Factors contributing to non-value adding activities in South African construction

Purpose: Non-value adding activities (NVAAs) are considered to be problematic in the management of projects. Reported research findings suggest that these NVAAs consume resources without necessarily adding value to completed tasks. The main aim of the research is to provide insights and plausible explanations concerning how NVAAs can propagate poor performance in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports on a quantitative survey conducted among public sector clients, consulting engineers, and civil engineering contractors in South Africa. Using a framework that was developed from the literature reviewed, the study proposed three conceptual qualitative models that were based on system dynamics. Findings: The study suggests that NVAAs that are prevalent in South African construction can impact project performance negatively in the form of cost and time overruns. It can also be argued that although there is commonality between NVAAs that are identified in South Africa and other countries, their frequency and effects on project performance differ. Research limitations/implications: The findings provide further insights about NVAAs that are related to the South African infrastructure sector only. Originality/value: The study, which is the first of such in South Africa, could lead to increased awareness among South African project stakeholders that are concerned about performance improvement from the lean construction perspective.