CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

This chapter introduces the study by providing an overview of the research topic and its context, as well as the structure of the chapter. The study focuses on the effect of teamwork on project performance, specifically within non-governmental organizations in Buea. Non-governmental organizations play a critical role in addressing developmental challenges, and teamwork is essential for their project success.

The chapter includes the following sections: the background of the study, problem statement, research questions, research objectives, research hypotheses, scope of the study, significance of the study, and operational definitions of key terms. Together, these sections establish the foundation for the research and outline the study’s direction.

1.2 Background of the study

Teamwork has recently been recognized as one of the most important ways in which project work is reorganized and get accomplished (Watterson et al., 2017). Team work is not only applied in manufacturing, but also in management, service oriented activities, construction projects, and other accomplishments. Teamwork in project management refers to the ability for project members to work efficiently as a team (Wang, et al., 2015). Thus, teamwork represents a set of values that encourages listening, responding constructively to views expressed by others, providing support and recognizing the achievement of others.

Teamwork is regarded as a key contributor to performance as it provides the means through which team players are able to integrate a multitude of expertise required for successful completion of a project (Mendelsohn, 2018). In most projects, project participants are drawn from different organizations and also from disparate areas of specialization. In addition, project team members usually undertake non-repetitive tasks to produce the expected output through application of specific skills, knowledge and expertise. In order to achieve high level of project performance, project team members must be fully integrated and focused on project objectives which call for high level of teamwork (Cheng, et al., 2016).

Teams play pivotal role in the organizational structure and compliment organizational strategy. Furthermore, teams are imperative for organizations to respond to the dynamic workplace, economics and global demands (Kozlowski & Ilgen, 2016). Effective and efficient teams can be utilized to attain organizational goals (Randeree & Ninan, 2015) whereas ineffective teams can obstruct an organization’s progress and cause rework, wastage of resources, and loss of valuable time (Ross, Jones, & Adams, 2018). Although, every organization has project teams in some capacity, there are still significant research gaps in the dimensions of project team performance (Klein, 2014). Understanding the dimensions of project team performance can result in improved performance (Levi, 2017) by the establishment of conducive working relationships (Demkin 2018). Thus further research studies are essential to recognize the effect of teamwork on project performance as a move towards team improvement. This issue is critical for Non-governmental organizations or NGOs, defined as not for profit, non-political, non-governmental enterprises which are accountable to their stakeholders and engaged in welfare and socio-economic development of society. These organizations are growing rapidly in both scale and range of activities. Many of their activities and interventions are project based (Ika, Diallo, & Thuillier, 2012). However, it is only recently that researchers have started to examine the project management (PM) practices work carried out by nongovernmental organizations (Golini, Kalchschmidt, & Landoni, 2015).

NGO projects tend to face uncertainty in evaluation of outcomes (Ronalds, 2012) arising from the nature of objectives and the heterogeneous group of stakeholders involved. Business projects are designed to deliver beneficial change or added value to the organization (Hernandez & Cormican, 2016) while NGO projects are aimed at social change to meet the social needs and actualize social vision (Brown & Korten, 2018). In the case of the former, the outcomes such as commercial success can be agreed upon and measured using quantitative metrics. Development projects by NGOs are intended to alleviate poverty and improve standard of living, protect the environment, protect basic human rights, build capacity and provide basic physical and social infrastructure. The differentiating feature is that these social and humanitarian objectives are much less tangible, with deliverables less visible and measurable in comparison to infrastructure and industrial projects (Khang & Moe, 2018).

The review of existing literature reveals a gap in understanding how teamwork dynamics influence project effectiveness specifically within non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating locally in the Buea area. While research has explored project success factors for NGOs internationally or in other fields, few studies have examined team collaboration and relationships as a driver of performance for NGO project teams in Buea. Yet the nature of NGOs’ social objectives, multi-stakeholder involvement, and beneficiary adoption uncertainties poses challenges that highlight the need for coordinated teamwork. This suggests an opportunity for new research. By conducting an in-depth field study of NGO project teams based in the Buea municipality, important insights could be gained on how team cohesion, knowledge transfer, technical coordination, and intrateam communication affect project delivery and stakeholder impact. A mixed-methods methodology incorporating surveys, interviews, and project analysis may shed light on these dynamics. Outcomes could include a set of recommended practices for improving collaboration, workforce alignment, and adaptive project processes tailored to local NGOs in the region. The key premise is that enhancing teamwork may allow Buea’s NGOs to execute development projects more effectively amidst their complex operating environments. This field study would therefore address a specific literature gap while aiming to inform policies that strengthen NGO performance and community outcomes.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

Project teams in NGOs operate in environments where there may be little formal infrastructure (Rahman, 2017). Teams delivering these projects are usually multi-disciplinary in nature, requiring people with different skills within and across the organization who must share knowledge for optimum decisions (Diallo & Thuillier, 2014). Apart from the intra-team coordination, there has to be a cordial relationship between the team and the society in which the team is operating, even with those who may oppose or be skeptical about the outcomes of interventions (Herman & Renz, 2008). While there is need for effective NGO project teams as these organizations are assessed by their ability to deliver on development goals, NGO projects suffer from high levels of failure. Yalegama, Chileshe, and Ma (2016) noted that the substandard performance of development projects has been a concern throughout development project history. There is an increasing demand on the non-governmental social projects to meet the performance demands.

While prior studies have explored the influence of team dynamics on project outcomes across various organizational contexts, there remains a gap in understanding these effects within non- governmental organizations (NGOs) operating locally in the Buea region. The complex uncertainties NGO project teams face regarding resources, goals, stakeholders, and adoption call for collaborative teamwork to navigate effectively. However, the intersections between dimensions of team cohesion, coordination, communication, and the ultimate performance of NGO projects in Buea have been largely unexamined. There may be localized cultural, structural, or expertise-related factors that impact teamwork patterns for NGOs in unique ways as compared to more formal institutions. Without field insights connecting team collaboration factors to project delivery, NGOs in Buea lack contextual best practices for enabling their project teams. Meanwhile their beneficiaries suffer the consequences of underperformance in initiatives intended to create social improvement.

This suggests an imperative for an in-depth investigation of Buea’s NGO project teams. Exploration of team composition strategies, intra-team dynamics, knowledge flows, and adaptive behaviors could delineate success factors tailored to the operational environment. Outcomes aim to inform policies for optimizing team coordination, cohesion, and project execution to meet community needs. This demonstrates the rationale for pursuing empirical research addressing the underexplored linkage between NGO teamwork and project performance within Buea’s municipality.

1.4 Research Questions.

The study sought to answer the following questions. The main research question is to what extent team work affects project performance of NGO’S in Buea. Specific questions include:

1. How does leadership affect project performance of NGO’S in Buea?
2. Does team spirit influence project performance of NGO’S in Buea?
3. How does team trust affect project performance of NGO’S in Buea?

1.5 Objectives of the study

The study sought to achieve the following objectives. The main objective is to assess the extent to which team work affect project performance of NGO’s in Buea. Specific Research objectives are:

1. To examine the effect of leadership on project performance of NGO’S in Buea
2. To analyze the influence of team spirit on project performance of NGO’S in Buea
3. To investigate the effect between team trust and project performance of NGO’S in Buea