Alashwal, N and Alashwal, A (2023) Rural access programs in Yemen: Delay of international funded road projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 30(4), pp. 1746-1767. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Road projects are essential for poverty reduction and the socio-economic development of Yemeni people living in rural areas. Rural access programs, which are mainly sponsored by foreign countries and international organisations, are often delayed. The purpose of this paper is to identify the delay factors of rural road projects with a focus on stakeholder-related factors. Design/methodology/approach: The data was collected using a questionnaire survey from 164 participants representing 7 groups, namely, owner, government, donors, consultants, designers, contractors and beneficiaries. The data was analysed using the partial least squares path modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The results show that the identified factors contribute to 16% of the variance of project delay. Donor and government-related factors have a significant relationship with delay. Further analysis of data using the IPMA procedure in PLS-SEM revealed the top factors contributing to delay, which are project selection criteria imposed by donors, government bureaucracy, decision-making process, weak laws and guidelines that regulate the work of project implementation units, procurement procedures, delay of payment to contractor and delay of transactions. Originality/value: The timely completion of rural road projects can have a positive impact on the current and future rural access programs aiming to reduce poverty and increase access to health and education services of over 70% of Yemeni people living in rural areas. Such programs will reduce the misfortune of displaced people due to the ongoing war in the country.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | international funded projects; PLS-SEM; project delay; road planning; Yemen |
| Index terms: | methodology, program, questionnaire, partial least square, Yemen, project delay, economic development, survey, project selection, war, donor, modelling, implementation, rural area, road project, variance, international organization, decision-making process, owner, poverty, designer |
| Subjects: | economic development, research methods, software systems, conflict and crisis studies, Geography, infrastructure engineering, land use and regional development, project controls, sociology, measurement and scaling, decision analysis, statistical analysis, data collection methods, strategic management, profession, value management, contractual arrangements, analytical methods |
| Topics: | Legal Issues, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, Ethics, International Construction, Time Control, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Risk Management, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Procurement, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here