Holistic View on Multi-Stakeholders’ Influence on Health and Safety Risk Management in Construction Projects in Tanzania

Construction projects constitute complex and dynamic systems, which pose high health and safety risks to the practitioners. As a result, many researchers have underscored the importance of risk management that requires inputs from all stakeholders across different stages of the construction project from the design up to the construction phase. However, there is a limited knowledge about stakeholders’ influence on health and safety risk management in building construction projects in Tanzania. To fill this gap, a case study approach was employed to analyse three large ongoing construction projects in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Data were collected through questionnaire survey and in-depth interview with a range of stakeholders: clients, consultants, contractors, workers and regulatory agencies. From the findings and with reference to literature, the systems thinking approach was used to develop a model showing the stakeholders’ influence on health and safety risk management. The pattern of relationships between different stakeholders and the capacity of the system to offer health and safety control was traced using the results of the case studies of the three projects. The study confirms that there is a link chain relationship when stakeholders influence the health and safety risk management at the following stages of the construction projects in Tanzania

Contemtious Issues on Poor Stakeholder Management in Some Major Road Construction Projects in Anambra State, Nigeria

The unwary attitude of most construction firms in mapping-out as well as analyzing various stakeholders’ interest and influence during projects execution has brought about a lot of conflicting issues that has deterred success on these road construction projects in Anambra State. Constructions sites are marred with uncertainties, which most times if unchecked may likely spread all through the Project phase. Ambiguities associated with road construction projects are sometimes innately embedded in the job description and it is very unwise to neglect the influence of some extraneous variables like some of the construction stakeholders. This paper discussed confrontational issues prevalent in road Construction projects in the State and its consequences on Project schedule and consequently cost. Based on some highly debated arguments surrounding the causes of Project delays, our research surveys was conducted in phases to capture all the involved stakeholders in the road construction projects in the state. In the first phase of our study, we conducted an interview within the concerned communities (n1 = 25). Various community stakeholders were interviewed (n2 = 298); the interview questions used in this phase was structured based on four parameters suspected to be the likely causes of project delays. These are as follows: duration of the Project, quality of materials used, environmental management, and community participation in decision making. The structured questions asked were made concise, coherent and complete enough to elicit the required information concerning the success and delays witnessed in most of the awarded road projects in the State. In the subsequent phase of the study, a survey questionnaire was designed based on the stakeholder’s arguments and interviewed response of the selected community stakeholders. The questionnaires were sent to three key different players in these road construction projects in the state who had actively participated in some of these road construction activities. The studied groups were made up of four consultants, twelve major contractors and nine project managers. Their various responses was tabulated and analyzed with respect to the initial purported arguments that characterized the study needs. We also took study of some road construction projects awarded from 2006 to 2009; the effects of poor stakeholders management on their execution timetables were also analyzed reflecting percentages of delayed, stalled, and timely executed projects. The study was able to unveil the causes of project delays and pivotal issues surrounding stalled projects in the State. The protracted arguments that led to the study was clarified from the study and recommendation were proffered that will assist both the contractors and the State government to timely execution of projects with adequate resources being utilized optimally in the road construction Projects in the State. Keywords: Stakeholders, Road Construction, Management, Anambra Stat

EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE OF PROCUREMENT METHODS ON LAST PLANNER® SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

Previous studies have examined various factors that influence the implementation of the Last Planner System (LPS) in construction projects. However, there is limited documented evidence on the influence of procurement methods on the implementation of the LPS. The aim of this study, therefore; is to understand the influence of some selected procurement methods on the implementation of the LPS using case study approach. Three in-depth case studies were conducted on building and highways projects in the UK. The projects were managed with the LPS principles with dissimilar procurement methods. In addition to document analysis and physical observation, 28 in-depth-interviews were conducted. The investigation shows that the prevailing traditional mindset exhibited by the designers in the traditional design bid build (DBB) influences the quality of promises and commitments that could be made during the lookahead planning. From the study, it seems no single procurement method is a sure way to the full application of the LPS process on a project. The study observes that irrespective of the procurement route used, a mindset change towards collaboration among the different stakeholders on the project is fundamental to successful LPS implementation. For instance, on projects where DBB was used and the subcontractors were in framework agreement, the LPS implementation worked well among the subcontractors. The study recommends that the procurement approach to be used on LPS projects should not be too firm, but lithe enough to integrate collaborative working among the different stakeholders on the project for a smooth workflow

Community engagement on public projects – case study of Hammanskraal Pedestrian Bridge, Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract: Construction projects in the public sector have often been affected by major challenges with regards to project ownership by stakeholders particularly the co-operation of local communities. Various government policies and regulations exist which supports the participation of small and medium scale enterprises within the built environment especially on public sector projects. This research study investigated the influence of local communities on public sector construction projects with a focus on the impact of the local community involved in the construction of the Hammanskraal Pedestrian Bridge over the R101 in Hammanskraal, Pretoria. Structured interviews were conducted with the main contractor, the professional team involved in the project and the municipality officials overseeing the project. The findings show that the stakeholders from the Hammanskraal community had a high degree of influence on the project, unfortunately their influence on the project was negative

Preparedness of Secondary School Management in the Planning, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation of School Projects in Gucha District, Kenya

Infrastructure developments in schools are a major factor towards realization of the Kenya’s vision 2030. Different stakeholders sponsor various school constructions; building of class rooms, school halls, laboratories, libraries, dormitories and so on.  This research sought to establish the factors influencing the implementation of construction projects in public secondary schools in Gucha South District, Kisii County. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish the extent to which competency of principals in project management influence implementation of construction projects in public secondary schools in Gucha South District; to assess the extent to which stakeholders’ involvement influence the implementation of construction projects in public secondary schools in Gucha South District, to explore the extent to which availability of skilled labour influence the implementation of construction projects in public secondary schools in Gucha South District, Kisii County. Descriptive survey design was used in carrying out the study. All the forty two schools were used in the study. The respondents were 42 principals and 42 P.T.A chair persons representing the schools. The findings of the study showed that school principals lacked competency in planning, supervising and monitoring of school construction projects. The school chair persons similarly lacked the capacity to assist principals in project implementation. In conclusion school principals as managers of school constructions be trained and capacity build on project development, planning, management and supervision

The Influence of Construction Project Team Effectiveness in Higher Institutions’ Building Projects: A Case from Nigeria

Projects are required to meet the stakeholders’ requirements on the stipulated time, quality and budget. The achievement of such requirements is related to team effectiveness. However, there is poor project time and cost performance in Nigeria such that the constructions initiated mostly escalate beyond the cost and time budgeted. The construction project teams in Nigeria are shrouded with dysfunctions leading to undesirable project outcomes. This study aims to examine the influence of project team effectiveness on project performance of higher educational institutions’ construction in Nigeria. A quantitative survey design was employed where 150 questionnaires were administered to construction projects team members in four higher educational institutions in Bauchi state, Nigeria. The result indicated that the team effectiveness factors of communication, role and responsibility as well as team relationships have a substantial influence on project performance. However, goal and objectives, leadership, as well as trust and values factors, do not have significant influence. Overall, the result shows that the variation in the project performance can be explained substantially by changes in the construction project team effectiveness (Adj. R2 =.585). The implication of this finding is that project performance in Nigerian higher educational institutions can be significantly improved by strengthening communications, roles and responsibilities as well as relationships among team members. Thus, this research contributed to the existing body of knowledge on the linkage between team effectiveness and project performance in the Nigeria higher educational institutions' construction projects. The study, therefore, recommended the improvement of team effectiveness factors of the industry by all projects’ stakeholders and participants

The Influence of Construction Project Team Effectiveness in Higher Institutions’ Building Projects: A Case from Nigeria

Projects are required to meet the stakeholders’ requirements on the stipulated time, quality and budget. The achievement of such requirements is related to team effectiveness. However, there is poor project time and cost performance in Nigeria such that the constructions initiated mostly escalate beyond the cost and time budgeted. The construction project teams in Nigeria are shrouded with dysfunctions leading to undesirable project outcomes. This study aims to examine the influence of project team effectiveness on project performance of higher educational institutions’ construction in Nigeria. A quantitative survey design was employed where 150 questionnaires were administered to construction projects team members in four higher educational institutions in Bauchi state, Nigeria. The result indicated that the team effectiveness factors of communication, role and responsibility as well as team relationships have a substantial influence on project performance. However, goal and objectives, leadership, as well as trust and values factors, do not have significant influence. Overall, the result shows that the variation in the project performance can be explained substantially by changes in the construction project team effectiveness (Adj. R2 =.585). The implication of this finding is that project performance in Nigerian higher educational institutions can be significantly improved by strengthening communications, roles and responsibilities as well as relationships among team members. Thus, this research contributed to the existing body of knowledge on the linkage between team effectiveness and project performance in the Nigeria higher educational institutions' construction projects. The study, therefore, recommended the improvement of team effectiveness factors of the industry by all projects’ stakeholders and participants

Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation paramenters on the performance of national government funded construction projects in uasin gishu county, Kenya

ABSTRACT The general objective of the study was to identify the influence of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of National Government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine influence of monitoring tools on the performance of government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, to establish the influence of quality of field data collection methods on the performance of government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, to examine the influence of on the performance of National Government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, to determine the influence of project team effort on the performance of National Government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, and to find out the influence of project management as an intervening variable on monitoring and evaluation and the performance of National Government funded construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Theories used are theory of change, information processing theory, knowledge flow, and structural contingency theory. The methodology used was literature review and field study. The field survey employed was self-administered questionnaire instrument as well as random sampling. The study used quantitative research methodology and employed field survey design as well as literature review. The Target population was 215, and the sample size of 134. Questionnaires were distributed to clients, consultants, contractors, ministry of public works supervisors, randomly selected from projects that are sampled responded. The quantitative data and descriptive statistics were analyzed by the use of statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) and results reported in tables showing percentages and ratios. The findings revealed that Quality of field data collection method has the most significant influence of the performance of national government construction projects in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study recommended improvement and management support for project management analysis, and tracking of variance from specific plans; the use of software, including estimation and planning, scheduling, cost control and budget management, resource allocation, collaboration software, communication, quality management and documentation or administration system. The study also recommended management support for the use of quality data collection methods on the projects, identifying where systems are falling short and project delivery capability, and more emphasis on cost of quality. The study further recommended the develop human resources in the construction industry through proper and continuous training programs about construction projects performance. It also recommended a clear mission and vision in place to formulate, implement and evaluate the performance of national funded construction projects, and the introduction of contract management training for relevant stakeholders

Application of Value Management to Selected Construction Projects in Nigeria

Due to the benefits of value management (VM) in capital projects in some developed and developing countries of the world, there has been call by built environment professionals in Nigeria for embracement of the practice by project stakeholders. VM has been introduced in the country but there are challenges with its implementation and application, this study therefore examine the influence of VM practice on 4 selected building projects. Case-study approach was employed in which group of professionals carried out hypothetical VM analysis of selected projects using 40-hour workshop plan. Prior to the examination of the projects, facilitators and members of the team were trained on the history, basis and application of VM to construction works and a typical project was examined in the course of the training. On a general note, the study revealed that VM has numerous benefits if fully implemented for construction projects thereby enhancing value for money for project clients, owners or sponsors. The two notable benefits are reduction of cost while maintaining function as well as identification and removal of unnecessary materials, process and workmen time. Beyond the introduction of VM into curriculum of higher institutions and presentation at various workshops and seminars, a major issue of implementation should be addressed by stakeholders in the construction industry. Keywords: Construction projects; Cost; Nigeria; Project function; Value management

A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON THE MAGNITUDE OF CONSTRUCTION CLAIMS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN NIGERIA

The administration of construction projects in Nigeria is plagued by excessive claims which attract additional costs, and as well as leading to an adversarial relationship among project stakeholders. The purpose of this research is to assess construction claims’ relationship with the original contract sum of construction projects in Nigeria. A quantitative approach in which archival data from 53 completed projects involving claims was used. Numerical data collected were analyzed using percentile ranking and Pearson’s correlation. The study revealed that differing site conditions is the most frequent type of claim in construction projects in Nigeria. However, delay claims are uncommon because none of the projects experienced delay claims. The results also showed that contract ambiguity caused the highest number of claims with an average of 22% of the original contract sum while the overall claims averaged 60% of the original contract sum. This study will aid the understanding of the sources and the influence of claims on construction projects. This understanding will inform decisions on the deployment of strategies, approaches, and tools for inspiring construction project management