Drivers of mentoring practices in construction related firms: Nigerian quantity surveying firms' perspective

PurposeThe paper assessed the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms: a perspective of the quantity surveying (QS) firms in Nigeria with a view to providing possible drivers for effective mentoring relationships in the respective construction firms.Design/methodology/approachSurvey design was used to assess the level of knowledge, mentoring concept adoption and the required drivers of mentoring relationships in construction-related firms. QS firms in Abuja, Nigeria were sampled through the use of semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 149 questionnaires were administered to principal partners, partners, senior quantity surveyors and quantity surveyors in QS firms in Abuja through personal delivery. A total of 142 of them were returned and found suitable for analysis, representing 95.30% effective response rate. Percentage, mean, Kruskal–Wallis and factor analyses were utilized for the analysis of the data.FindingsThe study revealed an appreciable knowledge of mentoring concept but not so much with the adoption in the respective firms. This connotes that there is a problem with the adoption of mentoring concept in construction-related firms despite knowledge of the concept. Also revealed by the study, are the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms.Practical implicationsThe findings show the required drivers of mentoring practices in construction-related firms and the recommendations to further the adoption and implementation of these drivers to ensure mentoring practices thrive in construction-related firms in the country.Originality/valueThis paper reveals the required drivers of mentoring practices in Nigerian construction-related firms and provides ways through which the drivers can be implemented in the construction firms.