Assessment of factors affecting performance of contractors in the construction industry: case study of Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly

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AUGUST, 2015
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The disappointment to meet deliverables within the Ghanaian construction industry is a common feature. In reference to Ahadzie (2008), such outlook is witnessed as far as contractors are concerned because owners of most construction companies do not have any formal or little knowledge about the operation of the industry there-by affecting them in applying well-grounded management theories in achieving good performance. In many instances, contractors are blamed for poor performance and criticized for having limited knowledge in the application of requisite management techniques. Moreover, they lack the ability to employ people with the requisite experience because they see the industry as only business oriented forgetting about the technicalities involved. In Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, similar issues are faced by clients. It is against this background that this study seeks to identify and examine the factors affecting contractor performance on development projects.The research approach presented in the study was mainly quantitative. The study made use of questionnaire as means of gathering useful data for the study. A sample size of 52 was chosen from five (5) departments out of sixteen (16) departments for the study. Developed questionnaires and interview guides were used through purposive sampling to collect data from the respondents. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to perform descriptive analysis whiles Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to rank the identified critical success factors for improving contractor performance. Adoption of Total quality management, utilizing up to date technology and introduction of health and safety programs problems were the major factors identified for improving performance. Also, analysis from the study identified these problems associated with contractor performance:Personal issues;inadequate supervision; incompetent designers/contractors; and changes in scope of works. Based on the findings from the study, some recommendations such as the Municipal Assembly trying as much as possible to make payments on time to the local contractors so as to prevent delays in the execution of projects and project designs and specifications must be clear to the various stakeholders of the project to prevent future complexities during the construction activities were put forward to the Municipal Assembly of the district to help improve the situation.
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Building Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in Construction Management.
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