A SYSTEMS APPROACH IN ANALYSING MATERIAL CONSTRAINING FACTORS TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUCCESS IN NIGERIAN.
By; Dr. C.C Nwachukwu ANIVS, FCRMI, Lecturer, Project Management Technology Department, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, West Africa. GSM; 08033289740, E-Mail; nedumchisma@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The study analyzed materials as an integral part of the direct and indirect factors that constrain project management success of public and private sector construction in Nigeria using systems approach. This study is very relevant as any constrain to the success in the construction sector has a significant effect on the overall economic growth of the nation. Data analyses were computed based on the subjective data on the factors Relative Relevance Indices of Attributes. Factor analysis was used to collapse the factors to fewer but interrelated variables. The result of the analysis of material factors will lead to the development of a computer model and advanced project management software that will include materials as an efficient instrument in tracking projects alongside with Time and Cost variables.
KEYWORDS
Material Constraining Factors, Systems Relative Relevance Attributes, Public and Private Sector Construction.
INTRODUCTION
Construction industry could been ranked among the top four out of about twenty economic sectors in terms of inter-sector linkages. The importance of this sector as an agent of development is enhanced by its ability to provide gainful employment for the teeming population of the nation. To this end therefore, the strategic importance of the construction industry in a growing economy like Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized as we have seen that the industry account for a significant percentage of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and employs a substantial fraction of the labor force. Construction industry is a major index as a factor in the social and political integration of the society and ranks as one of the major budgetary areas of developing economies. The construction industry is proven to be the corner stone and bedrock of rapid economic growth of any nation (Bhavesh, 2006). This is underscored by the fact that capital projects in Nigerian budget mostly represent over 40% of the total projected expenditure in both Federal and state governments annual budgets and also in the nations various development and rolling plans. The product of construction industry is desired not for the services they create as commerce and industry have a structural base. According to Eric, 2003, “the industry is likely to remain a major area of development activity as the need for the provision and replacement of infrastructure become more relevant in the years ahead”.
This study is limited to material factors constraining construction project management success in Nigeria. Project success constrains as a system are inter-related and have significant effect individually and collectively on both public and private sectors of the economy.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at identifying and analyzing material constraining factors to project management success of both private and public sector construction in Nigeria. The analysis will reflect the strength of each factor and the rate at which it influences failure, abandonment and collapse of construction projects in Nigeria. The result of the findings if implemented is expected to reduce the rate at which projects fail in Nigeria if not eliminating them.
METHODOLOGY
Data for the analysis was through direct and indirect sources. A five point-Likert scale format was used in the questionnaire design. Factor analysis was used to collapse the variables to fewer but interrelated variables. The ANOVA was used to confirm the differences in the level of relevance of these factors constraining project success. The analysis focused on cost related constrains in the construction of Ten building structures housing Imo State secretariat Owerri by Ten different construction firms, the construction of Owerri Onitsha road that is still ongoing and the construction of Oceanic bank building along Douglas road Owerri, all in Eastern Nigeria, West African Sub-Region. The analytical formula is RRId = ?ci/CI x 100.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The modern concept in the history of construction industry increased the responsibilities of human resource management especially in materials procurement which is evidenced in increased contractor’s managerial role. The Latham Report in 1994, the Egan Report in 1998, and the result of the Rethinking Construction helped in galvanizing the pace of change in materials substitution in the construction industry. The report called for a ‘radical change to the processes of specifying material requirements in construction project design, procurement process, storage and instalation. The four ‘key elements’ of product development, project implementation, partnering the supply chain and the production of components should be subject, it said, to innovations resulting in integrated project processes. Most importantly, the report urged the development of a culture of performance measurement in material handling so that the efficacy of such innovations could be evaluated and continuous improvement promoted. Seven targets were set relating to improvements in cost, time, predictability, defects, accidents, productivity in material management.
The evolution of sophisticated construction materials and the effect of communication in enhancing marketing strategies is a possitive index in its avialability. However, the available construction materials to choose from are many; some of the materials are new and have not been tested. Stringent rules are now being required, for example to meet environmental protection law prescriptions. Methods of construction have changed over the years from mere lying of bricks and blocks to sophisticated complex concrete and steel constructions both in-situ and fabricated. These methods require different management systems approach than the conventional methods could cope with.
THE IDENTIFIED MATERIAL RELATED FACTORS CONSTRAINING PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUCCESS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR CONSTRUCTION IN NIGERIA ARE:
*Incomplete detailed information on material installations and functional life of the materials.
* Delays in material procurement caused by the client, project team, and or contractors and its implications on construction cost and time.
*Lack of detailed information on weather effects of some construction materials and their implication as regards installation, duration, maintenance capabilities especially foreign procured materials.
* Effective and efficient management of procured materials on site, Inadequate or incomplete specification on design and documentation.
* Initial cost estimating errors on materials type, quantity and quality.
*Attitude of project team and client towards material control and monitoring on site during construction.
* Forecasting the inflation effect on materials at the conception and planning stages.
* High cost of basic building materials and their effect in causing construction projects delays and abandonment.
* Bribery and corruption as they affect cost of materials procurement.
*Inadequate established and systematic materials Cost control procedure for the project design and construction.
* Computers rarely employed for measuring the weight and quality of materials. *Critical and crucial issues like personnel motivation that will affect materials design, procurement and storage are not usually considered and clearly specified. *Lack of adequate information on health implications of some materials on end users and handling process during installations.
* Minimising specialist work, promoting Prime cost on provisional sums for some materials.
* Specialist work on some material installation are not well defined early in the project.
* Clarity of design brief and minimum design gap on materials.
THE RESEARCH MODEL
The model in figure 1 consists of direct and indirect variables developed as a holistic approach to solving the problem of project management success constrains in the construction industry in Nigeria. This study is based on the analysis of only material factors as a subsystem of the general presented system. The arrows in the model show how the variables interrelated and are intra-dependent. To this end, it shows that any factor that affects a subsystem variable will invariably affect every other factor from that system and also from other subsystems.
TIME SUBSYSTEM
SUBSYSTEM
CLIENT SUBSYSTEM
SSSSUBSUBSYSTEM
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUBSYSTEM
SUBSYSTEM
ENVIRONMENTAL SUBSYSTEM
CONSTRUCTION
SUBSYSTEM
DESIGN SUBSYSTEM
SUBSYSTEM
QUALITY SUBSYSTEM
SUBSYSTEM
Figure 1 THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUCCESS INTERACTIVE MODEL composed by the researcher
Principal Factor Loadings of Public and Private Sector in the Materials Subsystem Variables and there RRIA.
Table 1 Factor loadings
Common variables
Public
Private
Factor 1
Fluctuation in the cost of materials
Inadequate storage facilities, ambiguous material specification during design.
Initial material cost estimating errors
Attitude of project team towards material
