Issues with supply chain management documents that contribute to project delays

Abstract

Supply chain management is the process of obtaining the raw materials or components needed to create a product or service for an enterprise and deliver that product or service to customers. In construction, it is vital due to the involvement of a large number of resources and stakeholders. Hence, documentation plays a very important role in such a process. Yet, there are certain issues with supply chain management documents that contribute to the various issues of construction projects, including project delays. Hence, this research aimed to identify the potential factors affecting construction projects due to poor documents in supply chain management. This study was limited to building construction projects in Sri Lanka. Agreement errors of labour suppliers and material suppliers were the main areas of concern. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted among construction professionals such as site engineers, project managers, technical officers, and Quantity Surveyors. The results of the research revealed that the documents were not prepared correctly, which indirectly caused the project to be delayed. This could happen due to various causes, such as documentation errors that take a long time to be corrected, people are not aware of the documentation required in various stages of the supply chain, and the stakeholders are not aware of the procedures correctly for each of the scenarios. Findings further revealed that errors such as delays, arithmetic mistakes, and specification inaccuracies frequently disrupt operations. To address these issues, corrective actions tailored to each document type were detailed, emphasising early negotiation, skilled personnel involvement, and rigorous verification processes. The study contributes significantly to the field by offering practical solutions that enhance document accuracy, improve supply chain efficiency, and reduce project delays. These measures not only address immediate documentation issues but also provide a framework for maintaining high standards of documentation accuracy in the construction industry, ensuring smoother operations and successful project completions.