Demand Side Perception on Success Factors for Implementing Public Road Construction Projects

Abstract

Cost and schedule overruns, and substandard works are common factors failing organizations’ objectives within the Construction Industry. Particularly, these factors are affecting public road construction projects and costing taxpayers. Researchers continue scanning the environment to establish why construction projects are ever behind schedule, over budgets, with substandard works and contract variations to identify significant factors for successful project implementation. This study expands the debate by looking at demand side perception in establishing success factors for implementing public road construction projects. This was motivated by governments’ high expenditure on construction projects without meeting objectives. A cross-sectional research design with structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain views from three public entities representing demand side. Results analysed following PLS-SEM in Smart-PLS3. The research design enabled conducting statistical tests on validity, reliability, normality, multicollinearity, correlations and regression. PLS-algorithm and bootstrapping resampling approach were employed to determine relationship between variables by estimating path coefficients and significance. Path coefficients helped to determine strength, direction, significance and examine variance of dependent variable explained by combined independent variables. Results revealed that professionalism of staff, compliance with public procurement regulatory framework, monitoring activities and contractors’ resistance to noncompliance are significant success factors enhancing public road implementation. Hence, adopting these factors would be a game changer in implementing complex road construction projects. In addition, complex construction projects in a dynamic construction industry requires continuous scanning to establish more factors and cope up with industry dynamics.