ABSTRACT
Efficient performance of project management road infrastructure projects is essential for economic growth and development. Performance of road infrastructure projects in the Lake Basin Region constructed by local firms is poor in terms of completion of the projects within the budgeted cost, time schedule and attaining the desired quality. This study therefore, sought to establish the effects of project management practices on the performance of road infrastructure projects in the Lake Basin Region constructed by local firms. The study was guided by four specific objectives: determine the effects of project resource mobilization, project management monitoring and evaluation, group dynamics management and project risks management on performance of road infrastructure projects. The study employed both the descriptive and explanatory research design based on a survey. The target population comprised of 41 road infrastructure projects in the Lake Basin Region constructed by local firms between 2011 and 2016.
INTRODUCTION
Project management is defined as the process of planning, scheduling and controlling all of the project activities to achieve it aims and
objectives (Bhavesh, 2006). The creative concept of project management is universal and generic. This cut across all cultural, natural and
logistic barriers, some
corporate cultures are much more supportive of project techniques than others. Top managers who plan to introduce the project management discipline, or who wish to improve existing project performance, needs to take cognizance of cultural, and structural as well as practical and personal elements (Dykstra, 2011).
The most common assessment of the performance of construction projects is through evaluating whether the project management have been accomplished on time, within budget, up to the technical specification required and whether they meet client satisfaction. High project performance is achieved when stakeholders meet their individual and collective requirements (Atkinson, Waterhouse and Wells, 1997). Determination of the performance of road construction project management can be achieved by evaluation of project deliverables against key performance indicators (KPI). These KPIs tell whether the projects are delivered on time, within budget, defect-free, efficiently, right first time, safely and profitably (Vandevoorde and Vanhoucke, 2006). A project management is graded as having performed well if is accomplished within budget, gets completed within planned timelines and conforms to functional and technical specifications. In a project life cycle, the project is started in the initiation phase, then it is actually carried out in a loop through planning, execution, and monitoring and controlling phases and then finally, the work is completed (Williams,2008).
Project management establishes a reference for the execution of activities by providing a roadmap that guides the project team. During the planning process, an initial schedule is created that lists all the activities which must be accomplished, the time by which each task must be carried out, the responsible persons for completing each task and the expected deliverables. A fully completed plan is supposed to state what tasks are to be carried out, why the tasks are important, who will carry out what work and when the project is scheduled to be completed. It will also state the resources that are required and in order to be declared complete and successful and what criteria the project must meet (Wysocki and McGary, 2003).
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