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1 – 10 of over 4000Emmanuel Oluwatobi Adebisi, Stephen Okunola Ojo and Oluwaseyi Olalekan Alao
The failure and abandonment of construction projects have proven to be insurmountable problems incessantly militating against the efficient performance of the construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The failure and abandonment of construction projects have proven to be insurmountable problems incessantly militating against the efficient performance of the construction industry in Nigeria. The complexity, technicality and a host of other project execution issues unique to multi-storey building projects do increase their susceptibility to failure and abandonment. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the factors influencing failure and abandonment of multi-storey building projects in Nigeria. This is with a view to provide inferential empirical data that could enhance successful delivery of multi-storey building projects in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were used for the study. A structured questionnaire was administered on consultants and contractors’ personnel within Lagos State, Nigeria. A total of 180 copies of the questionnaire were administered ,and 134 copies which represent a combined response rate of 74.4 per cent were retrieved. The data were analysed using frequency distribution and percentages, Mean item score and factor analysis.
Findings
The factors most significant to the failure and abandonment of multi-storey building projects are inadequate funding by the client, improper planning at the pre-construction phase, structural failure in multi-storey building during construction, bankruptcy/business failure of the contractor, improper scheduling of the building project activities and failure to engage qualified professionals with technical expertise and experience. The rated factors clustered under human resources capability, planning and structural quality, contractor selection and variation, insecurity and variation, and force majeure and political risk.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to multi-storey building projects in Lagos State, Nigeria. Further studies could focus on specific resuscitation strategies for abandoned multi-storey building projects.
Practical implications
The study provided implications for effective project and contract management of multi-storey building projects which is very paramount to improve the delivery of complex, technical- and capital-intensive building projects in Nigeria.
Originality/value
The study provides specific implications for the management of multi-storey building projects, thereby enhancing the delivery of building projects.
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Oluwaseyi Olalekan Alao, Godwin Onajite Jagboro and Akintayo Opawole
This paper aims to determine the effect of the period of abandonment on the final cost and duration of resuscitated tertiary educational building projects as a basis for enhancing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine the effect of the period of abandonment on the final cost and duration of resuscitated tertiary educational building projects as a basis for enhancing the performance metrics of the projects and improving the availability of facilities in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was administered on 47 professionals involved in the physical development of construction projects in Osun State public tertiary educational institutions to provide primary data for the study. Secondary data relating to initial and final costs, initial and final completion dates, dates of abandonment, period of abandonment, date of re-award, etc. were obtained from selected resuscitated projects. Data were analyzed using relative significance index and regression analysis.
Findings
The most significant effects of project abandonment were found to be disappointment of populace and over-stretching of existing facilities. The study showed a directly proportional and an exponential effect of period of abandonment on percentage cost overrun of resuscitated projects, which were represented by yc = −329.755 + 19.545x and yc = 6.1662e0.0506x, respectively. A linear relationship between period of abandonment and percentage time overrun was represented by yt = 0.467 + 0.816x.
Research limitations/implications
The fact that the regression equations could not be validated because of paucity of data was identified as a limitation of this study.
Practical implications
This study adds to the body of knowledge on abandonment of building projects from a quantitative perspective. Findings have implications for guiding long-term infrastructure development plans in public tertiary educational institutions.
Originality/value
Maximum threshold at which abandoned projects may be resuscitated at an economic cost was established as 16 months. Findings further suggest that the economy of new construction would outweigh resuscitation of abandoned projects beyond this period.
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Oluwaseyi Olalekan Alao and Godwin Onajite Jagboro
Abandonment of construction projects is still a burning issue in Nigeria. Beside the poor financing of educational infrastructure, abandonment of construction projects remains a…
Abstract
Purpose
Abandonment of construction projects is still a burning issue in Nigeria. Beside the poor financing of educational infrastructure, abandonment of construction projects remains a significant contributor to the inadequacy of facilities in Nigerian public tertiary educational institutions. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to assess the causes of abandoned projects specific to public institutions of tertiary education in Nigeria, with a view to providing empirical data that are generalizable to enhancing successful delivery of teaching and research facilities.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data used for the study were obtained through questionnaires administered to 47 professionals comprising 8 architects, 12 mechanical and electrical engineers, 15 civil/structural engineers, 4 builders and 8 quantity surveyors who were involved in physical development of construction projects in public tertiary educational institutions in Osun State. The data were analyzed using mean analysis, factor analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis (K-W) test.
Findings
The factors most significant to abandonment of tertiary educational institutional projects were delayed payments, fund mismanagement, inadequate budgetary allocation, inadequacy of finance, inflation and bankruptcy of the contractor. Findings also showed that not all factors causing abandonment were significant to tertiary institutional projects. The significant factors clustered under stakeholders’ response capacity, poor financial management, inadequate planning and monitoring, and unexpected occurrences. The K-W test showed significant differences among the categories of tertiary institutions on the ranking of the most significant causes of abandoned projects.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to public tertiary educational institutions in Osun State. Further studies could focus on public health institution projects and private tertiary educational projects to improve the body of knowledge on the subject of causative factors for project abandonment.
Practical implications
The study provided implications for effective contract management of public tertiary educational institutional projects, which is a significant step to improving the available teaching and research facilities in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Originality/value
The study provides implications for effective contract management systems of projects for public tertiary educational institutions, thereby improving the available teaching and research facilities.
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The purpose of this paper is to conduct a stakeholder analysis to find out what factors contribute to partial abandonment and also to examine stakeholders' roles and role…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a stakeholder analysis to find out what factors contribute to partial abandonment and also to examine stakeholders' roles and role conflicts in a partial abandonment implementation process.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of a partially abandoned electronic procurement system project is discussed and analyzed within a small‐and‐medium enterprise in Australia. Semi‐structured interviews, on‐site observation and documentation were the data collection method adopted in this study.
Findings
Based on the findings derived from the study, this paper proposes a stakeholder assessment framework of partial abandonment to examine stakeholders' roles and role conflicts in influencing organizational decisions to partially abandon troubled IT projects.
Originality/value
The framework will help both researchers and practitioners to shed light on stakeholder‐related issues of partial abandonment, as it offers the flexibility to accommodate understanding of various causes that may have contributed to the partial abandonment decision.
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The purpose of this study is to develop penalty measures against concessionaires’ defaults as a mechanism for protecting the interests of parties (public and private) in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop penalty measures against concessionaires’ defaults as a mechanism for protecting the interests of parties (public and private) in public–private partnership (PPP) contracts for enhancing project delivery.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology is a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach. This study commenced with an in-depth literature review, which provided the basis for identification of penalty measures in construction contract management. The qualitative assessment was based on semi-structured face-to-face interviews, which were aimed at identifying the underlying pattern of the penalty measures, and the quantitative assessment was based on a structured questionnaire. In both cases, respondents were stakeholders’ organizations that had been involved in PPP contracts in the southwestern region of Nigeria. These include industrial practitioners from government-based organizations (ministries, agencies, corporations/parastatals, etc.), private developers/concessionaires, law firms, banks, etc. The sample size was selected using a respondent-driven sampling approach, as the comprehensive lists of the participants in PPP contracts are not readily available in the Nigerian construction industry. Responses from the interview were analysed using interpretative phenomenal analysis via ATLAS.ti7. The quantitative data were analysed using percentile for flexibility between “most” and “more” preferred mechanisms.
Findings
This study developed mechanisms that defined the rights of the public party to redress underperformance of PPP contracts consequent to the defaults of the private party. “Step-in-right” and “termination of the contracts” were preferred against specific cases of “delayed execution”, “abandonment of the project”, “bankruptcy of the concessionaire” and “non-compliance with design and specifications”. With respect to “shortfall in performance against established dates”, the results converged on “monetary fine” and diverged on “step-in-right” and “termination of the contracts”.
Practical implications
The study contributes to literature on mechanisms for enforcing PPP project performance. Besides, defining rights and obligations of the parties in specific events of underperformance of the concessionaires in PPP contracts is a significant step towards the development of standard conditions of contract for managing PPP projects in which the model is being newly adopted.
Originality/value
Project management studies on PPP were extended by defining the liabilities that are consequent to the defaults of the private party and the mechanisms for their enforcement.
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Helen Arkorful, Sam Kris Hilton and Fred Awaah
The abandonment of governmental development projects either after completion or midway completion at the taxpayer’s expense in Ghana could be attributed to lack of effective…
Abstract
Purpose
The abandonment of governmental development projects either after completion or midway completion at the taxpayer’s expense in Ghana could be attributed to lack of effective community engagement (CE). Thus, this study aims to assess CE in development projects by comparing government-sponsored projects to private-sponsored projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted where a multiple case study design was used as a research strategy. Data was collected from selected districts in the Central Region of Ghana by using a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed using the thematic and comparative analysis techniques.
Findings
The results reveal that CE in government-funded projects was low, while CE in projects funded by private organizations was high. Three levels of engagement (consultation, participation in decision-making and consent) were also identified. Furthermore, the roles of public participation, including knowledge sharing, collective sense of ownership, among others, were ascertained. Finally, resources constraints, competing interests, lack of information flow, public attitudes toward change and central government/political interference are challenges of CE in development projects.
Originality/value
This study has provided an empirical basis for government and other development agents to draft a policy on CE to serve as a guide, spell out the role of CE, mitigate the challenges of CE and ensure strict compliance to the three levels of engagement.
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Dickson Osei-Asibey, Joshua Ayarkwa, Benjamin Baah, Aba Essanowa Afful, Gloria Anokye and Prince Asher Nkrumah
Many investors have less interest in tendering for public-private partnership (PPP) construction projects as a result of the uncertain risks associated with the project delivery…
Abstract
Purpose
Many investors have less interest in tendering for public-private partnership (PPP) construction projects as a result of the uncertain risks associated with the project delivery. Moreover, PPP project stakeholders have inadequate information about the probable impacts of time-based delay imposed on PPP projects under the PPP arrangement. This study aims to identify and categorize construction stakeholders’ perceptions of the impact of time-based delays on PPP construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A purposive sampling technique was adopted where questionnaires were used as the primary instrument for gathering data from PPP experts. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Kendall’s concordance were used to measure the reliability of the scale and the respondent’s level of agreement, respectively. One sample t-test, mean score ranking and principal component analysis were used to analyse the identified time-based delay impacts.
Findings
The study revealed seven significant impacts of time-based delay on PPP construction project delivery as: “project schedule overrun”, “idling of project resources”, “project cost overrun”, “poor quality of completed works”, “delayed realization of project benefits”, “frequent arbitration/litigation in PPP projects” and “total abandonment of PPP projects”. The study further identified the top five significant impacts of time-based delay on PPP project stakeholders as: “reduction in motivation to attract investment”, “high interest on finance (loans)”, “contractor in financial crisis”, “loss of public confidence in government” and “reduction in parties’ reputation”.
Practical implications
The identified significant impacts of time-based delays will increase stakeholders’ awareness of the repercussions and effects that time-based delays may impose on PPP construction projects if not appropriately managed throughout the project implementation. This awareness will further guide stakeholders to implement targeted risk management strategies to minimize the negative consequences of delays on PPP project performance.
Originality/value
As a pioneering study that provides a better understanding of the impacts of time-based delays on PPP construction projects, this study enhances knowledge of PPP construction project implementation.
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Paul Beynon‐Davies, Ian Owens and Michael D. Williams
In this paper, we consider the synergy between two areas of information system (IS) literature: that concerned with the evaluation of IS and that concerned with explaining the…
Abstract
In this paper, we consider the synergy between two areas of information system (IS) literature: that concerned with the evaluation of IS and that concerned with explaining the phenomenon of IS failure. On the basis of an analysis of both areas, a model is presented which attempts to integrate IS evaluation into the life cycle of IS development. The model links the issue of failure assessment with the evaluation process and constitutes a strategy for stimulating organisational learning in relation to IS development. The paper concludes with a description of our attempts to validate aspects of the model and plans for further empirical work in this area.
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Andrew H. Chen, James A. Conover and John W. Kensinger
Option models have provided insight into the value of flexibility to switch from one state to another (such as switching a mine or refinery from operating to closed status). More…
Abstract
Option models have provided insight into the value of flexibility to switch from one state to another (such as switching a mine or refinery from operating to closed status). More complex flexible processes offer multiple possibilities for switching states. A fabrication facility, for example, may offer options to shift from the current status to any of several alternatives (reflecting reconfiguration of basic facilities to accommodate different operating processes with different outputs). New algorithms enable practical application of complex option pricing models to flexible facilities, improving analysts’ ability to draw sound conclusions about the effects of flexibility and innovativeness on share value. Such models also apply for options with information items as the underlying assets. Information organizations such as oil exploration and development companies may include options to shift from the current capability to any of several alternatives reflecting added abilities to handle new information sources or apply the organization’s talents in new ways. In the case of either physical or information processing, careful attention to estimating the matrix of correlations among the values of potential alternative states allows explicit integration of financial analysis and strategic analysis – especially the influence of substitutes and the anticipated reactions of competitors, suppliers, and potential new entrants.
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Magnus Mähring, Jonny Holmström, Mark Keil and Ramiro Montealegre
This study investigates the potential of actor‐network theory (ANT) for theory development on information technology project escalation, a pervasive problem in contemporary…
Abstract
This study investigates the potential of actor‐network theory (ANT) for theory development on information technology project escalation, a pervasive problem in contemporary organizations. In so doing, the study aims to contribute to the current dialogue on the potential of ANT in the information systems field. While escalation theory has been used to study “runaway” IT projects, two distinct limitations suggest a potential of using ANT: First, there is a need for research that builds process theory on escalation of IT projects. Second, the role of technology as an important factor (or actor) in the shaping of escalation has not been examined. This paper examines a well‐known case study of an IT project disaster, the computerized baggage handling system at Denver International Airport, using both escalation theory and ANT. A theory‐comparative analysis then shows how each analysis contributes differently to our knowledge about dysfunctional IT projects and how the differences between the analyses mirror characteristics of the two theories. ANT is found to offer a fruitful theoretical addition to escalation research and several conceptual extensions of ANT in the context of IT project escalation are proposed: embedded actor‐networks, host actor‐networks, swift translation and Trojan actor‐networks.
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