Integration Management and Implementation of Low-cost Housing Construction Projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Implementation of low-cost housing is geared to meet the desired development goals as enshrined in the vison 2030 economic development blue print in Kenya. Despite the low-cost housing projects being implemented by the government and other real estate development companies in Kenya, progressive supply of affordable low-cost housing remains a mirage dream in Nairobi City County with mushrooming of slums and other informal settlements proliferating in the Kenya’s capital city. The purpose of this study is to establish the influence of integration management on implementation of low-cost housing construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The objectives are; to determine influence of project charter and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya; to establish influence of project management plan on implementation of low-cost housing construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya; to assess influence of knowledge integration and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya and to investigate influence of integration change management and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study is based on the system and the theory of change in project management. Descriptive survey research design was used targeting a population of 283 contractors and project managers. A sample of 166 contractors and project managers were selected to participant in the study. The researcher used stratified sampling technique to determine the number of contractors and project managers and simple random sampling to select participants from each sub group. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The pilot study was conducted targeting 17 contractors and project managers in Nairobi County. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach's alpha and valued at 0.700. Also construct, content and face validity was tested for the study tool. The filed data was analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Tables were adopted to present the findings. “The study established that implementation of low-cost housing construction projects is not demonstrating good progress as respectively demonstrated by composite mean and S.D of 2.65 and 1.322. A significant strong positive correlation was established between project charter on implementation of low-cost housing construction projects (r=0.711; P0.000). composite mean and S.D 3.64; 1.284. A significant strong positive correlation was established between project management plan and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects (r=0.697; P0.000). composite mean and S.D 3.40; 1.336. significant strong positive correlation was established between knowledge integration and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects (r=0.613; P0.000). composite mean and S.D 3.25; 1.353. And a moderately strong positive correlation was established between integration change management and implementation of low-cost housing construction projects” (r=0.528; P0.000). composite mean and S.D 3.31; 1.299. The study concluded that integration management influences implementation of low-cost housing projects and subsequently recommendation integration management to be applied in all housing construction projects