Kheel, M (2024) The impact of risk and uncertainty on healthcare project delivery and its effect on intra-group conflict in the context of Saudi Arabia. PhD thesis, University of Manchester, UK.
Abstract
Healthcare construction projects are characterised by temporal risks and uncertainties, which may give rise to conflict. Decision-making within project teams is therefore an important focus of academic enquiry, particularly in a post-COVID-19 era, where healthcare projects play a crucial role in supporting pandemic recovery. Understanding the landscape that characterises projects in the healthcare setting could provide useful insights into broader issues of project delivery and the effects of decision-making in situations of risk and uncertainty.This thesis describes a qualitative exploratory single case study situated within the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; semi-structured interviews provide an evidence base by which to understand the presence of risk, uncertainty, and intra-group conflict. The findings of this study identify the prevalence of conflict within project teams, exposing the detrimental effects of inconsistent decision-making. Moreover, the study uncovers how risk and uncertainty may directly impact decision-making processes and project delivery schedules, and thus contributing to the existing body of knowledge in the broader field of project studies.The findings illustrate the impacts of regulatory changes, supply chain disruptions, unexpected delays, and cost overruns. In order to moderate the effects of these impacts, the thesis offers recommendations for healthcare construction stakeholders, emphasising the development of robust mitigation strategies and contingency plans. These recommendations advocate for targeted training in project management, risk assessment, and crisis management. By embracing these measures, stakeholders may proactively manage the multifaceted challenges, thus enabling the successful completion of healthcare construction projects in the dynamic landscape of risk and uncertainty.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Kirkham, R and Yunusa-Kaltungo, A |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | uncertainty; contingency; healthcare; hospital; crisis management; decision making; project delivery; risk assessment; training; Saudi Arabia; case study; cost overrun; project team; stakeholder; interview |
| Index terms: | body of knowledge, evidence, mitigation, construction project, decision-making, strategy, interview, COVID-19, project team, project management, project delivery, crisis management, presence, risk assessment, cost overrun, decision-making process, research centre, Saudi Arabia, case study, pandemic, recovery, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Subjects: | project delivery, financial and cost management, data collection methods, decision analysis, project management theory and practice, management, health risk and incident analysis, knowledge management, environmental science, operations management, evaluation and assessment methods, construction type, production management, Geography, financial risk |
| Topics: | Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Construction Technology, Project Management, Geographical Context, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Procurement, Risk Management |
| 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