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Official development assistance (ODA) education projects have played a crucial role in improving education and training fields in developing countries, but are often facing several considerable challenges (e.g. long implementation time). Thus, this study aims to identify critical success factors (CSFs) in ODA education projects and investigate the influences of CSFs on ODA project performance measured by 11 nonprofit outcomes (NPOs).

A comprehensive literature review and expert interviews were conducted to compile a list of 35 potential success factors for ODA education projects. Using a survey questionnaire, 143 valid responses were collected from practitioners joining ODA projects in Vietnam. Various statistical methods (e.g. mean score method, Spearman rank correlation test, analysis of variance test, factor analysis and regression analysis) were used to analyze the collected data.

This research identified seven CSFs for ODA education projects in Vietnam: comprehensive project management competency (C1), clarity and compliance in project execution (C2), transparency and committed funding (C3), external context conditions (C4), well-controlled design and project management procedures (C5), preparations in equipment and complexity insight (C6) and punctual site delivery (C7). Furthermore, the results of regression analysis indicated that comprehensive project management competency (C1) and transparency and committed funding (C3) could significantly affect various NPOs.

This study offers significant insights for practitioners (e.g. project managers) to improve ODA projects’ performance and effectiveness in the education and training sector of a developing country context (like Vietnam).

This study aims to identify key knowledge enabling factors (KEFs) which can enable construction companies to improve various organizational effectiveness outcomes (OEOs).

Using a questionnaire, data are collected from construction companies in Vietnam. Mean score method is used to calculate the mean values of KEFs. In addition, regression analysis is used to identify KEFs which significantly affect OEOs.

A list of 32 KEFs, whose ranking orders of importance are provided according to different types of construction companies, is presented. In addition, different lists of specific KEFs which could significantly affect different OEOs are identified. Furthermore, seven key KEFs which could have a significant impact on many OEOs are highlighted.

The findings of this study could help construction companies to know the controllable KEFs, on which they should focus more. Hence, they could perform these KEFs properly to improve various aspects of organizational effectiveness.

This study identifies 32 KEFs and 10 OEOs specifically for knowledge management in construction companies. This study also provides construction companies with a better understanding of the impact of KEFs on various aspects of organizational effectiveness. Hence, they could develop effective KEFs-based management strategies to enhance various aspects of organizational effectiveness.

The purpose of this paper is to develop several predictive models for estimating the structural construction cost and establish range estimation for the structural construction cost using design information available in early stages of residential building projects.

Information about residential building projects is collected based on project documents from construction companies with regard to the design parameters and the actual structural construction costs at completion. Storey enclosure method (SEM) is fundamental for determining the building design parameters, forming the potential variables and developing the cost estimation models using regression analysis. Nonparametric bootstrap method is used to establish range estimation for the structural construction cost.

A model which is developed from an integration of advanced SEM, principle component analysis and regression analysis is robust in terms of predictability. In terms of range estimation, cumulative probability-based range estimates and confidence intervals are established. While cumulative probability-based range estimates provide information about the level of uncertainty included in the estimate, confidence intervals provide information about the variability of the estimate. Such information could be very crucial for management decisions in early stages of residential building projects.

This study could provide practitioners with a better understanding of the uncertainty and variability included in the cost estimate. Hence, they could make effective improvements on cost-related management approaches to enhance project cost performance.

This study aims to develop a strategic framework for the success of coastal urban projects in Vietnam, which is one of the Asia Pacific countries significantly affected by climate change.

A questionnaire was used to collect data from practitioners in Vietnam. Principal component analysis (PCA) technique was used to identify critical success factors (CSFs) of coastal urban projects. A strategy map for the success of coastal urban projects was also proposed using the balanced scorecard (BSC) method.

This study identified 41 project success factors that could contribute to project success, and thence, extracted 11 CSFs for coastal urban projects using the PCA technique. In addition, 11 key performance indicators (KPIs) for coastal urban projects were listed and their linking with project success factors and CSFs was explored. Furthermore, a strategy map for the success of coastal urban projects was proposed using the BSC method. The strategy map included five perspectives: learning and growth, internal processes, social and environmental performance, financial performance, and stakeholders' satisfaction.

This study identified 11 CSFs for coastal urban projects and proposed a strategy map for the success of coastal urban projects.

This study aims to relate knowledge creation factors (KCFs) to construction organizations’ effectiveness, which can be measured by different effectiveness outcomes (EOs).

Data with regard to KCFs and EOs are collected from construction organizations in Vietnam using a survey questionnaire. Regression analysis is used to relate KCFs to EOs.

Various lists of specific KCFs that may significantly affect EOs are identified. Furthermore, several key KCFs that could play a vital role in enhancing different EOs are highlighted.

Owing to the use of data collected from construction organizations in Vietnam, the results of this study cannot be directly applied to other types of organization in other countries without using any other extra data.

Based on the results of relating KCFs to different EOs, construction organizations would know which specific KCFs are vital to their organizational effectiveness. Hence, they may enhance different organizational effectiveness aspects by focusing more on such KCFs.

In this study, 16 KCFs and 10 EOs which may be useful for organization-level knowledge management practices in construction are introduced. Furthermore, the specific controllable KCFs vital to different EOs are identified. Hence, construction organizations would establish KCFs-based strategies for their management activities to improve various organizational effectiveness aspects.

The purpose of this paper is to identify risk patterns of road and bridge projects in Vietnam, where the construction market is emerging but attractive to construction organizations, especially foreign companies.

Using a questionnaire, experienced practitioners of various contractors were interviewed to collect risk-related data in terms of actual likelihood and impact from road and bridge construction projects in Vietnam. Using the collected data of actual likelihood and impact, the specific probability and impact of risk factors were determined for different types of road and bridge projects, including small and medium type, big type, government-funding type, and other-funding type (e.g. official development assistance funds, public-private partnership).

The results of analysis indicate the specific probability and impact of risk factors in four risk themes, including contractor-related, project-related, owner-related, and external risks. Actual risk patterns for different types of road and bridge projects in Vietnam were identified.

The identification of actual risk patterns could help practitioners to know which risk factors are severe in frequency and/or impact. Hence, they could establish proper strategies to manage risk-related problems of road and bridge projects, in which they are directly involved.

The findings of this study could provide construction companies, especially foreign companies, with a better understanding of real risk panorama in Vietnamese road and bridge construction. Hence, they could make effective improvements on risk management of road and bridge projects in Vietnam.

The purpose of this paper is to predict implementation cost contingencies for residential construction projects in flood-prone areas, where floods with storms frequently cause serious damage and problems for people.

Expert interviews are conducted to identify the study variables. Based on bills of quantities and project documents, historical data on residential construction projects in flood-prone areas are collected. Pearson correlation analysis is first used to check the correlations among the study variables. To overcome multicollinearity, principal component analysis is used. Then, stepwise multiple regression analysis is used to develop the cost prediction model. Finally, non-parametric bootstrap method is used to develop range estimation of the implementation cost.

A list of project-related variables, which could significantly affect implementation costs of residential construction projects in flood-prone areas, is identified. A model, which is developed based on an integration of principle component analysis and regression analysis, is robust. Regarding range estimation, 10, 50 and 90 percent cost estimates, which could provide information about the uncertainty levels in the estimates, are established. Furthermore, implementation cost contingencies which could show information about the variability in the estimates are determined for example case projects. Such information could be critical to cost-related management of residential construction projects in flood-prone areas.

This study attempts to predict implementation cost contingencies for residential construction projects in flood-prone areas using non-parametric bootstrap method. Such contingencies could be useful for project cost budgeting and/or effective cost management.

Design-build (DB) has become widely prosperous in recent years. This new approach could be applicable to construction projects in either developed or developing countries. However, the implementation process of DB in Vietnam encounters difficulties due to the unfamiliarity and inexperience with the approach. This study aims to identify the correlation and causality between critical success factors (CSFs) and DB project performance measured by key performance indicators (KPIs).

A questionnaire was used to collect the project data from public and private sector DB projects in Vietnam. The correlation between CSFs and KPIs was identified through correlation analysis. Then, the causality was explored through regression analysis.

The results of correlation indicate that parties’ capabilities play an important role in determining the success or failure of DB projects. In addition, the results of causality highlight six CSFs which significantly affect DB project performance, including resolving conflicts quickly; effective overall managerial actions in planning, organizing, leading and controlling; project participants’ satisfaction with the financial return from the project; competent multidisciplinary project team; project team members’ good/active attitudes to the job; and adequate funding throughout the project. It was also shown that there is no significant difference about the project performance between public and private sector DB projects.

Identifying the correlation and causality between CSFs and different aspects of DB project performance could help project participants to know the controllable CSFs on which they must focus more. Hence, they could manage these CSFs properly to increase the chance of meeting time, cost and quality objectives of DB projects in which they are involved and achieving the owners’ satisfaction.

The findings of this study could provide project participants in Vietnam, as well as similar developing countries, with a better understanding of the impact of CSFs on different aspects of DB project performance. Hence, they could make effective CSFs-based improvements on their management-oriented approaches to enhance different aspects of DB project performance.

Managing complex construction projects is a challenging task because it involves multiple factors and decision-making processes. A systematic evaluation of these complex factors is imperative for achieving project success. As most of these factors are qualitative or intangible in nature, decision makers often rely on subjective judgements when comparing and evaluating them. The hybrid techniques that integrate fuzzy set theory and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are able to deal with such problems. This chapter discusses various hybrid techniques of the fuzzy AHP and presents an application of these techniques to the evaluation of transportation project complexity, which is essential for prioritising resource allocation and assessing project performance. Project complexity can be quantified and visualised effectively with the application of the fuzzy AHP. This chapter enhances the understanding of construction project complexity and fuzzy hybrid computing in construction engineering and management. Future research should address the calibration of fuzzy membership functions in pairwise comparisons for each individual decision maker and develop computational tools for solving optimisation problems in the constrained fuzzy AHP. In the area of construction project complexity, future research should investigate how scarce resources are allocated to better manage complex projects and how appropriate resource allocation improves their performance.

Time is an important factor in any project, especially in construction projects. Although using detailed scheduling techniques is unavoidable, a model to predict or benchmark time performance has interested many researchers. For an exploratory purpose, this paper aims to investigate the time‐cost relationship proposed by Bromilow with data from construction projects in Korea.

The data are collected from 34 historical building projects in Korea. Construction cost is adjusted using a building price index. Analysis is carried out on variety of project characteristics.

It is shown that a time‐cost relationship is applicable to the Korean construction industry. Further analysis indicates that the original Bromilow time‐cost model is not the best fit regression form, and alternative models are proposed.

The data are limited to a small sample of 34 building projects. This limitation arises because of the data collection approach, which is direct contact with historical project documents supplied by construction firms.

Models from this study can serve as a reference tool for practitioners in the early stages of building projects in Korea. The results from this study are not intended to reject or replace detailed construction scheduling techniques.