Claims management in construction industry in Sudan

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the largest industries in the world. In Sudan, it played and still a major role in the development process. The construction projects are characterized by a special and unique nature, including their great time span, high cost, numerous clauses of the contract, in addition to changing the requirements of the owner during the implementation stage and his demand for additional works and amendments. The latter characteristic is our research problem and the main challenge in the industry. This research aimed to investigate and clarify the methodology of claims management in construction industry in Sudan in terms of nature, causes and the subsequent effects. Secondary and primary data are used. Analysis was done by using SPSS program and chi-square was applied. Results showed that; the contract nature and the regulation followed through the FIDIC contract and clauses were fully understood by contractors, as well as causes and effect on projects; contractors considered variations and change orders as the most tedious and annoying matter but they admitted their value and benefits; recording, book- keeping and documentation systems are the fundamental factors in claim management. The research concluded that claim management is very crucial aspect in this industry and precautions should be taken to avoid disputes and conflict later on. The research recommended; recording, book-keeping and documentation as vital factors in claims management and modeling innovation is highly recommended for future research.