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Investigation of Project Delays: Towards a Sustainable Construction Industry

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  • Aftab Hameed Memon

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Nawabshah 67480, Pakistan)

  • Abdul Qadir Memon

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Nawabshah 67480, Pakistan)

  • Shabir Hussain Khahro

    (Department of Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia)

  • Yasir Javed

    (Department of Computer Science, College of Computer Information and Sciences, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the key industries for any country. It has been observed that this industry is suffering from sustainable solutions during project execution. It is evident from the literature that most of the construction projects are seriously affected by delays. Pakistan’s construction industry also suffers similar challenges. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction industry is experiencing several challenges which have resulted in project delays. Thus, this study investigates the key challenges affecting the timely completion of construction projects. The challenges were discovered from the literature and investigated to analyze their significance towards a sustainable construction project. This study also observes the relationships between the key challenges using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). A structural model was developed based on the 55 common challenges identified from literature. Data collection was administered through a structured questionnaire survey using a 5-point Likert-scale. The challenges were grouped into six constructs. The outcome reported 20 critical challenges, with information and communication-related factors being the most important challenge in the construction industry. Contract management also significantly affects project time overrun. The created model served as a starting point for academics, researchers, and practitioners to create an effective system for regulating time overrun challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Aftab Hameed Memon & Abdul Qadir Memon & Shabir Hussain Khahro & Yasir Javed, 2023. "Investigation of Project Delays: Towards a Sustainable Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1457-:d:1033356
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Serdar Durdyev & Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas & Derek Thurnell & Audrius Banaitis & Ali Ihtiyar, 2018. "Sustainable Construction Industry in Cambodia: Awareness, Drivers and Barriers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Shahriar Akter & John D'Ambra & Pradeep Ray, 2011. "Trustworthiness in mHealth information services: An assessment of a hierarchical model with mediating and moderating effects using partial least squares (PLS)," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(1), pages 100-116, January.
    3. Shahid Iqbal & Nabeel Ehtisham & Syed Farqaleet K. Bukhari & Shahid Mahmood, 2020. "The Assessment of Risk Management & Engineering Management Practices at Project Planning Phase on Performance of Construction Projects," Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, CSRC Publishing, Center for Sustainability Research and Consultancy Pakistan, vol. 6(4), pages 1369-1378, December.
    4. Monecke, Armin & Leisch, Friedrich, 2012. "semPLS: Structural Equation Modeling Using Partial Least Squares," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 48(i03).
    5. Shabir Hussain Khahro & Yasir Javed, 2022. "Key Challenges in 21st Century Learning: A Way Forward towards Sustainable Higher Educational Institutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Adel Al-Kharashi & Martin Skitmore, 2009. "Causes of delays in Saudi Arabian public sector construction projects," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 3-23.
    7. Shabir Hussain Khahro & Aftab Hameed Memon & Nafees Ahmed Memon & Ali Arsal & Tauha Hussain Ali, 2021. "Modeling the Factors Enhancing the Implementation of Green Procurement in the Pakistani Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aftab Hameed Memon & Shabir Hussain Khahro & Nafees Ahmed Memon & Zubair Ahmed Memon & Ahmed Mustafa, 2023. "Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance in the Construction Industry of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-21, May.
    2. Muhammad Zaheer Akhtar & Khalid Zaman & Muhammad Azhar Khan, 2024. "Governance, foreign investment, and growth: the impact of governance indicators, foreign direct investment, economic expansion, and industrialization on carbon emissions," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(12), pages 1-25, December.
    3. Qasim Hussain Khahro & Noor Yasmin Zainun & Shabir Hussain Khahro & Basel Sultan, 2023. "An Integrated Model to Improve Job Satisfaction: A Case for a Sustainable Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, May.

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