CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In order to create and retain satisfied clients in the construction industry, service

providers must meet the expectations and requirements of their clients in the

delivery of projects. In terms of project development, the clients’ expectation is

chiefly the delivery of the project within time, quality and cost targets, (Raftery

1990).

Project success is most times assessed on the primary parameters of time, cost and

functionality (Rogaiska, Bozejko, and Hejducki, 2008).

The time parameter operates on the premise of the time — value for money as any

delays in scheduled completion may erode planned profit expectancy, and may

further damage customers’ goodwill, especially for service oriented projects (Love,

2002). The cost parameter operates on the basis that funds set aside for the proj ect

must not be unduly overspent to avoid the reduction of business profit as a result of

cost overrun (Ogunsemi. and iagboro, 2006). There is also a need for strict budget

compliance in order to control the amount of capital invested. The functionality

parameter according to Elbeltagi, Hegazy and Eldosouky (2004) operates on the

premise that facilities or infrastructures must be engineered and executed in a way

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that facilities or infrastructures must be engineered and executed in a way that

meets minimum requirements of the end user needs also, construction facilities

must function as expected otherwise it is of no use to anyone. Time and Cost

overrun according to Faber and Stewart (2003) has characterized several national,

continental and intercontinental projects in recent times.

Project programming involves scheduling or charting the resource requirements or

anticipated progress in completing component activities over the project’s time

horizon. Programming is an inevitable part of life and essential part of every plan.

Without scheduling, managers cannot be certain that they are actually processing

towards their goals. It could be said that scheduling put the plan on calendar basis.

Therefore, a time schedule outlines the project work programme, hence, it is a time

table of work. Development of accurate work schedules is a challenge to managers

due to not taking ineptitude and mobility into consideration when determining the

factors that affect work programme. Construction project with effective work

programme is a recipe for progress monitoring and control as it depicts the

activities to be executed on a time scale. Efficient progress management seeks to

plan the project effectively, see possible risks to the programme, monitor work in

progress and identify any current problems.

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Lock (1996), postulate that ‘It also assesses priorities for using scarce resources

and above all, take action whenever problems seem to arise which, if left alone,

would threaten the programme’.

A field survey has indicated that many work programming and work plan have

failed to produce successful results with respect to timing, resource utilization and

reliability of the schedule. Also work programming errors have led to cost overrun,

low quality standard and poor schedule performance index. The problems of time

overruns attributed to poor programming processes are usually addressed by

crashing and hasty actions these in tuin result to increase in cost and shoddy work

respectively, as well as late completion of the entire project.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

A number of construction projects in Nigeria have suffered abandonment due to

elongation of time (time overrun) as a result of incurring unbearable extra cost

(cost overrun).

These unexpeèted scenarios usually question the capabilities of the contractors and

also leave the clients unsatisfied. Most of these projects are abandoned because the

contractors either do not identify or consider the factors that affect work

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programme while preparing the work programme for the building projects.

Therefore, this study is designed to solve the following problems;

i. What impact do the tools used in work programming have on the effective

completion of building projects?

ii. How will the identified and examined factors affect work programme

effectiveness?

iii. What difference will rated and ranked factors make on the effective completion

of the building project?

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES

1.3.1 AIM

To evaluate the factors affecting the effectiveness of work schedule in managing

building construction projects.

1.3.2 OBJECTIVES

The following are the objectives:

i. To identify the tools used in work programming.

ii. To identify the factors that affect work programming.

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iii. To rank the factors that affect the effectiveness of work programming in the

management of building construction projects.

1.4 NEED FOR THE STUDY

The need for this study is to emphasize and sensitize the stakeholders in the

building industry on the factors affecting the effectiveness of work programme in

the management of building construction projects. Also, the need is to rate the

factors so as to know which one to be given priority over the other.

1.5 SCOPE

The scope of this project is focused on building construction projects carried out in

Abuja metropolis, but the problem under investigation is generally addressed to all

stakeholders in the construction industry.

1.6 LIMITATION

This research work is limited by finance and inaccessibility of some necessary data

that could have increased the work’s contribution to knowledge and literary work.