Factors impacting delivery reliability of Kenyan construction industry: a survey of Road projects and project managers' perceptions

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate project delivery reliability from Kenyan road rehabilitation context under two objectives: establish the main factors that lead to delays in road rehabilitation projects; and determine the predictability of project delivery time using Bromilow's time-cost model. The study used a self-administered questionnaire that sought both primary and secondary data from respondents. From the research, the critical factors contributing to project delivery delays were found to include underestimation of project duration, contractor's and client's cash flow or budgetary problems, delayed payment to contractor, inadequate supervision of works, and increase in scope of works. Moreover, the study established that the duration of Kenyan road rehabilitation projects can be modelled using Bromilow's time-cost formula in the form T = KcB, where T is the duration in days, C is the contract cost in millions, K is a constant characteristic of rehabilitation time performance, and B is a constant indicative of the sensitivity of time performance to cost level or project siz.e,. Regression analysis was used to compute the values ofK and B. The coefficient of determination (R2) was used to establish how well the model actually fits the data. The conclusion from the study is that the estimation of road projects duration in Kenya is far below the actual duration taken to complete them. This suggests pervasive project time overruns in the economy's infrastructure projects, an operational conundrum beckoning for serious leadership, professional and managerial intervention.