Survival challenges faced by the small-scale building contractors in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The construction industry is a significant contributor to the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka, and small-scale contractors play a crucial role in this industry. However, their sustainability is a matter of concern. The vital contribution made by small-scale contractors in generating job opportunities and reducing poverty has been recognised in Sri Lanka and globally. The research study examines the significant challenges C7-C9 grade contractors face in surviving in the Sri Lankan construction industry. The study utilised a mixed-method approach. Stage one consists of, administering a questionnaire survey, distributed among C7 to C9 contractors and stage two consists of conducting a series of semi-structured interviews among five industry experts. The initial groundwork involved an extensive review of the existing literature, complemented by acquiring primary data. During the first stage, the study continued using thirty responses and to analyse the collected data, descriptive statistical tools such as percentage counts, weighted averages, etc used through a 5-point Likert Scale analysis. Among the key challenges that emerged, financial policies stand as a critical issue with higher governance. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using code-based content analysis. Among the solutions proposed, improving skills and efficiencies was a highly proposed solution to facing these challenges. This study will be useful for many struggling C7-C9 contractors in Sri Lanka to identify their least-performing areas in the trade and to improve their overall performance while nurturing the construction industry.