Risk management in the procurement of Community-Based construction projects in Zambia

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Date
2011-07-14
Authors
Manelele, Inambao
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Abstract
The need to improve the socio-economic well being of the citizenry has placed huge challenges on the provision of better social infrastructure in developing countries like Zambia. To help with meeting the challenges, inputs from local communities have been incorporated in infrastructure development in Zambia. This arrangement minimizes construction costs compared to conventional construction modes and also instills a sense of responsibility in the community. However, the involvement of local communities in construction introduces a number of risks during the execution of the projects as the community may not be conversant with construction and the procedures involved in the procurement process. The consequences of not assessing and managing construction risks are that projects may experience time and cost overruns and lead to poor quality structures. This research sought to propose improvements in the management of community-based projects by identifying the risks involved at every stage in the procurement of the projects, analyzing them and developing a risk management model that would improve the implementation of the projects.The methodology employed in this research included desk study, which involved literature review of studies and works done in the field of construction risk management. Group brainstorming sessions with PMCs were conducted to identify potential risks. A questionnaire survey that sought to validate the findings from the brainstorming sessions and also to collect data relating to probability and impact of the identified risks on project objectives was carried out. The risks identified in the study were classified in six categories namely: project initiation; community contribution and participation; budget and finance; skilled labour; materials procurement; and technical supervision and quality control. A risk management model that could be used in the implementation of community-based projects was developed at the end of the study and validated. The main limitation of the study was that data from other types of construction other than school infrastructure could not be collected.
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Construction Industry--Zambia , Construction projects---Zambia
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