own and other
team member\'s emotions (Darwin, 2015). Furthermore, Darwin (2015) also found
that mindfulness practice can allows project team members to establish a higher
emotional intelligence by understand other\'s emotions more accurately. Also,
mindfulness practice can associate postively on the clarity of project team member\'s
feelings and attention to other team member\'s feeling (Charoensukmongkol, 2014).
In another words, mindfulness practice is associate with the positive impact on the
emotional intelligence of project team members (Tan, 2012).
Last but not least, this research seeks to study on the relationship between age,
gender and emotional intelligence of project team members, to determine the
emotional intelligence of project team members with and without mindfulness
practice in construction industry and to examine the effects of mindfulness practice
on the emotional intelligence of project team members in the construction industry.
1.2 Problem Statement
A project team is formed by a group of professional consultants, contractors,
labourers and etc. There are some solid evidences showing that increasing number of
people in the project team of the construction industry can cause conflicts and
disputes. Construction work is always related to the work that required proper
planning, professional judgement and wise decision making from the beginning until
the completion of a project. Therefore, a project team member\'s ability on managing
their emotions is vital for the project success. If a project team does not manage their
emotions mindfully, it might ruin the project success. Also, it might cause the delay
of schedule and loss of profit to the project if the project team members do not make
a wise decision. In addition, a low EI project team member will also create
unnecessary trouble to other project team members that involved in the same project.
Lastly, EI of a project team member is vital for project success because intrapersonal
and interpersonal skills can cause positive and negative impact to the project.
Therefore, this study attempts to study the relationship between age, gender and
emotional intelligence of project team members, to determine and examine the
effects of mindfulness practice on the EI of project team members which might help
to enhance the performance of project team members to achieve a better project
success.
1.3 Research Aim
The main aim of this research paper is to explore the effect of mindfulness practice
on the emotional intelligence of project team members in the construction industry
1.4 Research Objectives
The objectives of this study are:
a. To identify the relationship between age and emotional intelligence of
project team members in the construction industry.
b. To identify the relationship between gender and emotional intelligence of
project team members in the construction industry.
c. To determine the emotional intelligence of project team members with
and without mindfulness practice in the construction industry
d. To examine the effects of mindfulness practice on the emotional
intelligence of project team members in the construction industry.
1.5 Research Questions
Furthermore, in line with the above aim and objectives, this study seeks to
investigate on the following questions:
a. Is there a relationship between age and emotional intelligence of project
team members in the construction industry?
b. Is there a relationship between gender and emotional intelligence of
project team members in the construction industry?
c. Is there a different in emotional intelligence of project team members
with and without mindfulness practice in construction industry?
d. Are there any effects of mindfulness practice on the emotional
intelligence of project team members in the construction industry?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
Some studies have reported on the positive relationship between mindfulness
practice and emotional intelligence (Baer, 2003). This study aimed to study the
relationship between age, gender and emotional intelligence of project team members
and to determine and examine the effects of mindfulness practice which can
significantly facilitate on the emotional intelligence of project team members.
According to some researches, the following hypothesis can be proposed to allow for
further analysis on the relationship between age, gender, mindfulness practice and
emotional intelligence of project team members:
.
