scholarly journals Lessons Learned, Barriers, and Improvement Factors for Mega Building Construction Projects in Developing Countries: Review Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10678
Author(s):  
Yazan Issa Abu Aisheh

A mega-project is a major project or a group of projects of significant cost that attract a high level of public attention or political interest because of substantial direct and indirect impacts on the community, environment, and state budget. Capturing and sharing the knowledge from the performance of the current mega projects is essential in order to avoid losing vital corporate knowledge assets in the construction industry. The learned lessons are gained from experience, success, and failure for improving future performance. This research aims to review and read out the lessons learned from 77 research papers that have dealt with the barriers that hinder the successful performance of mega building construction projects in developing countries, identify and classify the main obstacles, and propose improvements for successful implementation and management of mega building construction projects. The results of this paper will help project owners, construction companies, and other stakeholders in developing countries to overcome the limitations in the execution of mega building construction projects.

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled Al‐Reshaid ◽  
Nabil Kartam ◽  
Narendra Tewari ◽  
Haya Al‐Bader

PurposeIt is a well‐known fact that the construction industry always passes through two distinctive problems during the construction stage: slippages of project‐schedules, i.e. time‐frame, and overruns of project‐costs, i.e. budget. However, limited literature is available to solve or dilute these two problems before they even occur. It is strongly believed that the bulk of the two mentioned problems can be mitigated to a great extent, if not eliminated, provided that proper attention is paid to the pre‐construction phases of projects. Normally projects are implemented through traditionally old techniques which generally emphasize only solving “construction problems during the construction phase”. The aim of this article is therefore to unveil a professional methodology known as Project Control System (PCS) focusing on pre‐construction phases of construction projects.Design/methodology/approachIn this article, the authors share the lessons learned during implementation of Kuwait University projects worth approximately $400 million in a span of ten years. The task of the project management/construction management (PM/CM) is being provided to the university by a joint venture team of international and local specialists.FindingsThe pre‐construction methodology ensures smooth and successful implementation during construction phases of the projects as they are generally executed in a fast‐pace, deadline‐driven and cost‐conscious environment. The intuitive proactive methods, if implemented during pre‐construction stage, automatically answer the questions that are encountered during the execution periods of projects.Originality/valueIn this article, the authors share the lessons learned during PM/CM during projects over a span of ten years, which could be of use to others.


Author(s):  
Alfredo Federico Serpell ◽  
Ximena Ferrada ◽  
Larissa Rubio

Abstract The function of project risk management (PRM) is to understand the uncertainty that surrounds a project and to identify the potential threats than can affect it as well as to know how to handle these risks in an appropriate way. Then, the measurement of the performance of PRM becomes an important concern, an issue that has not yet been addressed in the research literature. It is necessary to know how successful the application of the PRM process is and how capable is the process within the organization. Regarding construction projects, it is essential to know whether the selected responses to mitigate or eliminate identified risks were suitable and well implemented after the execution of the project. This paper presents a critical analysis of the relevance of measuring the performance of PRM and the benefits of doing so. Additionally, it presents a preliminary and pioneering methodology to measure the performance of PRM through the evaluation of the adequacy of responses applied to mitigate risks as well as to evaluate the resulting impacts as indicators of the effectiveness of these actions at the end of the project. This knowledge will allow construction companies to incorporate good practices, generate lessons learned, and thereby to promote a continuous improvement of the whole PRM process.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noore Alam Siddiquee

Purpose Since 2009, e-government has been high on governmental agenda in Bangladesh. Seen as a vehicle for improving governance and service delivery, it is also presented as a key to fighting poverty and achieving the millennium development goals. Thus, the goals of e-government remain broad and ambitious. Can a developing country such as Bangladesh realize its e-government vision? The purpose of this paper is to explore this and other related questions seeking to draw lessons that the Bangladesh experience may offer. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws primarily on secondary information, complemented by primary data gathered from various sources. In addition to an extensive review of secondary sources, necessary information was derived from websites of relevant government departments/agencies and through interviews and conversations with selected government officials having intimate knowledge on e-government projects at the field and local levels. Findings The paper demonstrates the ways in which various e-initiatives have transformed traditional administrative systems and practices, notwithstanding the nation’s limited overall e-development. It also shows how e-innovations have helped tackle some complex challenges, thereby adding to convenience and benefits to service users. A major conclusion of the paper is that although e-government is yet to make a breakthrough in governance and service delivery, it has set the wheels of change in motion. Practical implications E-government must be seen as a long term project, it must attract high-level political support and it requires fruitful collaboration between the public, private and non-governmental actors. Originality/value This paper adds to the limited knowledge in the field. Lessons learned from the Bangladesh experience have much relevance to other developing countries with similar socioeconomic circumstances. The policymakers and practitioners are expected to benefit from the insights of the paper.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 15-30
Author(s):  
Anita Kotwani

Pharmaceuticals are an integral component of a health care system; any weakness in governance of the pharmaceutical system negatively impacts health outcomes, especially in developing countries. It is believed that procurement on the concept of essential medicine list and transparency leads to improved efficiency and access to medicines, as has been described for the Delhi model. However, transparency is only the first step; accountability and sustainability are also needed. Information systems create opportunities for transparency and openness through the disclosure of information and improve decision-making and efficiency along the medicine supply chain. With the lessons learned from experiences of many developing countries, technical guidance and tools developed by international agencies, a transparent, accountable, sustainable public procurement system is possible but high-level political commitment is needed to mandate and enforce the system.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quangdung Tran ◽  
Dechun Huang ◽  
Changzheng Zhang

A growing volume of literature proclaims the benefits of e-commerce for construction organizations in developing countries. However, it is questionable on what are determinants of a successful implementation of e-commerce in such a context. Furthermore, lacking a model or a method through which to discuss and assist for construction companies in improving their success rate of the implementation. This paper proposed such a method called the “integrated” e-commerce readiness method (IECR). In this method, the role of an organization’s perception of operating environment is highlighted, and e-readiness of an individual organization is considered as an integrated power of the internal and external resources.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 48-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Fahri ◽  
Christopher Biesenthal ◽  
Julien Pollack ◽  
Shankar Sankaran

Project success has always been an important topic in the project management literature. One of the main discussions is concerned with how a project’s success is evaluated and what factors lead to achieving this success. Traditionally project success has been measured at the point where the project outputs are handed over, after the close out phase. Recently, questions have been raised in the literature as to whether we should be evaluating project success beyond the close out phase, to better account for organizational and societal outcomes.  However, not much has been published about how the long term impacts and outcomes are measured. This is of particular concern in megaprojects as they often attract a high level of public attention and political interest, and have both direct and indirect impacts on the community, environment, and national budgets. In this paper the authors review success factors and criteria that are applicable to projects in general and megaprojects in particular. They identify the significance of evaluating outcomes and impact and propose an ex-post project evaluation (EPPE) framework for megaprojects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Rose Chinyere Okoro ◽  
Joseph Ugochukwu Ogbuefi

Despite the provisions of the Land Use Act (LUA), cap L5 of 2004, to make land available for all stake holders, Federal Government has continuously found it difficult to access land in the states for her developmental projects. Does this influence successful implementation of her building construction projects in south-south Nigeria significantly? To what extent does the State where the project is domiciled influence successful project implementation? In order to provide answers to these questions a survey approach was used in three States (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River), randomly selected with two projects in each State. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from screened 179 respondents for the study. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the research work. The dependent variables studied were land accessibility and successful project implementation while the State where the projects were domiciled was the independent variable. The analytical tools used included simple percentages, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) test. The hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Findings revealed that State where the projects were domiciled had significant influence on the two dependent variables of land accessibility and successful project implementation and that Cross River State was significantly different from the other States on land accessibility but only on Akwa Ibom State on successful project implementation. The research proffers that for land to be easily accessible for Federal Government projects, Federal Government should enshrine in the Nigerian operating Land Policy the customs, traditions, and beliefs of the locals, take centre stage in all levels of land administration and educate her land administrative personnel in respect of government rights in land matters.


2012 ◽  
pp. 1437-1452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Kotwani

Pharmaceuticals are an integral component of a health care system; any weakness in governance of the pharmaceutical system negatively impacts health outcomes, especially in developing countries. It is believed that procurement on the concept of essential medicine list and transparency leads to improved efficiency and access to medicines, as has been described for the Delhi model. However, transparency is only the first step; accountability and sustainability are also needed. Information systems create opportunities for transparency and openness through the disclosure of information and improve decision-making and efficiency along the medicine supply chain. With the lessons learned from experiences of many developing countries, technical guidance and tools developed by international agencies, a transparent, accountable, sustainable public procurement system is possible but high-level political commitment is needed to mandate and enforce the system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 934-945
Author(s):  
Steven Anderson T. M. Rajagukguk ◽  
Yusuf Latief

The construction industry has an important role in the economic development of the country, especially developing countries. However, along with the increase in the construction sector, work accidents in the construction sector also increased. This accident has a negative impact on the project, such as loss of life, material, time, and others. The risk of workplace accidents can be prevented through a well-designed safety management system. The prevention of the workplace accidents can be done by identifying potential hazards that occur in each activity contained in the work breakdown structure (WBS). Identification of potential hazards is needed to be planned well so that the construction companies can take the best preventive action against any potential hazards that exist in each activity of the construction projects, so the safety performance can be improved. After the potential hazards have been identified, then the preventive actions are taken to control the hazards to minimize the safety risk rate. The implementation of safety programs requires costs. But there is no separate budget in this sector that make the implementation of the safety management is still not optimal. Thus, the financing of the safety management system was taken from the project budget, which led to a reduction in the profits of construction companies. This study aims to develop the cost of safety management system based on work breakdown structure on the building lower structure work. The results of this study are the standardized WBS of the lower structure of buildings, potential hazard sources in the lower structure of the building construction projects, the preventive action to each potential hazards in each activity, and finding the safety cost components based on work breakdown structure with the aim of improving the quality of the occupational health and safety management system and reducing work accidents in the building construction projects.


2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 679-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasun N. Hewage ◽  
Anupama Gannoruwa ◽  
Janaka Y. Ruwanpura

A skill-measuring criterion or strategy can be used to optimize the scarce skilled labour force in the Canadian construction industry. The University of Calgary conducted an extensive study to assess the skill levels and team performance of field workers and managers in Alberta’s building construction projects. Over 150 workers and field managers were interviewed, surveyed with questionnaires and observed, to identify team efficiencies, skill levels, team spirit, and team perceptions of supervision. The average construction worker had over 15 years of field experience. Most of the workers were high school educated. More than 70% of the workers wanted to improve their career skills; however, internal and external opportunities were limited and (or) not promoted by the respective construction companies. A very few foremen had certified skills in administration, computer handling, planning, job management and work records. The research clearly noted the urgent need for training programs, for workers and field managers, to improve their present skill levels.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document