Key Factors in Assessing Project Managers’ Competencies in the Road Agencies in Ghana
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Date
November,2019.
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Abstract
Most inland transport in Ghana seems to occur on our roads, in view of this the eminence of roads is very vital to the country’s development. As important as this is, recently there have been many reports on the poor state of Ghana’s road network. Many stakeholders are relating the poor nature of roads to how competent projects managers are. It is therefore expedient to ensure that personnel in charge of road project acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in ensuring value for money. This study therefore sought to identify key competency factors for the assessment of project personnel within road agencies in Ghana. The objectives of the study were to identify the key factors used for the assessment of professional competencies of project managers’ in the road agencies; identify an appropriate existing framework for the assessment of professional competencies in the road agencies in Ghana and identify tools and techniques that could be used to assess project managers’ competency. A cross sectional descriptive research was used in this study. In achieving the objectives, structured questionnaires with closed ended questions were distributed to all project managers (engineers and quantity surveyors) with a minimum of 10 years working experience in the various road agencies. This was done in order to determine which competency factors were paramount and also to determine the means by which project managers can be assessed in order to ensure efficiency. Both descriptive and the relative index technique were used to analyze data gathered for the research. After the analysis some findings gathered were that 61.1% of these professionals suggested that routine examinations should be organized for personnel of the various road agencies to ensure that they were abbressed with the latest trends in their professional practice. Then 52.8 % of the participants also suggested that a 360 feedback approach was also a very expedient means of assessing project managers. 56.9% suggested that mere interviews could be used to assess project managers’ competencies. Again, 15 main technical competency factors were considered and out of these, most participants were of the view that it was very important for the project manager to understand the objectives, the risks and the what quality is required of the project. For behavioral factors, participants were apt for an assertive, effective and efficient leader. As part of qualities they would expect from a project manager, they ranked the ability of a project manager to be able to resolve and control conflicts as second. Under contextual competencies, participants ranked the need to understand developments on projects and the effects certain actions may have on the projects as paramount. It was recommended that because the various road agencies had different organizational structures a competency framework would have to be developed for each of the road agencies, tailor made to suit the organizational structure.
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A thesis submitted to the Department Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Keywords
Project managers, competency framework,, technical competency, behavioural competency, contextual competency