Capacity building in emerging economies through international construction ventures-case study of the NMPP project

Although International Construction Joint Venture (ICJV) projects are believed to be beneficial with regard to aiding capacity building in the local construction industry, it is still debatable, whether such skills and technology transfer effectively occurs in the hosting companies in emerging economies. Substantial research on technology and skills transfer from developed country construction companies to emerging counterparts reveals worrying trends. South African construction companies are therefore not immune to these undesirable trends. Three main issues are dealt with in this paper: whether foreign partnering company have knowledge and technology that the local partner is lacking; how international construction joint venture projects are structured at delivery stage; and what are the key strategic elements of expertise transfer in an international construction joint venture project relating to organisational structure. The study used case studies to identify, analyze and establish the relationship between interaction in the work place and collaboration in job tasks. Finally, the paper proposes a conceptual project delivery structure that can accelerate the transfer of expertise in the South African Construction Industry (SACI)

Critical success factors for managing post-disaster reconstruction projects: the case of Angola

Although some studies have been carried out on project management of “typical” construction projects, little work has been done on what makes Post-Disaster Reconstruction Projects (PDRPs) successful. This paper analyses the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for implementation of PDRPs in Angola. The paper adopted a survey and interviews. Data was collected from project participants within the ministry of planning, provincial government office of planning and local government in Angola. A questionnaire with closed questions was completed by 130 survey respondents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 practitioners selected through purposive sampling. The findings indicate that adequate funding, effective planning, competent project managers, good communication, the active involvement of stakeholders, good written contract, political stability, less bureaucracy in the reconstruction process, economic stability and sufficient resources are the CSFs. The findings further revealed that, there are no differences in the responses between the groups especially between managers and consultants and between contractors and consultants. The findings strongly suggest that CSFs are key resources and skills that determine the successful implementation of a project in terms of its direction and benefits and proposes that stakeholders and project managers should consider these factors for best practices when managing PDRPs. Since PDR is context specific, countries with the same economic status, environment and post-disaster event may benefit from the results. Hence, the study offers new insights to gain an understanding of the CSFs that contribute to best PDR practices

De-marginalising the public in PPP projects through multi-stakeholders management

Purpose: This paper takes a critical look at the process of multi-stakeholder consultation and management in a PPP project environment and attempts to fill gaps in the existing literature. It considers the various problems encountered on PPP initiatives around the world that have eventually led to public opposition and failure of some PPP projects. The paper tackles two interconnected aspects: definition of the principal project stakeholder (PPS) and the management of the principal project stakeholder (MPPS), as a multi-stakeholder. Design/methodology/approach: The paper critically analyses the existing theory and practice on project stakeholder management through case studies and other sources and establishes the uniqueness of a PPP project environment, which influences PPP multi-stakeholder management approaches. Findings: the paper highlights current tensions and public protests across Africa, North and South America, Australasia and Europe around PPP projects, which seem to be centred on public stakeholders’ marginalisation. It finds that the public outcry across continents is characterised by a marginalised public who are crying out for full information on the more widely used PPP projects. Social/Practical implications: The paper advocates for a paradigm shift by accepting multi-stakeholding as central to PPP project management. The paper proposes a multi-stakeholder management model, which will move the public from the margins of the PPP project space to the centre where fundamental decisions are made from conception to facility ownership and operation. Originality/value: The paper takes a pragmatic approach to the problem of exclusion of the public in PPP projects. The paper is one of few publications in the PPP literature that bring the public to the centre of PPP project processes

Addressing the Missing Link in PPP Projects: What Constitutes the Public?

Public private partnerships (PPPs), as new organizational forms, are intended to respond to societal problems previously held as intractable. In all countries, the originality of PPPs raises new questions of governance, which include the problem of sharing economic, social, and political responsibility among various segments of society in the development of the country; and the adoption of new institutional forms to enhance the efficiency of government action. These concerns are raised in both developed and developing countries, but with greater acuteness in the latter. In all cases, the central question regarding the relation between the public and private sectors is that which constitutes the public side of the partnership. This paper traces historical and contemporary developments in the need for PPPs; and current public protests against PPPs, which are perceived as impositions to the desires of the greater public. Using a principal-agent model as a lens, this paper provides a detailed understanding of what constitutes the first “P” (the public) in a PPP construct and shows how many current approaches in PPP project arrangements have failed to embrace the real public (an inclusive approach) and have instead been dominated by the artificial public agent (an exclusive approach). The paper provides an appropriate definition of the public and recommends the need for a paradigm shift from exclusion to inclusion in PPP arrangements