Master of Science in Project Management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/79

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item: Thesis-Abstract
Adoptability of community mobilisation concept for effective operation and maintenance of low-income condominium projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Vipulaguna, MSV; De Silva, N
Sri Lanka's housing policy has welcomed the integration of high-rise condominiums In response to the demand for housing of low-income residents in underserved settlements, aiming to enhance population density. However, inadequate maintenance practices in these condominiums have resulted in considerable deterioration, posing critical safety and health risks to occupants. Community Mobilisation (CM) is recognized as an effective behavior-based strategy to foster behavioral change and active participation in regular maintenance activities. This research focuses on studying CM interventions that can influence the behaviors of low-income condominium dwellers regarding maintenance management and operational issues. In order to fulfill the research goals, a mixed-methodology was utilized, including expert interviews and a structured questionnaire survey involving 391 condominium dwellers. A comprehensive literature review identified 12 common operational and maintenance management issues in low-income condominiums. A CM model was developed using the CM approach and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to address attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The CM model incorporated strategies such as bringing people together, raising awareness, assisting in resource delivery, and facilitating community participation to enhance attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, respectively. The results illustrate that behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control exert significant influence on the behavioral intention and actions (behaviour) of occupants in operation and maintenance management. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers, condominium developers, and low-income residents to improve the sustainability and livability of high-rise condominiums in Sri Lanka. Keywords: maintenance management, low-income, condominiums, community mobilization, theory of planned behaviour
item: Thesis-Abstract
Developing a framework for minimizing construction and demolition waste in urban development projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Udawatte, TS; Thayaparan, M
The construction industry is indeed one of the largest producers of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW). CDW consists of materials such as concrete, bricks, wood, metals, glass, plastics, and other debris generated from construction, renovation, and demolition activities. This study examines the production of construction and demolition waste (CDW) specifically from unused or demolished materials, which can be categorized as virgin or non-virgin materials. The findings highlight the various problems associated with this practice, including environmental pollution, negative health impacts, economic challenges, social issues, and the creation of undesirable landfills. The scarcity of dumping sites in urban areas in Colombo is another issue behind the problem. Although, the government has streamlined the regulations and introduced new policies, inefficient administration significantly affects the waste management plans. Strategies for minimization, such as institutional arrangements, human perceptions, and attitudes, procedures for minimizing hierarchy, establishing new legislation and benchmarks, new technologies, are analysed for CDW minimization. This study aims to make a valuable contribution towards addressing these problems and advocating for sustainable approaches in the management of CDW through careful analysis and the suggestion of practical remedies. Further, this study employed a qualitative research approach, which involved collecting and reviewing literature related to theories and concepts. The researcher gathered data from various sources, such as academic papers, books, and other relevant literature to establish a theoretical foundation for the study. The objectives of this research were to enhance comprehension of the subject matter and expand upon established theories and concepts by thoroughly reviewing and analysing the available knowledge base. The qualitative research approach allowed for a comprehensive exploration of the subject matter, enabling the researcher to draw meaningful insights and make informed conclusions. Findings were validated by the experts of the construction industry through interviews. The researcher needed to be further examined the findings in a real-life context by using three different case studies and collected data through semi structured interviews. The availability of limited literature iii specific to CDW management in the Sri Lankan urban development projects highlights the need for this research to explore and draw from global research and practices. This approach allows for the adaptation and implementation of successful CDW minimization practices from around the world to address the specific needs and challenges faced in the Sri Lankan context. The framework serves as a practical tool that brings together the research findings, strategies, and recommendations to facilitate effective CDW management. Its application aims to guide decision-making processes, promote sustainable practices, and contribute to minimizing CDW in the Sri Lankan context. Finally, the researcher explained the limitations of interviews of the case studies and strategies to overcome those in the analysis and data presentation. This framework will be a blueprint for individual participants who involved in multi-story projects in urban areas to prioritize and awareness of CDW management more systematically. Keywords: CDW, CDW generation, Urban development projects, and CDW management
item: Thesis-Abstract
Enhancing the solid waste management practices of export processing zones of Sri Lanka
(2023) Abhayapala, ONRP; Dissanayake, P
Solid waste management is a critical concern in the modern world due to the compilation of solid waste, which cannot be easily recycled or managed. Furthermore, this issue has been continuously affecting most of the countries which are having Export Processing Zones (EPZ). Similarly, EPZs in Sri Lanka zones are making a considerable impact on the incensement of solid waste. Due to the unavailability of the proper solid waste management system, social economic and environmental issues have aroused. Hence this research aimed to develop strategies for enhancing solid waste management practices in Export Processing Zones in Sri Lanka on the identification of better solid waste management practices in EPZs Sri Lanka. A qualitative research method was followed to achieve the aim of the study According to the interview guideline, 12 interviewees participated representing 3 case study EPZs in Sri Lanka. The primary data was collected through interviews the evaluated using manual content analysis. The research finds current solid waste management practises in the global context have different varieties however in Sri Lankan contracts are limited to segregation open dumping end minimum level of recycling and reusing process. Furthermore, in most cases, open dumping is used for hazardous solid waste generated in export processing zones. In the Sri Lankan context incineration is widely used as a solid waste management process at its primary level. However, financial capabilities limited motivation, unavailability of national policy, political influence, and limited awareness of the public and management cause barriers to the solid waste management process. The research suggested that finding the stakeholders and providing specific responsibilities with a focus on producing solid waste generation, developing national policy, continuous monitoring, providing financial incentives, generating independent management authority, and increasing public awareness through different campaigns will support the solid waste management process in an improved version. Even though solid waste management is limited to export processing zones, it is essential to concern this aspect in a wide view to ensure the social economy and Environmental Protection of the country. The research findings on solid waste management in EPZs concerning successful methods used in a global context propose guidelines for better practices. Furthermore, the development of the legal systems and long-term policies are key findings of the research to enhance the socio-environmental and economic best practices in Sri Lanka. Keywords: Solid waste management, Export processing zones, Sri Lanka, Incineration, 3R concept
item: Thesis-Abstract
Factors influencing project success in medium scale apartment construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Bulathsinghala, YK; Thayaparan, M
The complexity of modern construction projects, involving multiple stakeholders and intricate design requirements, presents challenges for clients and contractors. While project management researchers have discussed strategies for achieving success, there is no consensus on the essential success factors for building projects despite numerous studies. This study aimed to improve the project success of medium scale apartment building constructions in Sri Lanka. First, this study reviews project success factors globally within the construction industry. Through an extensive literature review, the researchers identify 59 factors influencing project success, covering technological, economic, educational, social, and professional aspects. This study employs a questionnaire survey using purposive sampling to gather data from industry professionals. The collected data undergoes quantitative analysis using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method, ranking factors based on significance, applicability, and contribution. This analysis successfully identifies critical factors influencing project success in this context. The roles of different stakeholders in contributing to project success factors were evaluated next. Experienced professionals involved in semi-structured interviews to assess stakeholder contributions. Findings reveal that stakeholders of varying types play distinct roles in relation to different factors, directly influencing success in medium-scale apartment building projects. This study developed a framework to enhance project success in medium-scale apartment building constructions, incorporating critical success factors and important stakeholders contributing to project success. This framework facilitates the identification of factors causing delays and issues in construction projects, enabling stakeholders to take necessary corrective actions for ensuring success. The content concludes with recommendations for future research. Further studies are suggested to explore effective procedures for addressing critical factors and stakeholders impeding project success. Limitations such as a small sample size and the impact of COVID-19 on expert interviews are acknowledged. Emphasis is placed on the need for larger and more representative sample sizes in future studies. Additionally, investigating success factors for different project types and sizes and considering success factors from the perspective of developers with varying levels of capital investment is proposed.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Intergration of the concept of shared workspaces to office buildings in Sri Lanka
(2023) Pathirana, SPMS; Thayaparan, M
The concept of space is quite complicated and makes it difficult to define. To achieve the organization’s optimum goal the space that is available for work need to be well organized and designed. Shared workspace concept defined as membership based workspaces where diverse groups work together in shared, communal setting. There are certain scenarios where existing office buildings with un-utilized floor spaces. Therefore this study is targeting to solve this issue by checking the adaptability of the shared workspace concept for the selected space in an office building. The aim of this study is to develop a framework to identify the adaptability of shared workspace for office buildings in Sri Lanka. The objectives of this research identify shared workspace concept, need of the concept for an office building, the characteristics that a building must consist to adopt the concept, enablers’, barriers and recommendations to overcome the barriers. Along with a literature review qualitative research approach was adopted by using expert interviews and two case studies. Content analysis used to analysis the findings of the study. This study provides evidence, by only having an unutilized space won’t make an office building eligible to adopt shared workspace concept. To adopt this concept to an office building it must have certain characteristics, those are respect to office type, organization culture, core business, operating hours, support structure, accessibility. The barriers have been identified in relation to financial and consistency of the business as lack of privacy, noise level, monitoring and controlling of space, availability of a support structure, matching all the co-workers expectations as whole, legal and regulatory barriers. The solutions were supported from experts’ ideas/opinions and findings from case studies. Ultimately a framework was developed to check the adaptability of shared workspace for office buildings in Sri Lanka. Keywords: Barriers, Drivers, Office building, Shared workspace, Sustainable facilities, Sri lanka
item: Thesis-Abstract
Teamwork for pre-construction project planning success in public sector projects
(2023) Liyanage, LDAL; Chandanie, H
Pre-construction project planning phase is a critical component of successful construction projects and can distinctly affect project duration, budget, and also the standards. This phase involves a range of activities, including project budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation. Teamwork is the most vital part to ensure the success of this phase. Identifying team challenges faced by teams during this planning phase and explores strategies to overcome them were most important to achieve the successful output. Through a comprehensive literature review, various theoretical frameworks and empirical studies related to project phases, team dynamic, and team challenges have been examined. This reveals that a well-structured and highly collaborative team is a crucial catalyst for the pre-construction planning phase. Four case studies were examined to identify team challenges in Sri Lankan public sector construction context with contribution of five stakeholders from each case. Expert Interviews were conducted to identify effective strategies of the participation of eight expertise in the construction field. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was carried out to validate the challenges and effective strategies and the questionnaire was distributed among 60 participants electronically and 41 responded. A total of 14 main strategies were derived from research findings, which were then utilised to identify best practices for pre-construction project planning teams. The aim is to investigate how to improve teamwork towards the successful pre-construction project planning in public sector projects in Sri Lankan context. The study’s implications extend to project management practices, emphasising the significance of investing in team-building activities and fostering a positive team culture. The results encourage project stakeholders to recognise the value of teamwork and its direct impact on minimising risks, enhancing project efficiency, and achieving timely completion of pre-construction tasks.
item: Thesis-Abstract
An Investigation of human errors in Sri Lankan construction projects
(2024) Fernando, WHD; Gunatilake, S
Construction industry majorly depends on three key factors namely, human capital, machinery, and technology out of which the human capital is crucial. Even though the developed economies use robots or artificial intelligence to a certain extent, none of the major or minor construction projects can run without human touch. When contemplating construction projects, management plays a substantial role in successful completion of such projects. Project management streamlines the construction projects with its standards and guidelines. Human error can be defined as a sequence of physical and rational events that fail to attain the desired output when these failed attempts cannot be attributed to an interference of a casual random external agent. Human factors greatly influence the outcomes of any project; thus, companies must ensure the human needs are satisfied in order to reduce human errors. This research aims at investigating how to minimize human errors in Sri Lankan construction projects. In this study human errors are discussed under three main categories namely, people, process, and documentation errors. The research was conducted as quantitative research gathering survey data from 66 individuals who are in the decision-making capacity of construction projects, such as project managers etc. The operational level staff is not considered in the survey. Findings suggest that all three categories of human errors, namely, people errors, process errors and documentation errors are equally in high importance and have contributed to various project related issues. Results revealed that communication errors as the highest type of errors under the people error category, frequent changes to the projects plan have the highest RII score under process errors category and finally loss of information was ranked highest error type under documentation errors category. Further it suggests that human errors are interlinked as a result, occurrence of one error leads to occurrence of several other errors. The recommendation of the study majorly stressed on defining clear project scope, communication pipeline streamlining, adopt technology where possible. Key Words: Construction project management, documentation errors, human errors, people errors, process errors
item: Thesis-Abstract
Critical factors affecting delayed completion of foreign-funded government projects in Sri Lanka
(2024) Priyadarshanie, GA; Abeynayake, M
Delayed completion is a crucial issue in foreign-funded government projects in Sri Lanka. Anticipated beneficiaries are the main parties who suffer due to those delay factors. Thus, it is essential to investigate factors affecting delayed completion and what are the strategies to minimize such delays. This research identified critical factors affecting the delayed completion of foreign-funded projects and proposed suitable delay response strategies overcome those delays. The mixed approach was used for this research, and a literature review about the causes of delays in various countries. The significance of those causes is different based on project types. Identified thirty-two delay causes through literature review, and the research was validated by semi-structured expert interviews with the Sri Lankan foreign-funded government projects and analyzed with manual content analysis. Afterward, a questionnaire survey was conducted among the industry professionals, and the collected data analyzed using statistical method. Identified twenty-six delay factors in foreign-funded government projects in Sri Lanka and out of them, the top 10 delay factors were identified as the most significant delay factors, such as COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic in 2020, currency sinking in 2022, changes of scope/design by owner during construction, price escalation of materials, fund releasing issues from the funding agency and Treasury for completed work, safety issues in construction sites, improper planning and scheduling of project, unqualified workforce/lack of experience by contractor, contractor’s organizational performance, severe weather conditions. Accordingly, proposed the most suitable delay response strategies for the selected top ten delay factors. At the same time, delay factors allocated to the owners, contractors and consultants in foreign-funded government projects in Sri Lanka. Finally, the recommendations were established to implement of most suitable delay response measures meaningfully so that they could complete foreign-funded projects on time. Similar studies can be conducted in other countries to identify factors and response measures for delays. Key words: Foreign-funded, government projects, Critical factors, delayed completion, Delay allocation
item: Thesis-Abstract
Risk management in high voltage power transmissionline construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2024) Priyashanka, RADN; Abeynayake, M
Electricity is an essential element in economic growth and socio-economic development of a country. High Voltage Power Transmission Lines (HVPTL) are used to transmit the electric power in bulk from generating stations to substations. HVPTL construction projects are inherently riskier than most of the other types of construction projects. In Sri Lanka the knowledge, practice and application in the particular area is in minimum level. Therefore, this research aims to establish a systematic study on managing risks in HVPTL projects in Sri Lanka, which will ultimately help the project teams to manage risks effectively. The collected empirical data from expert interviews and two rounds of questionnaire surveys were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics respectively. The results of the study initially identified forty-eight (48) risk factors related to HVPTL projects, of which fourteen (14) risk factors were selected as the most significant risk factors. “Delay in project deadline” is the top most critical factor in HVPTL projects according to results. The risk factors are mainly allocated client and contractor or shared between them. The widely used risk response measures and most suitable risk response measures in order to manage those most significant risks were identified. The challenges against following the proper risk management process were checked and it was found out that the “lack of awareness” is at the prime reason. Finally, it is recommended to use more proactive approach in risk management for early identification of risks and for better responses and raise the awareness of stakeholders on the importance of the proper risk management practices. Keywords: High Voltage Power Transmission Lines, Risk Factors, Risk Allocation, Risk Response Measures.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Adaptability of a new national building code to the building sector in Sri Lanka
(2024) De Mel, CD; Disaratna, V
Building Construction is one of the main economic activities where planning, designing, construction, funding and maintenance are included in completing a building project. Building controlling systems (BCs) have been identified as a necessary engine of global economic progress. Therefore, need arose to establish an important guideline for ensuring safe, innovative, energy and cost-effective building construction. Many countries utilize building codes to meet key requirements for health, safety, well-being, of people and the built environment. After facing many disasters Sri Lankans have understood the absence of a national building code. This study identifies six objectives after identifying the problem to examine the adaptability of a new National Building Code to the Building Sector in Sri Lanka. Lack of building code and awareness is noticeable as a gap in Sri Lanka and need for a National Building Code for building sector was significant. To address this gap as a problem, the researcher conducted qualitative research including semi-structured interviews to collect data and three main construction professions were identified, namely Chartered Architects, Chartered Engineers and Chartered Quantity Surveyors. Primary data collection method and a literature review as secondary data collection method. The respondents were identified by using the snowball sampling technique since the population is not précised and sample is limited to 12 participants in saturation. The data collected was analyzed by using manual content analysis. Research findings revealed the answers for the six research questions derived from the research objectives. The findings of the study reveals that, the Sri Lankan government will have to take major action in making awareness of the opportunities and challenges in future, to adopt a National Building Code to protect public health, safety, and well-being while lowering disaster risk and working towards a sustainable built environment. At the conclusion findings were presented as what is a building code ? Impact created by a building code, functions, opportunities created, challenges faced and recommendations to overcome those challenges were presented accomplishing the objectives. Keywords: Building Code, Construction Industry, Chartered Architects, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Impact, Public Health, Safety, Well-Being
item: Thesis-Abstract
Strategies for the minimization of failures in sustainable project management practices of government green building construction projects
(2024) Yapa, CIAJ; Dissanayake, P
Green Buildings (GB) assist achieving the sustainability of buildings and to measure whether the construction reduces the overall environmental impact on human well-being as well as the biosphere. The Sustainable Project Management Practices (SPMP) directly facilitate to fulfilment of the requirements of a Green Building Rating System (GBRS). Yet, current literature showcase failures in SPMP, and it negatively affects the outcome of the GB Project. Due to the implementation of GB concept for Government GB has been occurred in Sri Lanka since 2017, it is necessary to investigate challenges, opportunities, and potential areas for improvement Government GB. Therefore, assessing failures in SPMP, and proposing strategies to minimize them in Government GB would contribute to the policy implementation and compliance, capacity building and training programs, financial and economic implications, innovation and technology integration and long-term impact assessment. This study is therefore aimed on proposing strategies to minimise failures in SPMP. Secondary sources have been primarily reviewed to collect data about the concept of GB and SPMP. Qualitative approach was used in this study to achieve the aim of the study, and two (02) cases, which were rejected in the first attempt at the preliminary GB approval under the Blue–Green Rating System, were selected. Both case studies are multi-storied buildings; a government quarters building and an office building. The data was collected from 18 respondents who were involved in the construction of the aforementioned projects using semi-structured interviews. Additionally, document review was performed for the data triangulation relevant to the case studies. The collected data was analysed using content analysis method to systematically identify the sequence of research findings. The research findings showcase the level of SPMP that were used or neglected, the failures occur in SPMP, and the way they affected the project outcome. Key failures include absence of organizational culture management, lack of technical applications, resistance to allocate costs for certification process, absence of proper monitoring and feedback process, and motivation only to maintain “Green” image. Altogether, 43 strategies were proposed as the end result of the study for the minimization of failures in SPMP in Government GB Projects. The proposed few strategies includes notifying sustainability goals in organization level, defining each member’s responsibilities, formulation communication plan at the initiation stage, understanding the rating mechanism and other to minimize failures of absence of business ethics, lack of communication network likewise. Keywords: Sustainability, Green Buildings, Sustainable Project Management Practices, Project Life Cycle, Blue – Green Rating System
item: Thesis-Abstract
A Framework for implementing agencies to enhance effective community participation in public construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Theivendran J; Gunathilake S
Construction projects are often very complex, competitive in nature, and managing the influence of multiple stakeholders with varying interests and conflicting requirements. Therefore, developing a strong and effective relationship with the key stakeholders including local communities has recognized as an essential element of public projects. Several researchers have identified the importance of stakeholder management in construction projects. However, very few researchers have explicitly recognized “community” as one of the complex stakeholders and stressed the importance of community participation for the effective delivery of construction project. Specifically, the involvement of local communities in infrastructure provision has not been considered adequately in the context of developing countries. Moreover, there is no ideal local community based participatory approach is available among the various stakeholder approaches. Therefore, this research was undertaken to develop a framework for implementing agencies to enhance effective community participation in public construction projects in Sri Lanka. This research has adopted a mixed method sequential research approach to develop a framework for implementing agencies to enhance effective community participation in public construction project. Both questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were used for the data collection. The research analysis and findings were revealed that 13 community participation activities are important for effective community participation and identified the factors affecting the practice of community participation under four major categories. Further, the analysis recommended eight strategies for the effective community participation in public construction project namely: transparency in community participation process, create community awareness, implement community responsible entities, develop ownership-based approach, conduct assessments through government organizations, educate construction industry professionals, conduct post community participation evaluation and establish government audits for community participation. With the research findings, the study was then developed a framework for implementing agencies to enhance effective community participation in public construction projects in Sri Lanka
item: Thesis-Abstract
Study of sustainable practices used in wood waste management in the Sri Lankan construction industry
(2023) Maduwage RS; Ramachandra T
Construction waste has become a major concern in almost all sorts of construction projects which include residential, non-residential as well as infrastructure projects. A considerable amount of construction and demolition waste is generated in those types of construction projects. Such generated waste includes brick waste, concrete and aggregate deposits, masonry waste, paper, cardboard, plastic, and wood waste. Wood waste has been recognised as the second largest contributor to construction and demolition waste after concrete and aggregate deposits as evidenced by several past studies. Hence, sustainable practices have received an important place in managing construction and demolition wood waste in the modern era of construction practices. Furthermore, sustainable practices used in wood waste management results in several benefits such as financial benefits, support to achieve green certification and improve the quality of the project, etc. Therefore, this study was focused on exploring various strategies to enhance the application of sustainable wood waste management practices used in the construction industry of Sri Lanka. The research problem was addressed using a quantitative research approach. The comprehensive literature review was carried out in order to determine sustainable practices used in wood waste management in the construction industry. It was followed by a questionnaire which assisted in the collection of data from 50 respondents that were analysed to determine the research findings. According to findings, four major sustainable practices that are implemented to manage wood waste in Sri Lanka include reusing, recycling, using as by-products and using for energy recovering. However, there are several barriers exist to implement sustainable practices. The key barriers include five main financial barriers, five main technical barriers, eight main knowledge barriers, five main institutional barriers and two main socio-cultural barriers applicable in implementing sustainable practices in wood waste management in the Sri Lankan construction industry. To overcome above identified barriers, this study proposed fifteen suitable strategies to enhance sustainable practices used in wood waste management including making awareness on sustainable wood waste management practices, establishing policies on sustainable wood waste management, encouraging contractors to implement sustainable wood waste management and promoting sustainable products, and so on
item: Thesis-Abstract
A Framework to manage the quality of design and contractual documents in the construction sector in Sri Lanka
(2023) Herath, HG; Sridarran, P
The quality of the design and quality of contractual documents that are used for construction project implementation phase has a significant influence on the project's performance and efficiency. The decrease of design quality standard has been significant factor in the construction performance decline. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of various elements that affect to quality of design and quality of contractual documents in the Sri Lankan construction sector. The research aims to help stakeholders plan for a project's start by creating awareness about the various elements that can affect to quality of design and quality of contractual documents. It also aims to help minimize the chances that a project will encounter design deficiencies. Accordingly, forty-five various factors influencing quality of design and contractual documents were identified from the literature review and were evaluated by 33 respondents. The questionnaire results showed that projects in Sri Lankan construction sector face cost overruns and delays due to design and contractual documents deficiencies, due to reasons such as the inexperienced design team and insufficient cooperate between the client and consultant. The causes for the most severe factors influencing quality of design and quality of contractual documents were recognized through questionnaire survey and the measures to be taken to minimize those factors were investigated through semi–structured interviews with three top level professionals. Afterword, the gathered data was evaluated using content analysis. Finally, a set of guidelines and measures through the framework were developed to enhance the quality of design and quality of contractual documents in the Sri Lankan construction sector.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Impact of construction industry development authority (CIDA) registration on contractors’ performance in Sri Lanka
(2023) Wathukarawatta, NS; Ramachandra, T
The construction industry is a complex and dynamic sector, with various factors affecting the performance of contractors. This research aims to identify the factors influencing contractor performance, compare the performance of registered and non-registered contractors, and provide guidelines to improve contractor performance. A literature review was primarily conducted to identify factors influencing contractor performance under four categories: contractor-related, consultant-related, client-related, and external factors. RII analysis was used to assess the relative importance of these factors in the content of quantitative analysis part in the questionnaire survey developed. A case study analysis was conducted to compare the performance of registered and non-registered contractors based on 15 performance measures using the manual content analysis with related to the qualitative data aspect and descriptive statistics for quantitative data. Key findings of questionnaire survey are; factors influencing the contractors’ performance and significant factors influencing contractors’ performance in the construction industry The analysis of comparative performance of registered and non-registered contractors showed that registered contractors performed better than non-registered contractors in terms of all performance measures considered. However, there are limitations to this research, mainly the sample size which was used 100 respondents for the questionnaire and 10 cases for the case study analysis, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Further research is needed to investigate the factors affecting contractor performance in different contexts. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the factors influencing contractor performance that would enable to improve the performance of contractors in the construction industry.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Mitigation strategies of critical risk factors of condominium projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Fernando, PGS; Kulathunga, U
With the evolution of high-rise construction projects, the optimization of space usage for residential purposes was achieved successfully. As a result of fulfilling the diverse residential needs of the population, condominiums projects were introduced and ever since the trend of condominium project construction has been revered by many nations all over the world. However, it is explicit that condominium projects encounter a substantial number of risks, and these risks severely affect the success of these projects. At the same time, risk identification of a construction project is considered a prudent way in overcoming the negative effects of risks associated with a project. Therefore, this research is aimed to investigate the mitigation strategies for critical risk factors of condominium projects. In achieving this aim, a qualitative approach is followed. Firstly, a background survey and a literature review have been conducted to gather comprehensive knowledge on the research area and to identify the research gap. A qualitative interview survey was conducted with 10 experts in condominium construction projects as the primary method of data collection. The collected data were analysed using the manual content analysis method. During the data analysis, it was identified that condominium projects have specific risk factors that need to be proper addressed through effective risk management. Accordingly, the analysis focuses on identifying the specific risks and analysing the identified risks based on their impact and likelihood. Based on these parameters, risks were categorised based on their consequences on condominium projects. Finally, depending on the risks and their consequences, this study focuses on identifying mitigation strategies that can be used to overcome the risks associated with the condominium projects in Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Underlying lapses in project planning and monitoring of building construction projects in Sri Lanka
(2023) Jayasena, GDGE; Sridarran, P
The building sector contributes greatly to the economic growth and social stability of nations and in most countries, and it is often the largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Planning in constructions, is a key concern of contractors, and the process of planning is increasingly growing in complexity, since it can be regarded among the managerial roles of building projects to be the most critical role that gives results to any given process. Planning in building constructions, is described as setting out a series of instructions in appropriate detail to inform the project team precisely what needs to be completed, where and what tools to be used to effectively achieve the project's deliverables. Monitoring is also an important aspect as planning. Accordingly, a thorough literature analysis is conducted with the aim of identifying the planning and monitoring methods, processes and to identify the lapses in project planning and monitoring in the Sri Lankan construction context. In this context, several planning and monitoring methods which are used in the construction industry were identified such as project scheduling, critical path method, programme evaluation and review technique, network diagrams, 3D and 4D modelling, project planning tools. Further, several lapses in planning and monitoring namely, vague definition of the scope of project budget and schedules, adversarial attitudes of project participants, deficient communication between project partners, shortage of site workers and technical personal were also identified through the literature. Thereafter, comprehensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry experts selected from four (04) construction projects to identify their views on the insights gained from the literature review. Based on the research findings, it can be identified that considering the impact of identified lapses in project planning and monitoring and their impacts on project deliverables such as cost, quality and time is significant. Accordingly, it is important to analyse and to identify the underlying lapses in project planning and monitoring of building constructions in Sri Lanka.
item: Thesis-Abstract
A Study on public private partnerships in Sri Lanka : barriers, critical success factors and project management challenges
(2023) Karunarathna, SMPCB; Disaratna, PAPVDS
Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have emerged as one of the vastly used and recognised method in sourcing public infrastructure in a multitude of countries. Those countries have effectively utilized PPPs to yield substantial advantages. Many researchers have identified the critical success factors of successful PPP projects in order to facilitate future PPP projects and some other researchers have identified barriers to successful implementation of PPPs and project management challenges of PPPs which help to achieve the success of future projects. However, due to its inherent sophisticated nature and lengthy life period of PPPs, overcoming such barriers and project management challenges as well as using critical success factors are always challenging for people who manage PPPs for the entirety the project life cycle from inception to implementation. The aim of this research to carry out a comprehensive study on barriers, critical success factors and project management challenges of Public-Private Partnership projects in Sri Lanka. A systematic literature review has been done and semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry practitioners who possess experience in at least one PPP project in management level to identify successful and unsuccessful PPP projects barriers, critical success factors and project management challenges. The research findings identified, mainly, “Queen Elizabeth Jetty at Colombo Port project” and “LAUGFS Liquefied Petroleum Gas Terminal project” as successful PPPs and “first attempt of the Katunayaka highway project” and “Colombo Rapid Transit System (RTS) project” as unsuccessful PPPs. “Opposition from the general population” and “inadequate legal framework” are major barriers and “political support” and “reasonable risk allocation” are the main CSFs of PPPs. “Poor risk assessment” and “lack of resources” are the main project management challenges of PPPs in Sri Lankan Context. “Early planning” and “adopting good communication strategies” were found as main solutions to minimise the project management challenges and barriers.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Strategies to manage the implementation challenges of public sector design & build contracts in Sri Lanka
(2023) Siriwardana, HDTK; Perera, K
“Design and build” is a procurement strategy in which the main contractor is appointed based on the Employer’s requirements and as per the principle design by Employer’s principle advisor. Contractor needs to perform both design and construction of a particular Construction project. Design & Build procurement method has several advantages, but the standard of service experienced by Employers during the implementation stage of D&B projects has been found to be less than satisfactory. This “Applied research study” investigates the challenges faced by the public sector construction industry in Sri Lanka. when implementing D&B projects; and it also investigate as to how mitigation measures help to face successfully for these challenges. The preliminary survey conducted to find out various ongoing/recently completed government sector D&B projects and contact details of professionals engaged with those projects to take part as questionnaire respondents. Types of current D&B practices related information also gathered through preliminary survey. Factors affecting for the selection decision of procurement method and various D&B challenges were identified through literature review. Accordingly, the questionnaire survey was developed using the information gathered through preliminary survey and literature review. Through the study it was found that the 72.5% of procurement decisions were based on purposeful reasons such as need of single point of responsibility, requirement of specialized knowledge, being cost driven projects, need of variety of innovative designs. When considering the satisfaction level of respondents, research found that 67.5% of the employers have successfully identified the real necessity of incorporating D&B method to their projects out of other procurement methods. However, the rest of the respondents, stated that it would have been much more successful under traditional procurement method. Research found extreme D&B challenges as limited pool of qualified D&B contractors, Project delay, cost overrun, difficulty in tender evaluation and variation valuation. As per expert view those can be mitigated mainly by setting up practical milestones, using change control mechanisms, proper planning, and monitoring, clearly defining the scope etc.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Management of external stakeholders influences in donor - funded irrigation infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka
(2022) Ruwanpura UDRE; Perera BAKS
Stakeholder management has become a very crucial management process in irrigation infrastructure projects. Out of all the stakeholders, external stakeholders’ influences are more significant and must be managed prudentially; otherwise, the project scope, time, and cost may change drastically. The dearth of studies related to managing the external stakeholders influences in the donor-funded irrigation infrastructure projects. Hence, an empirical study was conducted to fill this research gap by addressing how to effectively manage external stakeholders’ influences in donor-funded irrigation infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka. The mixed research approach was used by incorporating 17 semi-structured interviews and two rounds of questionnaire surveys. The significantly influential external stakeholders, significant influencing strategies, and the significant managing strategies of the influential external stakeholders were identified through calculating MWR values using a 5-point Likert scale. Project affected parties (PAP) were demarcated as the most significantly influential external stakeholder among the 12 significantly influential external stakeholders. The influential external stakeholders were clustered as government institutes and the other external stakeholders. Seventeen influencing strategies by external stakeholders were identified as significantly influential, while six influencing strategies were specific to particular external stakeholders, and the rest were commonly practiced. Further, 22 management strategies were identified as significant, out of which 13 were specific to a particular external stakeholder, and nine were commonly used for managing the influences of external stakeholders in donor-funded irrigation infrastructure projects. Proper functioning of grievances readdresses committee (GRC) mechanism was recommended, especially for PAPs. Further, monitoring the progress of the government institutes duties at the planning and designing stage with applying key performance indicators (KPI) may facilitate timely reach the subsequent phases of the donor-funded irrigation infrastructure projects