Aggregation of factors causing cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects: Trends and implications
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 15 May 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact that cost overruns and time delays exert on large public construction projects to clarify how past and current research regard factors causing cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper, which is based on an analysis of a literature selection consisting of 40 journal articles, investigates and ranks the occurrence of and the explanations for cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects. The study makes use of a kiviat diagram/radar chart in order to visualize multivariate data.
Findings
Aggregated rankings of important causes of cost overruns and time delays are reported. These show a strong emphasis on the management aspect as a primary cause of cost overruns and delays. Additionally, there seems to be a trend toward deemphasizing the role of financial considerations in explaining cost overruns and delays. It is argued that there needs to be a more rigorous assessment of the impact that each factor has on cost increases and delays based on factual observed data as opposed to retrospective accounts from questionnaire respondents.
Research limitations/implications
Only public construction projects have been considered. The results will not be directly applicable to privately funded construction projects and/or projects of a smaller size.
Originality/value
The use of trend data, as illustrated in a kiviat diagram, showing how different ranking factors causing cost overruns and time delays has changed in importance over time.
Keywords
Citation
Adam, A., Josephson, P.-E.B. and Lindahl, G. (2017), "Aggregation of factors causing cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects: Trends and implications", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 393-406. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-09-2015-0135
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited