Burundi reform hopes stand at a crossroads

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Infrastructure

Significance Since taking office last June, Ndayishimiye has taken small steps in this direction, but the progress and outlook remain mixed. Impacts Ndayishimiye’s attempts to mend ties with neighbouring Rwanda may enjoy the most success among his new initiatives. Burundi hopes a planned new rail link with Tanzania can help boost mining exports, but funding the USD1.9bn project may prove challenging. New infrastructure projects will be crucial for Burundi’s economy after years of anaemic growth, now exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

East Africa infrastructure raises regional tensions

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Land Grabbing ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Business Elites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Northern Kenya ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Infrastructure

Subject Regional infrastructure ambitions. Significance Plans for large-scale regional infrastructure projects have become vehicles for economic cooperation in East Africa over the past several years. However, behind the rhetoric of regional solidarity, such ventures have become a critical arena for power rivalries to play out. Impacts Infrastructure plans are exacerbating local conflicts in northern Kenya and driving new dynamics. Land grabbing is a trend across areas where new infrastructure is meant to be, tying political and business elites to original plans. Despite its ambitions to reduce reliance on Khartoum, South Sudan is not going to be a secure infrastructure partner for some time.

Colombia’s infrastructure expansion faces major delays

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Caribbean Coast ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investment Opportunities ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
New Infrastructure

Significance The claims follow the ANI’s announcement on February 22 that it would cancel the contract of an Odebrecht-led consortium to build the Ruta del Sol 2 highway, linking central Colombia to the Caribbean coast. Impacts The risk of potentially intrusive investigations will remain high for firms with commercial or contractual links to Odebrecht. Delays in completion of infrastructure projects could bring Colombia’s GDP growth rates for 2017 below the current forecasts of 2.7%. Later in the year, new infrastructure investment opportunities will open as corruptly awarded contracts are resubmitted for tender. Allegations that Santos’s 2014 election campaign received Odebrecht funding could harm his Party of the U in the 2018 election.

EU may lack will to upgrade Berlin Process for Balkans

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Living Standards ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
New Infrastructure

Subject The 2017 Western Balkan summit. Significance The recent crisis in Macedonia was the climax of multiple worrying developments for the Western Balkans, a region now in an ominous state of flux. The Berlin Process, whose fourth and penultimate summit was held in Trieste on July 12, is the most prominent initiative to assist regional states prepare for EU membership, a goal that remains uncertain. Impacts Improving economic conditions and living standards could ‘make or break’ any new EU initiative. Thanks to Brexit, the last summit in London in 2018 will probably focus more on security and issues other than EU integration. Those countries involved in the process will probably profit more from business generated by new infrastructure projects.

State assets may fund Turkish public-private projects

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Sovereign Wealth Fund ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Development ◽  
The Government ◽  
New Infrastructure

Subject Moves to shore up the PPP infrastructure programme. Significance Political instability, lira volatility and slowing economic growth have raised the risks from public-private partnerships (PPP) in Turkey’s ambitious infrastructure programme, by making it more difficult for developers to access loans. The government, faced with underwriting unprofitable projects and scaling back new development, has handed control of a slate of state companies to the new Turkish Sovereign Wealth Fund (TVFY). Impacts The government is committed to continue developing new infrastructure projects by the PPP model. Profits from the substantial assets transferred to the TVFY will be diverted to fund a grandiose infrastructure development programme. An expanded PPP programme will reinforce calls for better legislation, clarified legal processes and a dedicated agency to oversee projects.

PROMETHEE-based ranking of project managers based on the five personality traits

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1083-1102
Author(s):  
Georgios N. Aretoulis ◽  
Jason Papathanasiou ◽  
Fani Antoniou
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Multicriteria Decision Making ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Preference Ranking ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The One ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose This paper aims to rank and identify the most efficient project managers (PMs) based on personality traits, using Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) methodology. Design/methodology/approach The proposed methodology relies on the five personality traits. These were used as the selection criteria. A questionnaire survey among 82 experienced engineers was used to estimate the required weights per personality trait. A second two-part questionnaire survey aimed at recording the PMs profile and assess the performance of personality traits per PM. PMs with the most years of experience are selected to be ranked through Visual PROMETHEE. Findings The findings suggest that a competent PM is the one that scores low on the “Neuroticism” trait and high especially on the “Conscientiousness” trait. Research limitations/implications The research applied a psychometric test specifically designed for Greek people. Furthermore, the proposed methodology is based on the personality characteristics to rank the PMs and does not consider the technical skills. Furthermore, the type of project is not considered in the process of ranking PMs. Practical implications The findings could contribute in the selection of the best PM that maximizes the project team’s performance. Social implications Improved project team communication and collaboration leading to improved project performance through better communication and collaboration. This is an additional benefit for the society, especially in the delivery of public infrastructure projects. A lot of public infrastructure projects deviate largely as far as cost and schedule is concerned and this is an additional burden for public and society. Proper project management through efficient PMs would save people’s money and time. Originality/value Identification of the best PMbased on a combination of multicriteria decision-making and psychometric tests, which focus on personality traits.

scholarly journals Using project demand profiling to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of infrastructure projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1422-1442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Godsell ◽  
Donato Masi ◽  
Antonios Karatzas ◽  
Timothy Mark Brady
Keyword(s):  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Company ◽  
Efficient Delivery ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency ◽  
Stage 1 ◽  
Demand Profile ◽  
Theoretical Saturation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability and utility of supply chain (SC) segmentation through demand profiling to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of infrastructure projects by identifying different types of project demand profiles. Design/methodology/approach A three-stage abductive research design was adopted. Stage 1 explored the applicability of SC segmentation, through demand profiling, to the portfolio of infrastructure projects in a utility company. Stage 2 was an iterative process of “theory matching”, to the portfolio, programme and project management literature. In stage 3, theoretical saturation was reached and “theory suggestions” were made through four propositions. Findings Four propositions outline how SC segmentation through project demand profiling could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of infrastructure projects. P1: the ability to recognise the different demand profiles of individual projects, and groups thereof, is a portfolio management necessity. P2: projects that contribute to the strategic upgrade of a capital asset should be considered a potential programme of inter-related repeatable projects whose delivery would benefit from economies of repetition. P3: the greater the ability to identify different demand profiles of individual/groups of projects, the greater the delivery efficiency. P4: economies of repetition developed through efficient delivery of programmes of repeatable projects can foster greater efficiency in the delivery of innovative projects through economies of recombination. Originality/value This work fills a gap in the portfolio management literature, suggesting that the initial screening, selection and prioritisation of project proposals should be expanded to recognise not only the project type, but also each project’s demand profile.

Skills shortage may hit Australia's post-COVID growth

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
General Election ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skills Shortage ◽  
Key Industries ◽  
Skills Shortages

Significance The closing of internal and external borders in response to COVID-19 has heightened a longstanding skills deficit in key industries, with implications for wage levels, prices and broader economic growth. However, a general increase in immigrant numbers may not provide the skills that are needed. Impacts Labour shortfalls may delay government infrastructure projects that were designed to lead the post-pandemic economic recovery. Foreign investment may be affected by skills shortages in key areas such as mining and metallurgy. Debate on immigration levels could influence voting in the general election that is now likely to be held in April.

Barriers to bond financing for public-private partnership infrastructure projects in emerging markets

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Olusola Babatunde ◽  
Srinath Perera
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Bond Markets ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify and critically assess the barriers to bond financing for public–private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects in Nigeria using an empirical quantitative analysis. Innovative ways to finance long-term infrastructure projects had been documented. However, there is a dearth of empirical studies on the barriers to bond financing for PPP infrastructure projects. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the barriers to bond financing for infrastructure projects, which were employed to design a questionnaire. A questionnaire survey was carried out which targeted financial experts in the Nigerian financial institutions/local banks. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to include mean score, chi-square (χ2) test and factor analysis (principal component analysis). Findings The analysis of the ranking in terms of the mean score values for the 12 identified barriers indicated that all the identified barriers are considered by respondents as critical barriers to bond financing for PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria. The study, through factor analysis, grouped the 12 identified barriers into 5 principal factors. These include governance and institutional capacity issues, higher issuance cost and risk, difficulties in getting approval for changes, the small size of bond markets and stringent disclosure requirements. Practical implications This research is significant by providing the empirical evidence of the barriers to bond financing for PPP infrastructure in emerging markets, especially in Nigeria. Originality/value The findings would enable the policymakers to draw some policy recommendations that will positively influence the development of bond markets in Nigeria and emerging markets at large. These study findings are crucial, as not many empirical studies have been conducted in Nigeria.

Innovation in infrastructure projects: an Australian perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soroush Maghsoudi ◽  
Colin Duffield ◽  
David Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
New Products ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Effective Implementation

Purpose Unlike manufacturing and research and developments, major infrastructure projects rarely emphasize or drive their objectives on the basis of innovation. This is in part because of a risk-averse culture, yet conceivably great benefits and opportunities are being lost because of this behavior. Design/methodology/approach The case for focusing on innovation in infrastructure projects is that the reasons driving innovation are not fully understood, and this impedes the effective implementation of lessons learned for the numerous innovative projects into practice more generally. The purpose of this study was to discover how innovation is produced and captured in major infrastructure projects in Australia and to understand how innovation may be replicated for future projects through refinement of design, project management, finance and procurement. Findings Engineering and project managers may find this paper helpful to better understand how innovation might happen in infrastructure projects and what different forms it can take. Originality/value The findings of this study demonstrate that people and culture drive consistent successful infrastructure outcomes more than simply the development of new products or processes.

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