Teamwork aspects of fixed‐price and cost‐plus contracts in “bespoke” engineering companies

Aims to measure the differences which may exist between a number of team aspects for groups working on projects with two different contractual bases: cost‐plus (CP) and fixed‐price (FP). Investigates work groups from engineering companies. Measures team characteristics and their perceived value to team members using self‐report questionnaires. Analyses the primary data obtained using statistical means. The findings show that team members did perceive differences in about half of the team aspects studied. Generally the feeling of “teamness” was higher in the CP project groups. Discusses the implications for management of the impact of the contractual base on the environment of teams, and suggests that the questionnaire may have application elsewhere as a management tool.