Project Control & Management

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the transition of a gas processing facility from mechanical completion to commercial operation, emphasizing the critical roles of pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, and initial operation. It outlines the responsibilities of key stakeholders, including commissioning engineers, project managers, process engineers, and construction teams, and highlights the importance of structured planning, coordination, and documentation. Detailed discussions cover P&ID verification, mechanical and instrumentation checks, gas compressor precommissioning procedures, and system validation processes. Safety, quality assurance, and performance optimization are emphasized as integral components throughout all phases. The article also distinguishes between commissioning and start-up activities, providing technical guidance for achieving safe, reliable, and efficient plant operation. By following a systematic approach, operators and project teams can minimize risks, ensure compliance with design and regulatory standards, and achieve stable, continuous production in gas facilities.

The Planning Phase is one of the critical activity in the lifecycle of any Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC)
project. It lays the foundation for successful project execution by ensuring that all essential elements—technical,
managerial, safety-related, and logistical activities are thoroughly prepared and aligned with Project Owner’s
expectations. This phase mainly involves systematic coordination with all stakeholders, mobilization of key personnel,
approval of technical documentation, procurement planning, and safety compliance, all of which will contribute to
minimizing risks and enhancing overall project efficiency.
Outlined below are the key activities typically undertaken during the Planning Phase to ensure smooth transition into
execution and to establish a solid framework for project success.

Below is an OPEN LETTER to the Honorable Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) Chairman, House Armed
Services Committee, U.S. House of Representatives 2184 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515
and Maj. Gen. Gregory Masiello, Defense Contract Management Agency, DCMA - DCC Office of
Strategic Communication, 3901 Adams Avenue Building 10500, Fort Gregg-Adams, VA 23801 in
support of those who have written REQUESTING, RECOMMENDING, or DEMANDING the US
Government ABANDON or MODIFY requiring the continued use of SAE EIA 748D-2019 “Earned
Value Management” (FORMERLY ANSI/EIA 748) and REPLACING it with “earned value
management” as it originated with the French and British Guilds in the 16th Century as a “cash
on delivery” payment system, evolved and refined during the 18th Century Industrial
Revolution by Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, Henry Gantt, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth et al as a
method to incentivize workers to produce more work and be rewarded for doing so, and
documented and published by Halbert Powers Gillette and Richard Turner Dana in their 1909
book “Cost Keeping and Management Engineering: A Treatise for Engineers, Contractors and
Superintendents Engaged in the Management of Engineering Construction”
i on the grounds
that the method advocated by these late 18th century-early 19th Century researchers and
authors has been tested and PROVEN to work as evidenced by their tools, techniques and
methods are still in use by the private sector both by asset and operations managers (BUYERS)
and project managers and project team members. (SELLERS)

Delay is one of the most common problems in the construction industry. This study aims to explore the relationship between a construction company's organizational culture and delay. A questionnaire survey was administered to construction companies located in the U.S. and India in order to collect data on their organizational culture and the amount of delay that they experienced in their projects. The results of this study show that construction organizations in the U.S. are dominated by "clan" culture whereas those in India are dominated by "market" culture. The study also shows that the percentage of delay relative to project duration is lower in the U.S. compared to India. Despite the fact that delays are caused by a multitude of reasons often mentioned in the literature, statistical analysis indicates that there is also a significant relationship between organizational culture and the magnitude of delays. This relationship could be useful for a construction company in cultivating an organizational culture that is expected to reduce project delay. It could also be of benefit to international contractors relative to their expectations vis-à-vis time performance in projects undertaken in different countries.

Complexity is an inherent property of all systems and a result of interconnections. In projects various systems come together to deliver the required outcome(s). The most common type of project complexity mentioned / considered in practice is the technical complexity and this has always been considered a main factor which affects project performance. Despite that, projects are delivered by people who interface continuously and therefore are effected by complexity, and in particular that caused by socio-organo interfaces and the boundaries between the various teams and parties. This has not been investigated. Socio-organo complexity leads to reduction in performance if interconnections are not managed. Research has been carried out to understand the effects of complexity through project management processes on project schedule and performance, aiming towards the development of a tool and identification of actions that will enable the management of these effects. The author presents results of five case studies, which demonstrate that socio-organo complexity affects performance and these results have similarities with the behaviour of underdamped control systems. The results have significant implications on the way socioorganisational complexity can be managed, how processes are implemented, but also enable parallels to be drawn between the fields of project management and control systems. Considering control systems theory proposals are made in this paper for actions to be taken which will contribute towards the management of the effects of socio-organo complexity on projects.

Some of the factors that contribute to project failure include poor cost planning and inaccurate initial cost estimation. The purpose of this research was to identify factors in the construction industry that affect construction projects' ability to meet budgeted costs and to make recommendations for meeting budget cost criteria. In this study, the survey research strategy was used. According to the research findings, the main challenges that caused construction projects to fail to meet their budgeted costs were project scope changes, project design changes, unexpected site conditions, pre-tender cost underestimation, insufficient resources due to a lack of capital, and poor site management and supervision. To overcome these obstacles, some strategies for ensuring compliance with budgeted costs were identified. Cost control strategies included, among others, acting when deviations occurred during the implementation stage, ensuring accurate project cost estimation, regular cost checking against the planned budget, and regular cost reporting to stakeholders as the project progressed. The study recommended, among other things, that all changes to the project scope go through the approved change request process, and that if there is a change, all other project elements such as cost, time, and quality must be amended to reflect the change to ensure that the change is within the allocated project budget.

Project performance indicator as of time, quality and cost are all indicators used to determine the successful of the project. Poor project performance, on the other hand, has always become a drawback for construction players especially the developer. Therefore, the research aims to investigate the impact factors that affect in project performance among the developers. The objective of the research is to identify the challenges faced by developers that contribute to project performance under private projects. Questionnaire survey were distributed to 226 respondents within the Johor State with 69% of questionnaire returned rate. Descriptive analysis has been used for the data analysis by using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. Based on the analysis, respondents agreed that financial problems during the construction process and late making decisions were the major challenges faced by the developers in project performance. The recommendation that was suggested in this research can be taken to action to improve the project performance under private project in Johor.

Integration, accuracy, transparency, speed of transfer and trustworthiness of project data is very important for projects and key to decision making. It is only very recently that current technologies started accommodating one or maybe two of these requirements. On the other hand, blockchain technology, which provides security, trustworthiness, transparency and irreversibility, is progressing rapidly in a number of industries, like banking, insurance, shipping, etc. Blockchain drives operational efficiencies by removing intermediaries, minimizing time and effort spent on admin, record keeping and transaction reconciliation. Many of the technology characteristics could be used to support the management and delivery of projects and therefore project control. Combined with other initiatives, such as storage of design / drawings on the cloud, common data environment, smart contracts, collaborative working, standard project management structures, etc., it can support the efficient delivery of projects and generally Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M). With material from two cases studies, the author will present the benefits, challenges, implementation requirements and how the technology can be used to improve project monitoring and control processes and the delivery of projects / programs.

The process of managing institutions of the public finance sector should be subject to improvement and therefore should also be subject to ongoing control and periodic comprehensive audits. In the units of the public finance sector, a significant role, due to the need to improve the efficiency of public tasks implementation, is played by management control, understood as the overall measures taken to ensure the implementation of objectives and tasks in a lawful, effective, economical and timely manner. A particularly important element of the management control system is an internal audit, i.e. an independent advisory and verification activity, whose objective is to improve the operational efficiency of the organization and bring added value to it. Technical progress, changing legal regulations and organizational forms of business entities and institutions of the government administration sector enforce constant adjustment of procedures for control processes and auditing activities. Procedures for conducting internal audit processes should be subject to permanent improvement, because in this way the quality of service of public sector institutions towards the society and the effectiveness of the state functions are improved.

The construction sector is a vital part of any economy because of its size and the potential role it can play in the developmental efforts of the economy. Construction is often used as an indicator of socio-economic development of a nation and therefore it is indispensable in the process of development. The nature of the construction industry in Ghana is such that there is an inherent conflict between the major stakeholders. This study is aimed at determining the nature and causes of professional conflicts in the construction industry, their possible effects on the industry and developing ways of reducing or eradicating them. The study begins with a look into previous works on the topic by various authors. Questionnaires were also given out to various stakeholders in the construction industry basically consultants and contractors with the aim of identifying construction disputes and conflicts and ways of preventing them in Ghana. Data gathered were quantitatively and qualitatively a...

Cost management is key to project implementation and an important tool for maximizing profit nonetheless it has been a major challenge for most indigenous construction firms in Ghana. The study seeks to investigate the important factors influencing cost management practices among indigenous construction firms in Ghana and to ascertain whether there is a significant difference between the responses of the categories of the firm (construction and consultancy firms) in Ghana. A total of 82 questionnaires were retrieved from 100 administered questionnaires to professionals with indigenous construction firms representing 82% response rate. Data gathered were analyzed descriptively using Mean Item Score (MIS) via SPSS version 24 to identify the most important factors. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity conducted showed a KMO score of 0.894. Bartlett’s test of sphericity also revealed a significance level of 0.000 (p˂0.05). The ANOVA ...

Delays have always been a major concern in road construction projects throughout the world, with significant financial and social impacts for stakeholders, and the occurrence of schedule delays has a serious impact on project investment, efficiency, cost, and reputation. Libya is one of the countries faces all these delay issues. This study explored variables of delays in road construction via Structural Equation modelling SEM.  Drawing upon an earlier studies, combined with interviews of road experts. Confirmatory factor analysis CFA was applied to extract significant variables based on the questionnaire results to verify the relationships between the significant variables [8 Factors and 3 Effects] identified in road construction. Eleven variables were found to have significant impacts on delays in road construction. The results of the goodness of fit [GOF] showed that chi square is significant at 0.000 levels. Overall, Based on the CFI, TLI, and IFI indices with values more than t...

Construction in Oman is an important sector that contributes greatly to the country’s economic growth. Recently, the construction projects in Oman have been delayed which has led to delays in the projects’ completion and sometimes to their failure. This study aims to examine the critical factors affecting the success of construction projects in Oman. The extent to which factors related to project parties affect this success was assessed. A quantitative approach based on systematic literature review and questionnaire survey technique was used. The factors were identified and classified into six main categories, namely, time; finance; project designing, planning and scheduling; quality; project progress and development; and environment and nature. The factors are also classified as client-, consultant-, contractor- and external-related factors. This study was conducted by distributing questionnaires to people who experienced working in the public and private construction sectors in Om...

Delays have always been a major concern in road construction projects throughout the world, with significant financial and social impacts for stakeholders, and the occurrence of schedule delays has a serious impact on project investment, efficiency, cost, and reputation. Libya is one of the countries faces all these delay issues. This study explored variables of delays in road construction via Structural Equation modelling SEM.  Drawing upon an earlier studies, combined with interviews of road experts. Confirmatory factor analysis CFA was applied to extract significant variables based on the questionnaire results to verify the relationships between the significant variables [8 Factors and 3 Effects] identified in road construction. Eleven variables were found to have significant impacts on delays in road construction. The results of the goodness of fit [GOF] showed that chi square is significant at 0.000 levels. Overall, Based on the CFI, TLI, and IFI indices with values more than t...

Every project will have certain objectives and service levels to be achieved. The success of a project depends on several dimensions like time, cost/budget, quality, etc. and managing a project involves completing the project within time, within budget and with quality to satisfy the users. Because of the significance of health, pharmaceutical companies realized the importance of project management methods and techniques to make available the life saving drugs in time to the needy patients and hospitals. In literature, there is meager information about pharmaceutical project management oriented towards analysis of issues and factors that contribute to the failure or success of projects. This study attempts to analyse different issues that contribute to time delays in pharmaceutical product-based projects, group them under a finite set of prominent factors and identify remedial measures to control those delays. The feedback of project people of some big pharmaceutical firms of Indian...

M.Tech. (Construction Management)Abstract: The construction industry is complex and highly competitive. All construction projects are controlled by a specific scope of work, budget and schedule. The scopes of works make every project unique due to their complexity and the use of different documentation. The budget, on the other hand, is important as financial resources are never unlimited. The project schedule entails the expected duration of the project. Although all projects, regardless of complexity, have a documented start and end date, not all projects start and end well. Projects may close prematurely if objectives are met before the anticipated time. Most prematurely closed projects close because objectives cannot be met. This study examines the causes of premature project closure; impact of premature project closure; project ending competencies; responsibilities of parties involved in a project and how to avoid premature project closure. This study was conducted by means of ...

This study aims at identifying the parameters that govern the environmental costs in oil and gas projects. An initial conceptual model was proposed. Next, the costs of environmental management work packages were estimated, separately and were applied in project control tools (WBS/CBS). Then, an environmental parametric cost model was designed to determine the environmental costs and relevant weighting factors. The suggested model can be considered as an innovative approach to designate the environmental indicators in oil and gas projects. The validity of variables was investigated based on Delphi method. The results indicated that the project environmental management's weighting factor is 0.87% of total project's weighting factor.

Public sector development projects are found to have poor repute in terms of completion within assigned cost and time. Almost every 2 nd project is impacted by financial burdens and time delays. The aim of this literature review is to highlight the potential factors that impact the completion time and estimated cost with respect to public sector infrastructure development projects in Pakistan. 39 sub-factors have been identified from 32 existing research which are then classified into 8 main factors. The main factors include administrative issues, improper financial plans, market risks, input cost estimates, poor corporate governance, legal issues, technical matters errors, and environmental issues. The results of this systematic literature review will provide policymakers with oversight on how to formulate effective strategies regarding cost cutting and timely execution of the infrastructure development projects in Pakistan.

Public sector development projects are found to have poor repute in terms of completion within assigned cost and time. Almost every 2 nd project is impacted by financial burdens and time delays. The aim of this literature review is to highlight the potential factors that impact the completion time and estimated cost with respect to public sector infrastructure development projects in Pakistan. 39 sub-factors have been identified from 32 existing research which are then classified into 8 main factors. The main factors include administrative issues, improper financial plans, market risks, input cost estimates, poor corporate governance, legal issues, technical matters errors, and environmental issues. The results of this systematic literature review will provide policymakers with oversight on how to formulate effective strategies regarding cost cutting and timely execution of the infrastructure development projects in Pakistan.

Approved Contract Value Monitoring System is a monitoring system designed especially for Petronas Carigali Sabah Operations Sdn Bhd (PCSB SBO) Administration Department to keep track with its approved contracts. It is done without hiring external parties to provide the department with sophisticated monitoring software. The system is developed using visual basic language on Microsoft Access. It is not only can be use by this specific department but also in any organizations that have contracts to be monitored. The system works by analyzing the raw data needed from the organization SAP database about the contract which needs to be monitored. User need to export the data from SAP application into (.accdb) format file so it can be open in Microsoft Access. This is all can be done without any additional operating cost. The most important thing is to assist end user to make decision faster and more precise. User will be notified about the contract's utilization, expiry and duration by using the system. In SAP application enviromnent, the interface is not user friendly and contract details cannot be analyzed. By using the system, time consumed to end user to come up with results from SAP database has significantly reduced. The effectiveness of monitoring activities has been increased compare to previous monitoring activities. Throughout the development of tlte system, it shows that monitoring activities on SAP raw data still can be done effectively and with nearly no additional cost at all. Optimization of software in business computers can avoid any additional cost to install third party application.-Such as Microsoft Access utilization as analysis tools.

Integration, accuracy, transparency, speed of transfer and trustworthiness of project data is very important for projects and key to decision making. It is only very recently that current technologies started accommodating one or maybe two of these requirements. On the other hand, blockchain technology, which provides security, trustworthiness, transparency and irreversibility, is progressing rapidly in a number of industries, like banking, insurance, shipping, etc. Blockchain drives operational efficiencies by removing intermediaries, minimizing time and effort spent on admin, record keeping and transaction reconciliation. Many of the technology characteristics could be used to support the management and delivery of projects and therefore project control. Combined with other initiatives, such as storage of design / drawings on the cloud, common data environment, smart contracts, collaborative working, standard project management structures, etc., it can support the efficient delivery of projects and generally Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M). With material from two cases studies, the author will present the benefits, challenges, implementation requirements and how the technology can be used to improve project monitoring and control processes and the delivery of projects / programs.

Construction schedule overruns are not uncommon on construction projects world over and the South African construction industry has not escaped the challenges of failing to deliver projects on time. In order to find mitigation measures of schedule overruns, the first step is to identify the causes of these overruns. This paper assesses the effects of construction projects schedule overruns in the Gauteng-South African construction industry. The data used in this paper were derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data was collected via a detailed review of related literature. The primary data was collected through a well-structured questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals, who include: Architects, quantity surveyors, civil engineers, construction mangers and project managers. Out of the 200 questionnaires sent out, 146 were received back representing a 73% response rate. Data received from the questionnaires was analysed using descriptive statistics procedures. Findings from the study revealed that extension of time, cost overruns, loss of profit, disputes, poor quality of work due to hurrying the project, creates stress to the client, acceleration losses, bad reputation with contraction team, claims and delay in getting profit by the client were the major effects of construction projects schedule overruns in Gauteng, South Africa. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject of the effects of construction project schedule overruns in Gauteng, South Africa.

This paper investigated cost overruns and delays in Qatari public construction projects. An extensive review of regional and international publications was conducted to get a better understanding of the problem and the various methodologies that were used to analyze it. The data that was collected from Qatar public work authority ASHGHAL included 122 public road, building, and drainage projects. ANOVA method was used for data analysis and inference. A regression analysis was also conducted to establish the relationships between project contract prices and cost overruns and to develop prediction models for estimating cost overruns. Two linear regression models were developed for predicting cost overruns for building and drainage public projects, respectively. Cost overruns for building projects increased with contract prices. On the other hand, cost overruns for drainage projects decreased with increasing contract prices. A significant effort was spent in collecting data on cost overruns and delays in public construction projects. However, data confidentiality did allow the collection of enough data to ensure the robustness of the developed regression prediction models.

One of the major issue in evaluating project work progress is due to theseparation between the work item in Bill of Quantities (BoQ) and physical activitiesproject schedule. This condition led to many problems such as the variances in projectperformance measurement from the physical schedule progress and the evaluationmade by using cost elements in BoQ. Therefore, there is an urgent need to integratecost in BoQ and work schedule to enable the application of the Earn Value Analysis(EVA) as the standard approach for the project performance appraisal. However theprocess of rationalising the cost element from BoQ to activities in project schedule isa very challenging task. Direct conversion of cost is virtually impossible. Themethodologies adopted for this study were through literature review, interviews withexpert panel, distribution of questionnaire survey form and validation of the proposedguideline developed with industry panels. From this study, it has been found thatcurrently ther...

This study sought to determine ways to improve the relationship between clients and contractors on construction projects. The study identifies 14 measures central to improving relationship building between clients and contractors within the construction industry and their prevalence explored from 145 contractors, conveniently sampled. Data obtained from the study is analysed by mean score ranking. The findings revealed that 'ensuring professionalism from both parties', 'achieving client and contractor satisfaction', 'effective communication between parties', 'ensuring commitment from both parties', 'attaching importance to the project by each party', 'ensuring trustworthiness', and 'conformance to contract agreements from both parties' are highly significant measures that contribute to improving client-contractor relationship. Neglect of the identified measures by either party may lead to frustration from the individual and overall objectives of projects. This study makes an original contribution of exploring the area of client-contractor relationship management in Ghana from the practitioners' point of view. In practice, the findings from this study should assist construction practitioners in Ghana as well as those from other developing countries who seek to manage relationships between clients and contractors on projects.

Execution of construction projects within the estimated timeline, budget and quality are the prime substance goals of procurement projects. Delays result into cost-overrun and attempts to minimise cost result into delays or delivery of substandard projects. This study examines the impact of clients' procurement challenges that hinder realisation of project's cost effective, quality standards and timely delivery using descriptive research design. Data were collected from 83 contractors and consultants with reference to their involvement in Songwe's roads construction projects. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Multinomial Logistic Regression. The findings are that 35.44% of projects revealed cost-overrun, 56.96% had time-overrun, and 6.56% never meet quality standards. Corruption, financial constraints, unrealistic contract durations, non-compliance with contractual terms and conditions are the typical clients' procurement challenges that hamper the substance goals of roads construction projects, resulting into financial penalties, project abandonment and contractual disputes. The article highlights and documents the clients' procurement challenges in Tanzania's roads construction projects that have not been adequately researched. To policy makers, project practitioners, scholars and oversight authorities, the article informs on the indicators that impede cost, quality and timely delivery of construction projects. Nonprocurement and contractors' challenges impeding project's cost, time and quality were not taken into account.

There are many works in construction in Nepal. To build the country, there must be different buildings, roads, bridges, etc. with rapid flights. But here it seems to be slowly delayed for various reasons. Many people have studied in this regard. But no one seems to have thought about reducing it. Therefore, I have prepared this article by studying the main reasons for construction delay and cost overruns and looking at how this cause can be reduced. This will enhance the delivery of project within the set time frame. Based on the literature available and their study the deviation of time taken, and cost incurred by the projects than estimated were examined. Construction projects such as road transport and highways, buildings, Hydropower were found to deviate more. Commitments to finish the projects in time was found as primary reason caused by easily postponing practices by the authority on the request of concerned contractors, was the reason for time overrun whereas capital cost rise due to price escalation was the major reason for cost overrun. This means exceptional provisions of laws were seen followed easily, actually they were supposed to use in extraordinary situation. Similarly planned schedules were found distorted from the beginning due to lack of seriousness to start timely due to budgetary provisions and adjustments.

Complexity is an inherent property of all systems and a result of interconnections. In projects various systems come together to deliver the required outcome(s). The most common type of project complexity mentioned / considered in practice is the technical complexity and this has always been considered a main factor which affects project performance. Despite that, projects are delivered by people who interface ontinuously and therefore are effected by complexity, and in particular that caused by socio-organo interfaces and the boundaries between the various teams and parties. This has not been investigated. ocio-organo complexity leads to reduction in performance if interconnections are not managed. Research has been carried out to understand the effects of complexity through project management processes on project schedule and performance, aiming towards the development of a tool and identification of actions that will enable the management of these effects. The author presents res...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of contractor selection andrequirements on Health and Safety compliance in Botswana. Literature was reviewed, a questionnairesurvey was conducted and the statistical analysis undertaken. According to Murie (2007), one of the weaknesses of adopting traditional procurement approach is that the successful tender will frequently be the one that, among others, does not provide H&S protective equipment or have insurance coverage for accidents, and has the largest proportion of informal workers, who are not covered in practice by any legal or social protection. The study has provided usefulinformation involving key stakeholders involvement in H&S performance in constructionindustry. The traditional method could thus impede on Health and Safety management from project preplanningthrough to construction on site.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of contractor selection andrequirements on Health and Safety compliance in Botswana. Literature was reviewed, a questionnairesurvey was conducted and the statistical analysis undertaken. According to Murie (2007), one of the weaknesses of adopting traditional procurement approach is that the successful tender will frequently be the one that, among others, does not provide H&S protective equipment or have insurance coverage for accidents, and has the largest proportion of informal workers, who are not covered in practice by any legal or social protection. The study has provided usefulinformation involving key stakeholders involvement in H&S performance in constructionindustry. The traditional method could thus impede on Health and Safety management from project preplanningthrough to construction on site.

Project cost estimation in the bidding process is a critical concern for the competitiveness and profitability of an engineering and contracting company. Estimates which diverge as little as possible from actual costs have to be made on the basis of relatively limited information. Of the macro-items contributing to the overall cost of a plant project, those linked to engineering activities have been growing continuously in percentage terms for a number of years and have thus become the object of considerable interest. Moreover, since these items are difficult to standardise, estimation is particularly difficult. A method able to produce reliable estimates for these activities could certainly be usefully transferred to other project stages. The methodology proposed to formulate a bid estimate for a HAZOP study envisages the joint use of three tools to produce more accurate estimates and improve the quality of decisions through explicit assessment of the risk of overestimating (or underestimating) the cost. First, an analytical estimation model based on improved structuring of available information provides more accurate estimates and facilitates the use of IT applications. Second, company knowledge gained in previous projects is structured and maintained in order to ensure continuous improvement in estimation. This information can be used to improve over time the understanding of the determinant values in the model itself, so obtaining increasingly accurate estimates and probability distributions which take account of historical errors. Finally, a simulation technique provides the probability distribution of the overall cost and thus the confidence interval of the estimates.

Financial Management, Book Keeping and Recognition of Construction contracts is now considered as a unique professional job due to its recognition by IASB (International Accounting Standard Board) through IAS (International Accounting Standard) 11. IAS 11 specifically deals with Construction Contracts. This very standard has provided the basis for Constructability. Constructability has received considerable attention from researchers and practicing engineers and other professionals. This is a fact that Constructability has been associated with Total Quality Management (TQM) and Value Engineering. This paper attempts to conceptually describe Cost shifting Risk, Cost/Benefit analysis as well as the evolution of constructability in relation to IAS 11.In addition, the paper presents a framework to measure recognition of Cost and revenues related to Construction Contracts.By providing professionals with this framework, the parameters will be visible and defined, thus removing skepticism ...

Risk is involved in any construction projects. Management of risk is the key for a successful project. Risk management is useful for both client and contractor. Risk management goes into three main processes and they are; Risk identification, Risk assessment and Risk response. Implementation of the process of risk management before the start of any phase of the project will lead to less impact on cost, time and quality of the project. Project risk mitigation will reduce dispute between the contractor and the client as well reduce the risk for both contractor and client. Therefore, a well-prepared contract can list all risks associated with a project and assign suitable mitigation for these risks. The objective of this paper to identify all risks that the contractor or client may face during the execution of a project. The risks will be identified and analyzed based on experience and necessary mitigation for the identified risks will be presented. In this paper, project risks are classified into three categories based on project phases which are FEED and tendering risk, execution risk and commissioning and operation risk. All the major risks under each category are identified, assessed and mitigations assigned to each of the risks. It should be emphasized that risk management is an excellent tool to manage the risk in each phase of a project. Applying the risk management technique on projects will enhance project performance and efficiency in terms of cost, time and quality for both the client and contractor.

The construction sector is a vital part of any economy because of its size and the potential role it can play in the developmental efforts of the economy. Construction is often used as an indicator of socio-economic development of a nation and therefore it is indispensable in the process of development. The nature of the construction industry in Ghana is such that there is an inherent conflict between the major stakeholders. This study is aimed at determining the nature and causes of professional conflicts in the construction industry, their possible effects on the industry and developing ways of reducing or eradicating them. The study begins with a look into previous works on the topic by various authors. Questionnaires were also given out to various stakeholders in the construction industry basically consultants and contractors with the aim of identifying construction disputes and conflicts and ways of preventing them in Ghana. Data gathered were quantitatively and qualitatively a...

The problem of cost overrun, scheduling slip and low quality in construction industry are global phenomena (Arditi et al (1985; Morris et al, 1998; Frimpong, 2008 and Nega, 2008) with Ghana not an exception. Majority of projects in construction industry face these problems in both developing and developed countries. Though, construction plays a key role in the economy across the globe, construction projects are usually characterized by many varying risks that are either overlooked or taken for granted.  Questions that prompted the study were (1) To what extent is risk management perceived and integrated into the management of construction projects in Ghana and (2) How can risk management be woven to form a management framework or tool for successful construction projects in Ghana? Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, 173 questionnaires were sent to the construction contractors, clients and consultants. The major findings indicate that 56% of government awarded projects stand the chance of not meeting project objectives due to delay of interim payment; and 82% are aware of risk management but lack systematic knowledge of managing it. The study also reveals that majority of construction professionals do not use any cost management techniques and yet they ironically desire to stay within the budget. To curtail the problem, an all-inclusive risk objective management (AROM) framework was proposed at the end of the study. It was recommended that refresher courses in risk management be organized for construction professionals to equip their knowledge

The construction sector is a vital part of any economy because of its size and the potential role it can play in the developmental efforts of the economy. Construction is often used as an indicator of socio-economic development of a nation and therefore it is indispensable in the process of development. The nature of the construction industry in Ghana is such that there is an inherent conflict between the major stakeholders. This study is aimed at determining the nature and causes of professional conflicts in the construction industry, their possible effects on the industry and developing ways of reducing or eradicating them. The study begins with a look into previous works on the topic by various authors. Questionnaires were also given out to various stakeholders in the construction industry basically consultants and contractors with the aim of identifying construction disputes and conflicts and ways of preventing them in Ghana. Data gathered were quantitatively and qualitatively a...

Risk is involved in any construction projects. Management of risk is the key for a successful project. Risk management is useful for both client and contractor. Risk management goes into three main processes and they are; Risk identification, Risk assessment and Risk response. Implementation of the process of risk management before the start of any phase of the project will lead to less impact on cost, time and quality of the project. Project risk mitigation will reduce dispute between the contractor and the client as well reduce the risk for both contractor and client. Therefore, a well-prepared contract can list all risks associated with a project and assign suitable mitigation for these risks. The objective of this paper to identify all risks that the contractor or client may face during the execution of a project. The risks will be identified and analyzed based on experience and necessary mitigation for the identified risks will be presented. In this paper, project risks are classified into three categories based on project phases which are FEED and tendering risk, execution risk and commissioning and operation risk. All the major risks under each category are identified, assessed and mitigations assigned to each of the risks. It should be emphasized that risk management is an excellent tool to manage the risk in each phase of a project. Applying the risk management technique on projects will enhance project performance and efficiency in terms of cost, time and quality for both the client and contractor.

This study aims at identifying the parameters that govern the environmental costs in oil and gas projects. An initial conceptual model was proposed. Next, the costs of environmental management work packages were estimated, separately and were applied in project control tools (WBS/CBS). Then, an environmental parametric cost model was designed to determine the environmental costs and relevant weighting factors. The suggested model can be considered as an innovative approach to designate the environmental indicators in oil and gas projects. The validity of variables was investigated based on Delphi method. The results indicated that the project environmental management's weighting factor is 0.87% of total project's weighting factor.

Project cost estimation in the bidding process is a critical concern for the competitiveness and profitability of an engineering and contracting company. Estimates which diverge as little as possible from actual costs have to be made on the basis of relatively limited information. Of the macro-items contributing to the overall cost of a plant project, those linked to engineering activities have been growing continuously in percentage terms for a number of years and have thus become the object of considerable interest. Moreover, since these items are difficult to standardise, estimation is particularly difficult. A method able to produce reliable estimates for these activities could certainly be usefully transferred to other project stages. The methodology proposed to formulate a bid estimate for a HAZOP study envisages the joint use of three tools to produce more accurate estimates and improve the quality of decisions through explicit assessment of the risk of overestimating (or underestimating) the cost. First, an analytical estimation model based on improved structuring of available information provides more accurate estimates and facilitates the use of IT applications. Second, company knowledge gained in previous projects is structured and maintained in order to ensure continuous improvement in estimation. This information can be used to improve over time the understanding of the determinant values in the model itself, so obtaining increasingly accurate estimates and probability distributions which take account of historical errors. Finally, a simulation technique provides the probability distribution of the overall cost and thus the confidence interval of the estimates.

The objective of the paper is to develop a validated scale to measure the factors that cause delays in infrastructure projects. The study employed a standard three phase scale development procedure of Churchill (1979) which was augmented subsequently by Nunnally, Bernstein and Berge (1994) and Prakash and Phadtare (2018). In phase one, 73 factors that cause delays were identified, which were reduced to 45 based on literature review and expert opinions. These 45 factors were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in phase two and three, respectively, to refine and establish convergent, discriminant and nomological validity of the scale. The study confirms that delays in infrastructure projects happen due to six factors, i.e., Contractor Related Factors (CON); Consultant Related Factors (CS); External Factors (EX); Labour Related Factors (LR); Material Related Factors (MT) and Design Related Factors (DJ). The study is particularly usef...

As instruments of change, projects, when implemented thoughtfully and functionally, have the capacity to improve lives and be economically transformative to serve the greater good and contribute to creating a future we all can believe in. The pressure on the academic community, and in particular project management domain, to achieve and demonstrate more impact, bridge theory and practice, and solve practical problems relating to project ineffectuality and failure, especially those in development contexts, is thus mounting. Foresight is more valuable than hindsight. Thus, the potential to rethink feasible paradigms critical to futureproofing projects to boost their impact to advance transformative and sustainable development is retrospectively alluring from a practitioner's perspective. Real options to influence the final project outcome are said to be at the highest at the front-end. Hence, considering the significant mix of unruly VUCA in today's environment and to contribute to the discussion on projects and society, this paper moots and makes a clarion call for a rethink of project planning to adopt the heretofore overlooked Quality-at-Entry (QAE) variable to design battle-ready projects for implementation. The paper proposes ways in which a compendium of research needful to advance a comprehensive understanding and exploitation of QAE could be achieved.

This study aims at identifying the parameters that govern the environmental costs in oil and gas projects. An initial conceptual model was proposed. Next, the costs of environmental management work packages were estimated, separately and were applied in project control tools (WBS/CBS). Then, an environmental parametric cost model was designed to determine the environmental costs and relevant weighting factors. The suggested model can be considered as an innovative approach to designate the environmental indicators in oil and gas projects. The validity of variables was investigated based on Delphi method. The results indicated that the project environmental management's weighting factor is 0.87% of total project's weighting factor.

Delays have always been a major concern in road construction projects throughout the world, with significant financial and social impacts for stakeholders, and the occurrence of schedule delays has a serious impact on project investment, efficiency, cost, and reputation. Libya is one of the countries faces all these delay issues. This study explored variables of delays in road construction via Structural Equation modelling SEM.  Drawing upon an earlier studies, combined with interviews of road experts. Confirmatory factor analysis CFA was applied to extract significant variables based on the questionnaire results to verify the relationships between the significant variables [8 Factors and 3 Effects] identified in road construction. Eleven variables were found to have significant impacts on delays in road construction. The results of the goodness of fit [GOF] showed that chi square is significant at 0.000 levels. Overall, Based on the CFI, TLI, and IFI indices with values more than t...

Purpose-Delays occur mostly in the construction process of many projects, which can have a consequent effect on the overall performance of the project in areas such as profitability, efficiency and safety. This study aims to suggest a structure that can be applied to manage construction projects effectively and, thus, to reduce delays. The integrated balanced scorecard (BSC) and quality function deployment (QFD) framework proposed in the present study enabled the identification and ranking of the objectives of the financial perspective and the enablers of construction delay mitigation. This will help construction industry professionals prioritize the enabling factors that influence the financial perspective, thereby helping them focus on the achievement of the most important ones which subsequently results in efficiency. Consequently, more tasks are accomplished with the use of less time and resources as the actions tend to be more narrowly focused on the achievement of the most important factors such as client and contractor-related factors, as opposed to the low-value adding factors. Design/methodology/approach-A literature review was conducted to determine the essential factors that would help resolve or reduce delays. A total of 41 mitigation factors (seven financial objectives and 36 enabler objectives) were identified and categorized into four BSC perspectives: financial, client, contractor and project management team, and innovation and learning. Two management tools, the BSC and QFD, were used to develop the system based on the mitigation factors defined. Findings-The results of this study show that the most significant factors affecting the achievement of the financial objectives of the project are mainly customer-related factors, accompanied by factors related to contractors and project management teams. With the fishbone diagram and cause and effect analysis, the proposed BSC and QFD system provides a long-term approach for all stakeholders to help professionals in the construction industry prioritize and reduce delays more effectively. Moreover, the findings of the present study highlight the utility of the integrated BSC and QFD framework in quantifying the strengths of association of different objectives of the financial perspective and the enablers of construction delay mitigation. Originality/value-The contribution of this paper to the body of knowledge is the proposed integrated structure for BSC and QFD that can serve as a comprehensive and structural approach to rating the essential enabling delay mitigation factors based on the magnitude of their effects on the financial performance of the project. The proposed framework can be considered a novel tool since this is the first integrated BSC and QFD framework for construction delay mitigation. Finally, the proposed BSC and QFD framework, along with the fishbone diagram and cause and effect analysis, provides a long-term strategy for all stakeholders to mitigate delays. Thus, the proposed integrated BSC and QFD framework can serve as a systematic and structural approach for measuring the strength of influence of the enablers of delay mitigation against the financial perspective. Keywords Construction project management, Causes of delay, Balanced scorecard (BSC), Quality function deployment (QFD), Planning, Critical project success delay factors, Key performance indicators, Delay risk management Paper type Research paper Construction projects delay mitigation Data availability: All data, models and code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.

Schedule delays in construction projects are often a major concern and considered as a global phenomenon in the construction industry. In regard to project delivery, lack of senior management support is one of the main issues that impact project outcomes. This empirical research study aims to investigate the moderating effect of senior management support on the relationship between schedule delay factors and project performance. A questionnaire survey method was adopted to collect data from project directors, project managers, civil and construction engineers, project supervisors and experts from small, medium and large construction companies from major cities in Pakistan. A response rate of 84% was obtained based on 310 valid responses from a sample of 368 potential participants that received the survey. The cross sectional data were used to test direct relationships and moderating effect through regression analysis and 'process' method, respectively. The findings indicate that schedule delays in construction projects occur due to lack of commitment, insufficient site management, poor site coordination, lack of clarity in project scope, lack of communication and substandard contracts, in addition to major delays owing to improper planning. Moreover, the relationship between schedule delay factors and project performance is moderated by all dimensions of senior management support, i.e. providing resources, structural arrangements, communication, expertise and power.

Complexity is an inherent property of all systems and a result of interconnections.  In projects various systems come together to deliver the required outcome(s). The most common type of project complexity mentioned / considered in practice is the technical complexity and this has always been considered a main factor which affects project performance.  Despite that, projects are delivered by people who interface continuously and therefore are effected by complexity, and in particular that caused by socio-organo interfaces and the boundaries between the various teams and parties. This has not been investigated. Socio-organo complexity leads to reduction in performance if interconnections are not managed. Research has been carried out to understand the effects of complexity through project management processes on project schedule and performance, aiming towards the development of a tool and identification of actions that will enable the management of these effects.  The author presents results of five case studies, which demonstrate that socio-organo complexity affects performance and these results have similarities with the behaviour of underdamped control systems. The results have significant implications on the way socio-organisational complexity can be managed, how processes are implemented, but also enable parallels to be drawn between the fields of project management and control systems. Considering control systems theory proposals are made in this paper for actions to be taken which will contribute towards the management of the effects of socio-organo complexity on projects.

The construction industry happens to be one of the key sectors of every nation's economy by way of value creation, employment and contribution to Gross Domestic Product. However, just like other sectors of the economy, the industry is saddled with numerous risks making the achievement of project objectives elusive. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the current risk management practices prevailing in the building construction project delivery in the Ghanaian construction industry. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis technique. Quantitative data was obtained through survey questionnaires and analysed using fuzzy synthetic evaluation. Respondents were selected from three public Universities and construction firms in the highest building contractor financial class known as D1K1. It was found out that risk management is not implemented in a systematic, deliberate and continuous manner. However, risks are dealt with in an adhoc manner. This practice is at variance with acceptable risk management practices. The findings expose the weaknesses in the project management practice in Ghana. Project managers of large construction firms in Ghana require sound knowledge and training in internationally recognized systematic risk management practices in order to ensure achievement of value for money in construction project.

Delay has been one of the most prevalent challenges within church construction projects, especially in the orthodox churches.  Despite construction challenges and project delays within most orthodox churches, there is still a lack of empirical evidence on unearthing the factors that lead to church construction delays.  This quantitative study is aimed at exploring church construction delays within the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.  After extensive literature and theoretical review, a proposed construct was generated with a structured questionnaire and distributed using the online survey tool, MikeCRM.  Out of the 480 questionnaires distributed, 402 were completed and returned, representing a response rate of 84.8%.  The questionnaires were completed by 39.3% Other Positions, 21.9% Resident Pastors/Agents, 18.9% Managers, 9.95%  Project Managers, 5.90% Consultants, 1.99% Site superintendents (foreman), and 1.99%
Electricians.  The sample data were analysed statistically using Exploratory Factor Analysis,
Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha, Pearson correlations, and AMOS for reliability and validity and for measuring the suitability of the proposed constructs.  The study confirmed six factors as being responsible for the church construction delay with Material-related being the highest influential factor and Client/Owner-related as the least.  The other four factors include Project-related, Quality-related, External-related, and Church Organizational Structure.  The findings will help academicians, building contractors and church stakeholders with awareness of church construction delays.  Theoretically, the findings will contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the research area of church construction delay from the perspective of developing countries.   

Keywords: Construction in Ghana, Construction, Delay Factors, Ghana, Presbyterian Church of
Ghana, Infrastructure, Material delivery