Critical success factors influencing project success in the construction industry

Abstract

English: The construction industry is one of the largest job creators in developing countries and is highly competitive. The high number of project failures suggests the existence of underlying critical success factors which have not been identified. This article assesses the perceptions of contractors and project managers on the critical success factors that lead to project success in the construction industry. This article is based on the four COMs model (comfort, competence, communication and commitment). A survey was conducted among 95 project managers and 61 active grade four contractors in Durban, South Africa. The findings reveal that both project managers and contractors strongly support the identified critical success factors as significant in achieving project success. There was no significant difference in their perception of critical success factors, based on the biographic characteristics. The recommendations presented may be used as a guideline for successful execution of construction projects.

Afrikaans: Die konstruksiebedryf is een van die grootste werkskeppers in ontwikkelende lande en is hoogs mededingend. Die hoë aantal projekmislukkings dui op die bestaan van onderliggende kritiese suksesfaktore wat nog nie geïdentifiseer is nie. Hierdie artikel poog om waarnemings wat kontrakteurs en projekbestuurders van die kritiese suksesfaktore in die konstruksiebedryf gemaak het, te bepaal. Die vier COMs-model (comfort, competence, communication en commitment) is gebruik om as basis vir hierdie studie te dien. Die opname is gedoen onder 95 projekbestuurders en 61 aktiewe graad-vier kontrakteurs, in Durban, Suid-Afrika. Die bevindinge het getoon dat beide projekbestuurders en kontrakteurs die kritiese suksesfaktore betekenisvol vind en sterk ondersteun, om projek sukses te bereik. Daar was geen betekenisvolle verskil in hul waarneming van kritiese suksesfaktore gebaseer op die biografiese kenmerke nie. Die aanbevelings wat gemaak word, kan as riglyn vir die suksesvolle uitvoering van konstruksieprojekte gebruik word.