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Criticality of project knowledge and experience in the delivery of construction projects

Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap (Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang, Malaysia)
Ban Leong Lim (Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang, Malaysia)
Martin Skitmore (School of Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia and School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai, China)
Jason Gray (School of Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology

ISSN: 1726-0531

Article publication date: 1 February 2021

Issue publication date: 12 April 2022

730

Abstract

Purpose

Poor project knowledge and inadequate experience are frequently linked to construction time-cost overruns. This paper aims to expound on the criticality of project knowledge and experience in the successful delivery of projects in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a detailed literature review, a quantitative positivist approach with a questionnaire survey involving industry professionals is used to appraise the 30 prevalent causes of time-cost overruns according to frequency, effectiveness and importance indices. The data are then subjected to Spearman’s rank correlation tests and exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

Using the importance index, which assimilates both frequency and effectiveness indices, the criticality of knowledge and experience in the overall context is seen as fundamental for addressing the contractor’s faulty planning and scheduling, construction mistakes and defective work, site management and supervision, delayed/slow decision-making, incomplete drawings and design documents and change/variation orders. Spearman’s rank correlation tests indicate a good consensus of perceptions among the key parties involved. Next, an exploratory factor analysis uncovers six underlying knowledge-based factors affecting construction performance, relating to inaccurate resource estimates, design changes, resource shortages, lack of experience, incompetence and mistakes and defects.

Originality/value

The study draws out the repercussions of the hitherto limited research into the deficiencies in knowledge and experience in undertaking construction projects to enhance performance using knowledge management functions.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by UTAR Research Fund (UTARRF) (Project Number: IPSR/RMC/UTARRF/2019-C2/J01), supported by UTAR Global Research Network Program (International Collaborative Partner) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant Nos. 71390523 and 71501142. The authors would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive and insightful comments, which have helped improve the quality of this paper.

Citation

Yap, J.B.H., Lim, B.L., Skitmore, M. and Gray, J. (2022), "Criticality of project knowledge and experience in the delivery of construction projects", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 800-822. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-10-2020-0413

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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