Effect of Project Management Practices on Performance of Infrastructure Projects at Kenya Airports Authority
Abstract
Project management practices are essential nowadays notwithstanding the diverse
contexts of its application since it leads to improved expansion of projects and
supervision of resources within the confines of preset cost, time and scope. Many
projects have been implemented because they play a crucial function at Kenya
Airports Authority in delivery of its services to the millions of airport users who
frequent the various airports spread out in the entire nation. Despite this, a lot of
projects have failed to achieve the intended functions due to myriad of challenges
during implementation. Project management tools and practices are one of the major
hindrances to successful project completion and this brought about the need to explore
how project management practices affect the performance of infrastructure projects at
Kenya Airports Authority. The study picked on four theories specifically; systems,
constraints, stakeholder and cybernetics. Systems theory anchors the study. The
descriptive research design was used. The unit of analysis for the study was 37
infrastructure projects that had been completed between the year 2016 and 2021, i.e.
6-year period at Kenya Airports Authority. Data was gathered through an organized
questionnaire that was shared with the project managers and project supervisors to
obtain both quantitative as well as qualitative information on completed infrastructure
projects at Kenya Airports Authority. 37 questionnaires were administered and only
32 completed ones were received back. Regression equation was used to check the
connection amongst the variables being studied. The study exhibited existence of
proper communication control process in the organization; there was sufficient and on
time response to contractors, project leaders and supervisors; there was smooth flow
of communication among the project team and management; and that there was
frequent satisfactory degree of communication in overall project issues. It found that
project team members did not have to possess project risk management skills. It was
found that project progress reports were not produced regularly. The research
demonstrated that stakeholder empowerment was considered in the project;
stakeholders of the projects were identified and participated in procedure of making
decisions; stakeholders were involved in the provision of support resources;
information sharing with stakeholders was done at all times of the project life; and
stakeholders were part of the team that provided necessary resources. In concluding,
the study shows project communication management displayed the highest effect on
discharge of infrastructure projects, next was project team management, then
monitoring and evaluation while the project stakeholders’ management displayed the
least influence on the presentation of infrastructure projects. The study therefore
recommends that project undertakings must be shared to every group concerned
during its implementation and; the authority should create the correct channel for
delivering messages and receiving feedback in both downward and upward
communication. The study recommends close examination of the project teams ought
to be carried out to make sure that many stakeholders are represented. It recommends
that stakeholders ought to be considered in the projects from the planning and design
stage to the execution phases so as to adopt project as theirs and later embrace the
completed project. Monitoring and as well evaluation ought to be considered in all
stages of the project and never as a one-off activity only.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- School of Business [1411]
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