Project Management Practices and Performance of Commercial Building Projects in Juja Sub-county, Kiambu County Kenya

Abstract

Several challenges in construction projects across Africa emphasize factors such as inadequate planning, skills shortages, and insufficient coordination and this negatively project performance for construction projects. This research explored the project management practices and performance of commercial building projects in Juja Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya. The study integrated three theoretical frameworks: Construction Management Theory, Theory of Change, and Theory of Constraints to provide a comprehensive understanding of project management dynamics. The research objectives investigated the influence of financing, communication, planning, and monitoring and evaluation on the performance of commercial building projects in Juja Sub-County. A descriptive survey approach was used in the study to determine the impact of project management strategies on the execution of commercial housing projects. The observational unit comprised one senior staff member in each of the 112 construction firms. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Descriptive statistics were utilized. The first objective analyzed project financing in Juja Sub County, revealing positive sentiments on budgeting, neutral views on fund availability, mixed responses on fund diversification, and some disagreement on cash flows. Overall, there's a positive perception with a composite mean of 3.18, and a strong positive association (Pearson Correlation of 0.709**) between project financing and performance. The second objective explored project communication, indicating highly positive perceptions with agreement on diverse channels, accessibility of tools, positive milestone sharing, and a strong correlation (0.661**) with project performance. The third objective focused on project planning, with participants generally agreeing on proper design but showing disagreement on scheduling. The composite mean suggested an overall positive influence on performance (Correlation of 0.663**). The last objective delved into project monitoring, revealing agreement on tools but disagreement on team qualifications. The composite mean indicated an overall positive assessment, with a significant positive correlation (0.630**) with project performance. Recommendations include refining budgeting practices, addressing fund diversification, enhancing communication, improving scheduling through software, ensuring a qualified monitoring team, and exploring advanced monitoring strategies in future research