FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PERFORMANCE IN SUDAN

Abstract

Construction industry has complexity in its nature because it contains large number of parties as clients, contractors, consultants, stakeholders and others. Construction projects suffer from many problems and complex issues in performance such as cost, time and safety. The aim of this thesis is to identify and evaluate the main factors affecting the performance of construction projects .Literature review about performance was reviewed to identify the factors affecting the performance of construction projects. A questionnaire survey was conducted and 34 factors were identified, categorized into 7 groups, evaluated and ranked from consultants and contractors perspectives. Questionnaires were distributed as follows: 20 to consultants and 40 to contractors. The results were analyzed, discussed to obtain the most performance indicators. The relative importance index method (RII) was used here to determine consultants and contractors perceptions of the relative importance of the performance indicators in construction projects. The most important factors agreed by contractors were: Leadership skills for project manager was the most important performance factor, Availability of personals with high experience and qualification, Availability of resources as planned through project duration, Learning from best practice and experience of others, Quality of equipment and raw materials in project, Average delay in payment from owner to contractor and Sequencing of work according to schedule. All these factors were represented the top significant factors affecting the performance of the construction projects according to the contractor’s views. The most important factors agreed by consultants were: the Conformance to specification, Availability of personals with high experience and qualification, Sequencing of work according to schedule, Liquidity of organization, learning from best practice and experience of others, Quality of equipment and raw materials in project. This factors were represented the top significant affecting the performance of the construction projects according to the consultants views.

Recommendations were formulated to improve performance of construction projects. It was concluded that consultants and contractors agree that actual cost of executed projects was more than the estimated cost because of changing which can be happening especially in economic conditions and situation. The project sometimes delays by late payment from the owner and Contractors usually suffer from this problem, it also concluded that most of contractors do not care with applying health and safety factors during construction of projects and also there is shortage in formal safety training. In addition, consultants do not have sufficient control or continuous supervision for safety application. All of that will lead to occurrence of accidents and problems in construction projects. The study recommended developing human resources in the construction industry through proper and continuous training programs about construction projects performance. It is necessary for construction organizations to evaluate the liquidity before implementation of any construction project because of difficult economic situation. All of that will assist organizations to perform projects successfully and strongly.