Cultural basic assumptions of consultant sub-culture in public sector construction projects : case studies in Sri Lanka

![CDATA[Culture creates thinking and behavioural differences among construction project participants, which brings in risk of conflicts, relationship problems, innovation and knowledge sharing issues, and resistance to change. Cultural awareness becomes the initial step in the process of overcoming the aforementioned issues in project management. Among various cultural manifestations, basic assumptions are the essence of any culture. Knowledge on basic assumptions could help to predict the behaviours of project participants in a given situation and assist in project management processes. Consultant, being a dominant construction project participant, this research aims to derive the cultural basic assumptions of consultant in public sector building construction projects in Sri Lanka. This aim was approached through a case study research design. Three public sector building construction projects were selected based on theoretical sampling. Data were collected from each case using nine semi-structured interviews, two meeting observations and documentation per case. Data were analysed through code based content analysis. The findings revealed the existence of a dominant consultant sub-culture. The underlying basic assumptions of the consultant sub-culture were derived related to eleven cultural dimensions such as nature of human relationships, nature of reality and truth, nature of human nature, nature of human activity, nature of time, acceptance on homogeneity or diversity, motive for behaving, gender, unknowable and uncontrollable, state-individual relationship and, organization's relationship to its environment. Consultants in Sri Lankan public sector building construction projects believed more in; individual role authority, individualism, contract dominance, fate and uncontrollability, objective tests and processes and a mix of competition and cooperation. They further considered nature of human nature as evil and the precedent rights and responsibilities should accord the nation. Knowledge on these basic assumptions of the consultant could be effectively used during negotiations with the consultant and in conflict situations during project management, especially for relationship management.]]