An investigative study on project management practice of subcontractors in Accra
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Date
2021-06-28
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Abstract
Buildings for commercial purposes or residential use have become complex and
sophisticated. They require efficient and effective management to successfully
complete them. The complex and sophisticated nature has made it necessary for prime
contractors, sponsors or consultants of projects to acquire the services of
subcontractors to execute specialize part of the bigger project. Air conditioning, fire
system, electrical system and plumbing are some of the specialize aspect of building
projects which are usually sublet to subcontractors to execute. Often than not, the
attention is on the prime contractor when it comes to project management in the
construction industry. This study will shift the attention from the prime contractors
and focus on the subcontractors. The main objective of this study was to investigate
how subcontractors are currently managing projects and also find out criteria or
parameters subcontractors will use to judge a project as successful or not. A
quantitative structured questionnaire was developed to collect data from participants.
The participants are workers from subcontracting companies. The data collected was
analyzed with SPSS. The study found out that subcontractors practice project
management but do so in the informal way. There is no basic processes or
methodology that is adopted by subcontractors. There is always someone in the
project management position but such people are not certified project managers and
most with less knowledge base in project management practice. The management of
their projects are done through experience. In the area of success criteria, the study
found out that meeting client‘s requirements, completing the work within time and
completing within budget were the top three criteria subcontractors consider in
judging how successful a project was. The study after conclusion recommended
further studies into the activities of subcontractors in each of the knowledge areas
separately in order to get full details on the activities of subcontractors when it comes
to practicing project management.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Institute of Distance Learning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MSc. Project Management.
Keywords
Project management practice, Subcontractors, Accra