Mulenga, C Z (2020) Construction project performance in Zambia: A case study of public high schools. PhD thesis, University of Bolton, UK.
Abstract
The study considers construction project performance in Zambia, through a case study of public high schools, constructed between the years 2006 to 2016. The quality of the built infrastructure has been in question for years, where resources spent do not match up with the life span. The cycle of replacing rapidly deteriorating infrastructure for the country is not sustainable. The study aimed at establishing a framework to improve quality management of school infrastructure projects. In its objectives, it investigated the relationships between certified quality management systems and performance levels in project environments: the state of building elements in constructed schools by looking at defects, the overall project performance, by assessing quality management systems of stakeholders, and the role each played towards quality achievement. Data was collected through: (i) the questionnaire, where 33 of the target 50 school administrators participated, (ii) observation, where 33 of the target 50 schools were observed, and (iii) structured interviews with key stakeholders, involving 3 client institutions, 2 consulting architects, and 5 contractor representatives. Triangulation of data collected from end-users and through observation confirmed the presence of defects in the ‘sub-surface’, ‘construction’, and ‘materials’ deficiency categories. Other findings included incomplete quality management systems in some construction firms, fragmented application of quality management at project level by key stakeholders, and a lack of or weak application of existing regulation. In its contribution to knowledge, the study has proposed a remedial framework which addresses noted gaps by recommending a ‘review process’ of stakeholder QM input in the high school projects. Information obtained should be used to fill up gaps in stakeholder participation in project life cycle QM. It should equally be used to set up a National QM data base aimed at enhancing efforts to define, plan and implement QM in project life cycles.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction firms; construction project; schools; infrastructure project; life cycle; participation; quality management; regulation; architects; client; stakeholders; Zambia; project performance; case study; interview |
| Index terms: | infrastructure project, life cycle, questionnaire, Zambia, architect, stakeholder participation, quality management, quality management system, project performance, built infrastructure, triangulation, interview, presence, construction project, regulation, construction firm, case study |
| Subjects: | organization, research design and methodology, quality assurance, political science, project delivery, building construction, value management, infrastructure and transport systems, data collection methods, project management theory and practice, profession, production management, environmental science, Geography, community and social dimensions |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Governance, Geographical Context, Stakeholder Management, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Quality Management, Project Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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