Partnership Structures, Performance and Influencing Factors in Estate Surveying and Valuation Practice: Evidence from Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract:

This study examines the Partnership Structures, Performance and Influencing Factors in Estate Surveying and Valuation Practice: Evidence from Ibadan, focusing on the study—profile of estate surveying and valuation firms, partnership structures, and factors influencing the impact of partnership structures on estate surveying and valuation firms. Data was collected from 125 Estate Surveying and Valuation firms listed in the 2024 NIESV Oyo Branch directory using structured questionnaires. Findings reveal that the sector is dominated by young firms, with most established within the last 5–10 years and practitioners having 1–10 years of experience, primarily operating as sole proprietorships (92.5%). Partnership structures include general partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and joint ventures where joint ventures stand out as a significant alternative to sole proprietorship with (Mean = 4.13, Rank 2) and general partnerships (Mean = 1.80, Rank 6). Client satisfaction is the most important factor influenced by partnership structures, with a mean score of 3.50. Over 62% of the respondents rated it as either “very impactful” or “impactful.” Teamwork and collaboration, alongside the availability of skilled professionals, both scored 3.25, placing them in second place. Notably, expansion of the client base (Rank 6, Mean = 2.92) and firm growth (Rank 7, Mean = 2.89) scored slightly lower; this suggests that although these factors are important, they are viewed as having longer-term outcomes reliant on consistently high client satisfaction and effective team performance. Service delivery quality (Rank 8, Mean = 2.86) and capacity to manage large projects (Rank 9, Mean = 2.75) received the lowest scores possibly reflecting the current prevalence of small-scale firms that are better equipped for personalized services than larger operations. Overall, the results indicate that within the Ibadan market, partnership structures influence performance primarily through effective client relationship management, skilled teamwork, and resource availability rather than through other factors.