ASSESSMENT OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DELAY IN

CONSTRUCTION OF OROMIA ROAD PROJECTS IN JIMMA

ZONE ROADS AUTHORITY

A THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE

STUDIES OF JIMMA UNIVERSITY PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT

By:

NEGESSE GETINET DABA

JIMMA UNIVRSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

MBA PROGRAM

APRIL, 2023

JIMMA, ETHIOPIA
ASSESSMENT OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DELAY IN
CONSTRUCTION OF OROMIA ROAD PROJECTS IN JIMMA
ZONE ROADS AUTHORITY

By:

NEGESSE GETINET DABA

Under the Guidance of

Advisor: _______________

A Thesis proposal Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Jimma

University Partial Fulfillment of the Award of the Degree of Masters of Project
Management

Jimma University

College of Business and Economics

Department of Project Management

MBA Program

April, 2023

Jimma, Ethiopia
 Tables of Contents

Contents

CHAPTER ONE..............................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3

1.1. Background of the Study......................................................................................................3

1.2. Background of the Organization...........................................................................................4

1.2.1. Road Construction in Ethiopia.......................................................................................4

1.2.2. The Road Sector in Oromia Regional State...................................................................6

1.3. Statements of the Problem....................................................................................................7

1.4.1 General objectives..........................................................................................................8

1.4.2 Specific Objectives.........................................................................................................8

1.5. Significance of the study......................................................................................................8

1.6. Scope of the Study................................................................................................................9

1.7. Organization of the Paper.....................................................................................................9

CHAPTER TWO...........................................................................................................................10

LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................................10

2.1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................10

2.2. Theoretical Framework.......................................................................................................10

2.2.1. An overview of construction projects..........................................................................10

2.2.2. Effect of Delay on the Performance of the Project......................................................11

2.3. Construction Sector............................................................................................................12

2.4. Delay in Project Completion..............................................................................................13

2.5. Delay Factor Issues.............................................................................................................14

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 2.5.1. Excusable Delays with Compensation.........................................................................14

2.5.2. Excusable Delays without compensation....................................................................14

2.5.3. Non-excusable Delays.................................................................................................15

2.6. Effects of Delays.................................................................................................................16

2.7. Methods for Minimizing Delays in Road Construction Projects........................................17

2.8. Review of Empirical literature............................................................................................17

2.8.1 Causes of delay.............................................................................................................17

CHAPTER THREE.......................................................................................................................20

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................20

3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................20

3.2 Research Design..................................................................................................................20

3.3 Sources of Data....................................................................................................................20

3.4 Target Population, Sampling Technique and Sample Size..................................................21

3.4.1 Target Population..........................................................................................................21

3.4.2 Sampling Technique.....................................................................................................21

3.4.3 Sample size...................................................................................................................21

3.5 Data Collection....................................................................................................................21

3.6 Validity and Reliability of Instrument.................................................................................22

3.7 Methods of data Analysis....................................................................................................23

3.8 Research Ethics....................................................................................................................23

CHAPTER FOUR.........................................................................................................................24

4. Work Schedule and Cost Budget...............................................................................................24

4.1 Work Schedule.....................................................................................................................24

4.2 Cost Budget.........................................................................................................................25

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References......................................................................................................................................26

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

The main purpose of roads is to provide accessibility and mobility. Presently, developing
countries around the world are prioritizing the improvement and linking of their road networks.
Road projects are being listed as the primary focus in their national budget, given that a good
road network contributes to the development of the economy and national growth. The authors
cannot deliver goods and services without adequate transportation infrastructure.

Therefore, road projects should be completed in accordance with the schedule to serve the
immediate needs of stakeholders. Unfortunately, delays in road construction projects due to
various reasons are a major problem facing construction professionals. It has been proven that
the incapability to finish projects punctually and within a given budget continues to be a
persistent issue worldwide (Ahmed, S.; Azhar, S.; Kappagantula, C.M.P, 2002). Although the
causes of delays are quite comparable across developing countries, several factors definitely
pertain to local industries, socio-economic backgrounds, cultural matters, and project features,
such as land disputes and problems of the right of way for roads. With road construction projects
already producing a multitude of issues to the community, such as heavy traffic and increased
possibilities of road accidents, among others, project personnel is also facing the significances of
project failure, profit decrease, and loss of faith to the public in government-funded projects.
Therefore, on-time completion of a road project is exceptionally crucial.

The construction industry, which dominates the home market, has also emerged as a dominant
force on the international stage. About 8% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) is
derived from the building industry (Megaron, 2014). This demonstrates how significant the
building sector is to the global economy. Since the dawn of human history, construction has been
a part of life. The construction industry is currently in the lead and is anticipated to lead
Ethiopia's modernization and industrialization, in addition to raising the standard of living for
those working in the industry. As the largest employer in the nation, the construction industry

4
also serves as a catalyst for innovation, technology, and growth in general (Tekle Hagos, et al.
2012).

1.2. Background of the Organization

1.2.1. Road Construction in Ethiopia

Ethiopian state-led road construction officially began in 1951 with the founding of the Imperial
Highway Authority (IHA). It was created as an independent governmental organization falling
under the Ministry of Public Works and Communication by an imperial edict (No 115/1951).
The IHA launched a number of highway programs throughout the ensuing years to expand and
upgrade Ethiopia's road system. Since its founding in 1951, the organization has been successful
in carrying out a variety of physical and policy-related initiatives. There were six highway
programs in a program for road building that began in 1951 with the founding of IHA (ERA,
2009). They included:

I. The first road program (1951–1957):- The initiative required a birr 77 million capital
expenditure in total and mainly entailed the repair and reconstruction of 2686 km of all-weather
highways and 1525 km of severely damaged roads. Addis-Assab (860 km), Addis-Jimma (355
km), and Addis-Nekemt were among the roads built at this time (331km). Also, Addis-Adigrat,
Addis-Blue Nile, and Addis-Shashemene trunk routes all received maintenance.

II. Second Highway Program, which ran from 1957 to 1966: The proposal called for building
800 km of new roads, maintaining and repairing 1000 km of other existing roads, and improving
4500 km of major highways. 110 million birr were paid out as part of this initiative.

III. Third Highway Program, 1965–1968: A total of Birr 60 million was spent on the program,
which resulted in the building of 700 km of principal and secondary roads, 1000 km of feeder
roads, and 1040 km of asphalt surface works.

IV. Fourth Highway Program, 1968–1973: Eighty-two kilometers (km) of new primary and
minor roads were built during the Fourth Highway Program. Four road construction feasibility
studies were started during this phase, along with technical help and advising services for the
Authority's reorganization. Together with foreign training with practical orientation for
equipment superintendents, foremen, mechanics, and others, the program provided expert
5
support in the fields of engineering, operation, and maintenance. Out of the total program of the
planned 2246km roads 1600km were completed.

V. 5th Highway Program (1974–1976): The building of a feeder road network to support
agricultural development, enhancing the institutional capacity of the Road Agency, and
supporting the local contracting industry were all given top priority in this initiative. The
program included 322 km of asphalt surfacing projects and 539 km of feeder road development.
Along with furthering the organization's development and growing the domestic construction
industry, it also included the building of road maintenance projects totaling 14 million Birr.

VI. Sixth Highway Program (1976–1978): Between this time periods, 284 km of principal
highways, 280 km of secondary roads, 809 km of new gravel feeder roads, 657 km of service-to-
traffic roads, and 1660 km of country roads were all renovated.

The newly constituted independent authority was in charge of building, maintaining, and
renovating highways as well as rural roads, and it was structurally under the Ministry of
Transport and Communication. The Rural Roads Department (RRD), which is at the same
structural level as the Highway Department, was established within the ERA in order to
recognize the significance of rural roads (Ayele Tarekegn 1987: ETCA 1986).

With a focus on enhancing accessibility and transportation to agricultural potentials, the program
of rural road expansion was launched in 1970. Only 6,400 km of roads existed in total in 1951.
In 2009, it increased to 46,812 kilometers. (ERA2009). The emphasis placed on the sector is
what caused the length of the road to increase. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia's
current administration has given increased priority to enhancing the caliber and scope of the road
infrastructure. The Government created the Road Sector Development Program (RSDP) in 1997
to address the challenges in the road sector caused by limited network coverage and subpar
standards. The RSDP has been implemented in the following four stages:

 RSDP I – Period from July 1997 to June 2002 (5 year plan)

 RSDP II – Period July 2002 to June 2007 (5 year plan)
 RSDP III – Period July 2007 to June 2010 (3 year plan)
 RSDP IV – Period July 2010 to June 2015 (5 year plan)

6
Rural road management responsibilities were gradually transferred to the newly created regions
(ILO 2009). The regions were fundamentally given equipment and personnel from ERA, which
made them "...responsible for the building and management of the rural roads in their particular
area." (ERA 2009: ILO 2009) and mostly furnished with ERA's assets and personnel.

1.2.2. The Road Sector in Oromia Regional State

The Rural Road Building and Maintenance Department, which was recognized within the
Bureau of Works and Urban Development of the area in 1993/94, was initially tasked with
managing the categorized country roads in Oromia. The Regional Government formed the
Oromia Rural Roads Authority (ORRA) in 1996 and gave it "the mandate to undertake the
building and maintenance of rural roads in the region" (Oromia Today 2009). Before the
Regional Government was established, the region's all-weather road compactness was 23/1000
km2 (ORA RRNDS: 2012). In September 2008, the ORRA underwent reorganization and took a
significant step toward establishing a public enterprise basis for regional road development.

By this system, the Oromia National Regional State (ONRS) has given a specific attention for
the road development sector among its primary construction sectors (water, irrigation, etc.).
Throughout the past 20 years, ORA have prepared substantial contributions to the region's road
network expansion in accordance with its mission and mandate. The authority hasn't been able to
fully achieve its planned goals, nevertheless, for a variety of reasons. Roads are still in high
demand in the area.

According to the Growth and Transformation Plan I of the region, in 2007, the road density of
the region which was 36.7/1000 km2 at the end of 2002 was supposed to reach 162.3/1000km 2
and the density of road which was 0.45 per 1000 people was planned to reach 1.72/1000 people.
However, the final evaluation of GTP I in the year 2007 revealed that the achieved road density
was 117/1000 km2 and 1.26/1000 people, respectively. This fact shows that the accomplishment
was 28% and 27% below the targeted plan respectively.

Among the various reasons that impede the expansion of road net in the region, delay in
construction was acknowledged to be the major reason. Completion certificate of road projects
or provisional acceptance certificate and letters of time extensions of ORA reveals that among
road construction projects that are run by ORA, the time elapsed and number of day delayed so
7
far ranges from a minimum of 3% to the maximum of 259% of the contract time (103-359%).

Yet, among the several road projects in ORA that have been completed or are currently being
built, a number have frequently fallen behind schedule due to a variety of factors. The results of
the past five years' GTP I reveal that the majority of the road projects' execution time exceeded
expectations. These facts, along with others that need to be addressed, prompt additional
research and analysis of the causes and effects of road development projects in Oromia that are
relevant to ORA road projects.

1.3. Statements of the Problem

The essential for access to markets, health care, education and other facilities is one factor that
roads play in both rural and urban community development (RRNDS Final Main Report, 2012).
On the other side, a significant problem for the building industry will be the delay in
construction, which lengthened the construction term from the original design.

In this regard, a few road building projects in ORA that will be proposed and financed by the
Federal government will be not finished by the initial deadlines and pre-agreed sums of money.
Jimma town-Agaro-Didessa (Jimma), which experienced a total delay of days, and Jimma-
Limmu- Nono Benja Asphalt (Jimma), which saw a total delay of days, are two examples of the
projects that experienced delays in road construction.

The main issues that lead to failures to fulfill the region's development expectations in general
and the road infrastructure in particular are the lapsed time that results in the delay of
construction completion in some road projects. Disappointment among final users may result
from unmet demand. At the same time as regular delays and cost overruns in road construction
projects in the area have been acknowledged, no organized research has been carried out to
record and carefully examine the issue. So, this study will be underway to produce scientific data
that can assist policy makers in making decisions that may improve the performance of the
regional road construction industry.

This research has tried to answer the following three questions:

8
  What are the most significant causes of delay in Oromia roads construction Pertinent to
Jimma Zone Roads Authority Road Projects
 What are the effects of delay in Oromia roads construction pertinent to Jimma Zone
Roads Authority Road projects?
 What is the mitigation measures used to minimize delay?

1.4. Research Objectives

1.4.1 General objectives

The main objective of the research is to identify the causes and effects of delay in construction of
Oromia road projects in Jimma Zone Roads Authority.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

 To identify the delay causing factors that currently exist in the road construction pertinent
to Jimma Zone Roads Authority Road projects

 To rank the most significant delay causing factors that affect the sector.

 To identify the effects of delay on road construction pertinent to Jimma Zone Roads
Authority Road projects

 To identify the mitigation measures used to minimize delay

1.5. Significance of the study

This investigation will have a crucial role in identifying the causes and effects of program delay
in road construction projects. Ibrahim Mohamed (2013), indicates that time, cost and quality
have their proven importance as prime measures for project success. Since time is one of the
pillars of construction project management and project success, identifying and ranking the delay
factors and their effects will have a great impact towards minimization of the delay problem and
will contribute to the success of a project. The findings of the study will further improve value
by suggesting ways and inputs of mitigation measures for the management of Jimma Zone Roads
Authority Road projects to take remedial actions and make informed decisions to facilitate the
successful implementation of the project by eradicating the most important factors of delay.
In addition, the study will also be important to the researcher as it will be contributing to add
theoretical and practical knowledge on how to conduct research and it may be also useful to
9
those researchers who require bases for more study in this area.

1.6. Scope of the Study

The scope of this project research is limited to road construction projects. Jimma Zone road
Authority is selected as the context of this study. The study will be focused on the analysis of the
causes and effects of schedule delay from different perspectives. The groups of the respondents
will be involved are the client/owner, consultant, contractors and employees that are some of the
main stakeholders in road construction pertinent to Jimma Zone Roads Authority Road projects.

1.7. Organization of the Paper

This study is organized in five consequent chapters. The first chapter will introduces the back
ground of the study, statement of the problem, basic research questions, and objectives of the
study, significance, scope of the study and limitation of the study. The second chapter will
discusses on review of literatures with descriptions of different researchers related to the topics.
The third chapter will deals with the research methodology, design, sources of data, target
population, sampling technique and sample size, validity and reliability of instrument and
research ethics throughout the data collection and analysis. The fourth chapter will be presented
results and discussion which prevails about the most important and frequently occurring causes
and effects of delay. And the fifth chapter will be encompassed the summary, conclusions and
recommendations based on the discussions of the preceding chapters.

10
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Introduction

This chapter presents a literature review of the research work that was performed by various
scholars in the field of timely completion of construction projects. This includes theoretical
review, empirical review and conceptual framework.

2.2. Theoretical Framework

2.2.1. An overview of construction projects

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result

(Project Management institute, 2008). According to Hillson D., (2009), all projects are risky and
there are three separate reasons for that. The first reason is that all projects share common
characteristics which inevitably introduce uncertainty. Some of this common characteristics are
projects are unique, complex, involve assumptions and constraints, performed by people and
involve change from a known present to an unknown future. The second reason is that all
projects are undertaken to achieve some specific objectives. The final reason is that all projects
are affected by the external environment they exist in.

A construction in simple words is a process of constructing something by human for one purpose
or another. It may be a road, bridge, a dam, a private residence, an airport, a commercial
building, office and etc. According to Wikipedia, construction is a process that consists of the
building or assembling of infrastructure. Construction is the recruitment and utilization of
capital, specialized personnel, materials, and equipment on a specific site in accordance with
drawings, specifications, and contract documents prepared to serve the purposes of a client.

According to UN (1996) International Standards Industrial Classification (ISIC), Rev. 3,

construction is defined generally as an economic activity directed to the creation, renovation,
repair or postponement of fixed assets in the form of buildings, land developments of an
manufacturing nature, and other such engineering constructions as roads, bridges, dams and so

11
on. The industry consists of a group of establishments engaged in one or more of the following
activities: site preparation; building of complete constructions or parts thereof, civil engineering;
building.

A building construction project, like any other project, also faces different risks throughout the
life of the project. According to Nafishah B., (2006), this is due to the uniqueness of every
project, the uncertainties introduced by the project stakeholders, statutory or regulatory protocols
and other intrinsic and extrinsic constraints. He further discusses that risk can constrain the
achievement of key project objectives, time, cost and quality. Inability to achieve the project
objectives has great consequence on all project stakeholders involved in the construction. For the
client it could mean extra cost and less return on investment, for the consultants it could result in
loss of confidence placed in them by the clients, for the contractor it could mean loss of profit
and bad reputation etc.

2.2.2. Effect of Delay on the Performance of the Project

A study work carried out by Sambasivan, and Soon (2007) reveals six effects of delay on project
performance in Nigeria. These effects are time and cost overruns, disputes, arbitration, litigation
and total abandonment. In another study in Malaysia, Aibinu, andG. Jagboro (2000) found the
same effect of delays in Malaysian construction industry. In Pakistan, a study carried out by
Haseeb, and et. al (2011) concentrated the effect of delay in the construction industry. Their
study revealed that the clash, claims, total abandonment and slowing down the growth of the
construction industry. The relationship between causes and effects are of two types. These are
direct and indirect relationships.

The other study carried out by Odeh, and H. T. Battaineh (2002) in Jordan, they connected the
causes related to contract with the disputes and negotiations occurred among the parties
participating in the project. So many other links can connect between other causes and items of
performance. Time and cost overruns can be linked with the finance related causes and material
related causes. The causes related to labour or finance can be connected with disputes and
negotiation. Causes related to finance, relationship between parties, external circumstances are
connected with time overrun and may abandonment of the project.

12
2.3. Construction Sector

Construction sector is one of the most important industries in every country that can spur
economic growth and inspire development in other sectors (Aziz and Abdel-Hakam, 2016).
Population growth, increasing urbanization and globalization have made it vital that the
infrastructure is developed promptly for sustainable development (Prasad et al. 2019).
Construction projects such as roads projects, water supply projects, hospital projects etc. play
significant role as they are necessary obligation for employment generation, poverty alleviation
and socio-economic development, especially in developing economies (Amoatey and Ankrah,
2017). However, for a project to be successful it has to be accomplished within the specified
budget, cost, time and satisfying the projected standards. Failed projects lead to negative
conditions such as late completion, cost attacks and inferior work (Association of Construction
Development, 2014).

Globally, the construction industry encounters delays that pause many projects, in some cases
even cause total abandonment, along with it are time and cost overruns, which comes with other
consequences such as project failure, reduction of profit margin, and the loss of public
confidence, particularly on government funded projects (Doraisamy et al. 2015; Zailani et al.
2016).

Delays are classified into two categories. Excusable and non-excusable delay. Delays that
resulted from factors that are beyond the control of the contractor or any other party and were
unable to be detected earlier and did not occur due to their fault or negligence is regarded as
excusable delay. However, a delay that is instigated by the contractor or any other party such as
sub-contractor and is within the control of the contractor is referred to non-excusable delays.
Concurrent delays occur when the contractor and the owner are responsible for the delay
(Doraisamy et al. 2015; Anysz and Buczkowski, 2018).

A construction project could experience delay in handing over the site, or when there are
unanticipated ground conditions, extra works, variations, suspensions of work, adverse weather
conditions etc. Such delays can be recognized and considered based on their causes and effects
(Keane and Calettka, 2008). They can also be characterized due to the party that is accountable
for them, i.e., Excusable Delays, Non-Excusable Delays and Concurrent Delays (Ekanayeka and
Perera, 2016).

13
2.4. Delay in Project Completion

Delay in project completion is generally experienced in the construction projects and has always
being a problem in the construction industry and is being regularly reported in many countries
(Oyegoke and Al Kiyumi, 2017; Budayan et al. 2018)

Considering the potential benefit of construction projects to the economic development of any
nation and the challenge of projects delay is gradually becoming a global occurrence, it is
therefore of great consequence that causes of delay in construction projects be explored in depth,
as an in-depth analysis of the concept could be what is needed to alleviate the distress and
anxiety to all the parties involved in construction projects and making sure that projects are
completed within the specified budgeted time and cost. Also, understanding of the main factors
causing the construction projects delays can aid in evaluating the gaps and inadequacies in
project implementation and can pave ways of improvement of project performance.

Construction delay can be defined as the time overrun either beyond the contracted date or
beyond the date that the parties have agreed upon for the delivery of the project (Marzouk and
El-Rasas, 2014). In the road construction industry, project delays can occur due to the
prolongation of the construction time due to disruptive events that hamper the construction
workflow (Shebob et al., 2012). Moreover, these delays have a negative impact both on the
contractors and on the beneficiaries of the completed projects.

Construction delays are a common phenomenon in most countries, particularly in the developing
ones. Many studies have shown that construction delays have negative effects on clients,
contractors, and consultants (Ghaffari, 2013; Marzouk and El-Rasas, 2014). The causes and
effects of these delay factors in the road construction industry vary from country to country, due
to different environments and the techniques applied in the construction processes. In Sudan for
instance, where government is the sole client for road construction projects, the set of factors are
bound to influence delays are different to delay factors common for developed countries where
the responsibility for road construction works rests more on the private sector. This makes it
more difficult to generalize about the causes and effects of project delays as well as about the
methodologies to be adopted in minimizing these delays which are prevalent in the road
construction industry.

14
This study therefore attempts to investigate the major causes of road construction project delays
specific to Sudan, by identifying the different types of construction delays, their causes and
effects from different perspectives, in order to determine the impact and the level of importance
of the identified delay factors in road construction projects in Sudan.

2.5. Delay Factor Issues

Several studies have in the recent past attempted to classify road construction project delays and
differentiate them based on their context (Rosazuwad, 2010; Chai and Yusof, 2015; Elawi et al.,
2015). Based on these studies, construction delay factors can be grouped into three main
categories; excusable delays with compensation, excusable delays without compensation, and
non-excusable delays.

2.5.1. Excusable Delays with Compensation

These are delays that are due to an unforeseeable event beyond the contractor’s or the
subcontractor’s control and usually caused by the client's actions or inactions. When contractors
encounter this type of delay, they are entitled to time extension as well as monetary
compensation due to the delay. An example of an excusable delay with compensation is when an
owner denies access to the site after the notice to proceed is issued. This type of delay happens in
some unexpected situations, but is not due to the contractor's mistake (Chai and Yusof, 2015;
Elawi et al., 2015).

2.5.2. Excusable Delays without compensation

This type of delays occurs where neither the client nor the contractor is deemed responsible.
When this type of delay is encountered, only a time extension will be warranted since there are
no grounds for damages. This delay allows for time extension to finish construction without
giving any compensation to the contractor. The factors that cause this type of delay include
protest from the labour force, unexpected weather conditions preventing or affecting work,
unexpected late delivery of equipment, and unexpected late delivery of material (Adam et al.,
2015).

15
2.5.3. Non-excusable Delays

This happens due to the contractor ignoring agreed terms in the construction contract. Clients can
claim their loss if it is spelt out in the contract agreement. These delays have to be identified by
client because they rarely check the construction project schedule. Factors that contribute to this
type of delay are usually foreseeable weather-related delays, delays caused by the subcontractor,
inefficiency of the contractor in managing the construction site, mismanagement of the project
finances by contractor, lack of labour, failure to manage work according to contract schedule,
and frequent but avoidable mistakes or failure to fulfill owner’s specification (Vasilyeva-Lyulina
et al., 2015).

The delays in road construction projects are influenced by a wide range of factors and related
issues. This phenomenon is usually accompanied by cost overruns, which have negative effects
on clients, contractors, and consultants. For the owner, delay means loss of income and
unavailability of facilities. For the contractor, on the other hand, delay means loss of money for
extra spending on equipment and materials and hiring labour and loss of time. All these negative
effects can result in litigation, arbitration, cash flow problems, and a general feeling of
trepidation about each other. The causes of delay therefore were different for different parties
(Motaleb, 2014).

Al-Kharashi and Skitmore (2009) state that factors responsible for road construction project
delays vary from country to country. For example, in developing countries where governments
are the sole owners of road construction projects, it can be argued that the three major factors
that significantly influence the growth of road construction industry include national economic
growth, government spending, and level of demand by the communities (Tang et al., 2003).
Thus, for African countries like Sudan, where government is the sole owner of road construction
projects, different factors are bound to influence delays. Okpala and Aniekwu (1988) had earlier
posited that governments, especially those of developing countries, were chiefly concerned with
road construction. Thus, based on literature findings, it can be said that the chief causes and
effects of delays factors in the road construction industry vary from country to country, due to
different environments and the techniques applied which affect the construction processes.

16
2.6. Effects of Delays

Time and cost overruns have been identified as the main effect of delays, which are a recurring
problem in the road construction industry. However, some researchers have identified other
effects of road construction project delays. Kikwasi (2013), for example, identified cost and time
overrun, compromised quality, arbitration, disputes, litigation, low profit margin or financial
loss, revocation of contract, and total abandonment of project as some of the resulting effects of
delays. All these delays have severe negative consequences on both the construction firm and the
client (Salunkhe and Patil, 2014).

Al-Khalil and Al-Ghafly (1999) examined the relationship between the schedule, scope of work,
and project conditions in the road construction sector. They observed that any changes in one or
more of these three items can affect the compensation level and time of completion. It has been
argued that it is necessary to create awareness for the causes of project schedule delays, their
frequency, and the extent to which they adversely affect project delivery. Kaliba et al (2009)
noted that delays of construction projects are a universal phenomenon, especially in the road
construction projects, and that their consequences were different for different parties. The
general consequences of delays however, are loss of wealth, time and capacity.

Thus, based on the literature reviewed in this section, it is obvious that in order to address delay
issues in the construction industry, a systematic methodology must be put in place to militate
against these delays and so, minimize their consequences. This may involve several modalities
such as ensuring that estimates are prepared properly by experienced professionals, and that
clients should provide a clear brief of the scope of work. Furthermore, consultants should ensure
that the design and specifications fall within the approved budget and the budget team should be
appointed early and they should participate in the design process. All parties must also assess the
risk and impact of less likely situations that may significantly impact a project. Closer consultant
coordination is required at the design stage, and utilization of an experienced consultant to
produce a concluding design, working drawings, and contract drawings, should be done at the
tender stage. In addition, maintaining proper communication channels and documentation is very
important in terms of order management variations. Halwatura and Ranasinghe (2013) concluded
in their study on the causes of delay in road construction projects that in order to minimize the

17
effects of delays in construction projects, adequate planning in advance is required by all
involved parties before commencement of work at the site.

2.7. Methods for Minimizing Delays in Road Construction Projects

Different studies have in the past proposed different approaches and techniques in an attempt to
address project delays in the road construction sector. Although some variations and differences
in degree exist among all these previous techniques and approaches, an understanding of their
weakness and strengths will help this study in adopting a better approach in tackling these delay
issues, particularly within the context of Sudan based on the different influential factors already
identified in the course of this literature review.

The method proposed by Abdul Rahman et al. (2013) supposed that financial issues should be
given considerable importance by ensuring that there is an effective mechanism for making
timely payment from client to contractor, from contractor to sub-contractor, and to suppliers and
staff. Based on the significant impact of equipment-related factors on project execution, they also
recommended that construction firms should have sufficient materials at hand to ensure a smooth
supply throughout the project construction phase, and to invest heavily on the latest machinery,
tools and technology, rather than to source them on rental basis.

Memon et al. (2014) recommended that proper planning of work, committed leadership and
management, and effective communication system can be very helpful in improving time
performance. Harisaweni (2007) developed a framework to minimize the effects of delay factors
in road construction projects in Padang and Pekanbaru, Indonesia. All these frameworks show
that the cycling steps in each framework are almost the same and they also have the same
purpose which is to control the project. However, the framework of Bakhary et al. (2016)
proposed a more concise description than others because it gave detailed descriptions of the
possible actions and endeavors.

2.8. Review of Empirical literature

2.8.1 Causes of delay

Prakash and Joseph, (2014) in their study about cause of delay in Indian construction industry
mentioned that 7 groups contributed to the construction delay. These are the client, contractor,

18
consultant, material, equipment, labor, and external factor. Among those the top three most vital
reasons that contributed to the causes of delays were late in revising and approving design
documents, delays in sub-contractors work and poor communication and coordination change
orders by owner during construction. Contractor related delays were ranked the most significant
group that cause delays, followed by client related delays and consultant related delays.
Dr.Ashraf Samarah & Dr.Ghanim A. Bekr, (2016) on the analysis of causes and effects of Delay
in public construction projects in Jordan determined the frequency of occurrence, severity and
importance of each of the 55 causes of delay they identified. Among the 55 causes, the top 22
factors were mentioned to be inadequate management and supervision by the contractor, client’s
changes of the design, inadequate planning and control by the contractor, using lowest bid that
led to low performance, changes in the extent of the project, design and contract document error,
late progress payments by the client, rework due to faults during construction and changes in the
original design. They further identified low level productivity, technical problems faced by the
contractor, incorrect construction methods followed by the contractor, lack of cooperation
between client and contractor, cash flow problems suffered by the contractor, delay due to sub-
contractors works, no approval of contractor submittals, bureaucracy and changes of government
regulations, drawings are not efficient enough, non-availability of consultant's staff on site, other
public works on site, effect of local community and changes in the cost of resources (labor,
material and equipment)
Accordingly, major causes and effects of construction project delays in Nigerian construction
industries are identified as, Insufficient number of equipment, inaccurate time estimate, interim
payment difficulties, change orders, inaccurate cost estimate, poor site management and
supervision, inadequate modern equipment, shortage of construction materials, incompetent
project team, improper project planning and scheduling and contractors’ financial difficulties.
(Obodoh D.A & Chikasi Obodoh, 2016)
The top five factors causing delay of construction projects in Sana'a – Yemen were mentioned to
be (1) delay in receiving progress payments by contractors, (2) financial difficulties faced by
clients, (3) inadequate experience of contractor/ consultants, (4) poor site management and
supervision, and (5) lack of sufficient cash for project implementation. Wael Alaghbari et.al
(2018)

19
R.F. Aziz, A.A. Abdel-Hakam(2016) after exploring delay causes of road construction projects
in Egypt mentioned 15 groups of delay factors as equipment related group, design related group,
contractor related group, material related group, contract related group, consultant related group,
financing related group, site related group, scheduling and controlling related group, owner
related group, contractual relationship related group, labor related group, project related group,
external related group and rules & regulations related group.

20
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter deals with the methodology and procedures that will be followed to determine the
style and methods of collecting information and data from the study population through office
and field sources. The study will be identified and ranked the factors that influence the duration
of Jimma zone authority road construction projects and their effects based on the results of all
the reviewed studies. This chapter discusses research design, population, sample size and
sampling design, data collection methods, validity and reliability of instrument, methods of data
analysis as well as research ethics that will be followed in the research.

3.2 Research Design

This study will be adopted a descriptive research design which will be used to provide
quantitative or numerical description of attitude, or opinions of participants to evaluate the
perception of parties involved in the road construction process. Case study research approach
will be used to collect relevant secondary data and primary data through review of documents.
Quantitative research methods will be employed to analyze the total delay causing factors and
effects of projects.

3.3 Sources of Data

Primary and secondary data will be used in relation to the topic under discussion. The primary
source of data will be obtained through direct personal investigations of respondents and survey
using questionnaires. The collection modes will be through; printed questionnaires, emails and
google forms. The secondary data refers to that information which will be collected, analyzed,
documented and published by some other researchers or people. Therefore, the study or findings
will be supported by the secondary data. The sources of data will be the main parties in the
construction namely; owner/ client, contractor and consultant.

21
3.4 Target Population, Sampling Technique and Sample Size

3.4.1 Target Population

The focus population of this study will be among the client/owner, consultants, contractors, the
project managers, office engineers, site engineers and supervisors with an experience in the road
construction industry and currently involved in Oromia Regional state Jimma zone authority
road construction projects.

3.4.2 Sampling Technique

In this study, respondents will be selected based on their experience, knowledge and
participation in road construction projects.
The study will be adopted a purposive sampling method. Tayie (2005) explains a purposive
sample as one that comprises of subjects who are selected based on certain specific
characteristics needed for a study and rules out subjects who do not meet this standard. This will
be necessitated the use of purposive sampling technique for the study.

3.4.3 Sample size

The study participants will be composed of 116 professionals from the 3-target population who
have been engaged in Oromia Regional state Jimma zone authority road construction projects.
From the target population the researcher has purposively distributed 52 questionnaires to the
client to reach out the population with adequate engineering background who will be able to
answer the research questions and 36 questionnaires will be distributed to the contractor and 28
to the consultant for those who will be actively engaged in the Oromia Regional state Jimma
zone authority road construction projects.

3.5 Data Collection

To get primary data a structured questionnaire will be developed by the researcher which helped
to obtain direct information from the targeted population. Thus, five points Likert rating scale
ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) will be used in the study which is shown
in the table 3.1 and 3.2 below.
Among the available techniques of secondary data collection methods, document review will be
employed to collect relevant secondary data from secondary sources (project completion reports,

22
books, articles, magazines, internet, reports, contract documents and other’s research papers).
The information, which is relevant, will be used as a benchmark against primary data which will
be collected to support the research.
Table 3.1 Likert scale for frequency of occurrence of related delay causes
Category Never Rarely Sometimes often Greatly often
Rating 1 2 3 4 5

Table 3.2 Likert scale for most influential effects of delay

category Strongly Disagree Slightly Agree Strongly

Disagree Disagree Agree
Rating 1 2 3 4 5

3.6 Validity and Reliability of Instrument

According to Kothari (2004) validity is defined as the extent to which a test to measure what is
the actual accuracy and precision of a measurement procedure. Validity of content is also
mentioned to be the degree to which the content element of the questionnaire instrument covers
the concept being evaluated. The validity of data collection instruments will be checked against
the available literatures. Moreover, to check the validity of the contents enclosed in the
questionnaires, the advisor and other responsible parties will be asked whether the issues in the
questionnaire satisfactorily covered the important aspects in the assessment of delay on road
construction projects.
The questionnaires reliability will be checked by the Cronbach´s Alpha test coefficient using
SPSS software. The values of Cronbach’s alpha have a range between 0 and 1. The lower values
represent lower internal consistency and larger values represent greater internal consistency. The
criteria introduced by J. Nunally (1978) for the interpretation of this coefficient will be
considered to evaluate the results of the analysis.

23
3.7 Methods of data Analysis

The collected data will be analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS package to determine the
occurrence of the causes and effects of the road construction delay.
The Relative Importance Index (RII) The relative index technique has been broadly used in
Construction research for measuring attitudes with respect to surveyed variables. (Prakash &
Joseph, (2014); Dr. Ashraf Samarah & Dr. Ghanim A. Bekr. (2016)) used RII in their analysis to
rank the different causes and effects from different perspectives.
RII is used to rank the different causes of delays from the perspective of clients, consultants,
contractors and other stakeholders. The approach is also used to evaluate the different causes of
delays, among different categories, the same methodology is used for this analysis. (i.e., Clients,
consultants and contractors). The five-point scale ranged from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely
important) is adopted and transformed to relative importance index (RII) for each factor. The
relative important index is computed as;

W
RII =∑
A∗N

Where:
RII= Relative Important Index
W= Weight is given to each factor by the respondent and ranges from 1 to 5
A= the highest weight 5
N= the total number of respondents

3.8 Research Ethics

The researcher will be followed ethically and morally acceptable processes throughout the
research process. The data will be collected with the full consent of the participants and they will
be aware about the purpose of the study. Documents will be reviewed from the organization
remained confidential. The findings and results from this study will not be used for another
purpose. During this study respondents will be free to respond their own opinion from their
experience, and their personal information such as name and detailed information will be not
mentioned.

24
 CHAPTER FOUR

4. Work Schedule and Cost Budget

4.1 Work Schedule

No Activity to be performed Month

Nov Dec Feb Apr May June

1 Selection and submitted of x

research topic

2 Proposal development x x

3 Proposal submission x

4 Research development X

5 Final paper submission x

6 Presentation of research x

25
4.2 Cost Budget

No Materials Unit Quantity Unit cost Total

cost

1 Duplicating paper Ream 4 650.00 500.00

2 CD raw Piece 2 30.00 60.00

3 Pen Piece 6 15.00 90.00

4 Pencil Piece 3 5.00 15.00

7 Printing different references Pages 100 3.00 300.00

8 For photocopy of instruments of data Pages 1000 1.00 1000.00

collection

9 For secretary Pages 120 25.00 3,000.00

10 Binding the research work Module 2 350.00 700.00

12 Facilitators and coordinators Birr 4 200.00 800.00

13 Transport (to collect data) Birr 4 times 800.00 3200.00

Total 18,409

26
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