Unveiling factors influencing the duration of arbitration practice in the Tanzania construction industry

Most construction projects are undertaken with the incentive of some form of profit which in business attracts disputes that key disputing parties intend to resolve through mechanisms such as arbitration as early as possible so that they may advance with other activities associated with the project. However, this intention is regularly unfulfilled, disappointing the parties with late arbitration resolution. This study, therefore, explored the duration influencing factors (DIFs) facing arbitration practice in the Tanzania construction industry. A concurrent convergence mixed methods approach was used where a total of 12 DIFs were identified from the literature, and data were then collected from 39 construction arbitrators, 8 semi-structured interviews and 4 documentary reviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for quantitative data and directed content analysis for the qualitative data. Results show that contrary to most people's convictions, delays in arbitration are regularly caused by the disputing parties rather than the arbitrating party or the authority. The study identified cooperation amongst the tribunal parties, poor accuracy and submission of documents and material evidences, late payment of arbitration fees, and skills, experience, reputation and profession of the arbitrator to be the most critical factors that cause late arbitration resolution. The use of mixed methods concurrent triangulation convergence approach provides a unique contribution to knowledge by highlighting how the efficacy of arbitration in time performance could be further developed through understanding the critical factors that drive the proceedings duration in the Tanzania construction industry.