Efebeli, T V (2021) Strategies for reducing project cost overruns in the oil and gas construction industry. PhD thesis, Walden University, USA.
Abstract
Leaders of oil and gas organizations experience financial losses when construction project costs exceed their original estimates. Completing projects without cost overruns is essential to oil and gas business owners for long-term profitability. Grounded in chaos theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies project managers in oil and gas construction used to deliver projects without cost overruns. The participants comprised four project managers in oil and gas construction companies in Nigeria with successful experience delivering projects without cost overruns. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and organizational documents, such as company publications and policies. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data with four themes emerging: selecting competent contractors, building a realistic initial cost estimate, applying project management principles, and using strategic leadership. A key recommendation is that project managers develop a reliable process for managing and setting limits for relevant changes during project execution to prevent cost overruns during construction. The implications for positive social change include the potential of financially successful oil and gas organizations to create positive social outcomes by providing energy to power public infrastructure in host communities and employment opportunities to the local community.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Schultz, J D |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction project; employment; leadership; project cost; public infrastructure; owner; project manager; chaos theory; case study; interview; thematic analysis; Nigeria |
| Index terms: | publication, construction project, documents, thematic analysis, strategy, construction company, overrun, project cost, interview, oil and gas, estimate, cost estimate, construction industry, project management, chaos theory, profitability, cost overrun, owner, employment, Nigeria, public infrastructure, case study, project manager |
| Subjects: | Geography, production management, organization, research dissemination and communication, economic analysis, economics, management, project management theory and practice, professional development, methods and analysis, sociology, project controls, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, mathematical modelling, profession, data collection methods, financial and cost management |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Project Management, Time Control, Human Resources, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Cost Management |
| 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