Assessing Factors Leading To Poor Public Construction Projects

Abstract

The research sought to establish a relationship between the variables responsible for poor performance in public construction works within the Kalambo District Council in Tanzania. The aim of this study was to assess how financial management, stakeholder involvement, regulatory compliance, and procurement procedures could affect time, cost, and quality performance. The author employed a mixed-method approach by using a questionnaire in quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews of the key stakeholders involved in public construction works. The findings indicated that effective financial management practices, including budgeting, cash-flow management, and risk assessment, play a critical role in curbing project costs and delays. Besides, stakeholder engagement was uncovered as one of the significant factors that were used to affect project quality; strong transparent communication to involve stakeholders in decision-making processes served as the bedrock of project success. The study also highlights the challenges influenced by regulatory compliance and procurement processes, particularly poor tendering and weak enforcement of procurement regulations, where project delay tendencies, together with budget overruns, are attributed. The findings suggest that while regulatory frameworks may exist, their ineffectiveness with inconsistent implementation and monitoring leads to a failure in guaranteeing that projects succeed. The study has, therefore, made recommendations ranging from improving financial management practices, strengthening stakeholder engagement arrangements to enhancing regulatory oversight and procurement processes to minimize delays and cost overruns in public construction works in Kalambo District Council. This information shall prove useful to policymakers, project managers, and other stakeholders involved in public construction works in Tanzania and similar developing nations.