ASSESSING CRITICAL FACTORS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF ETHIOPIAN RAILWAY PROJECTS, THE CASE OF ADDIS ABABA LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT

Abstract

Infrastructure development is a significant driver for advancement across the African continent and a critical enabler of economic growth. To track sustainable development one of the facilitator is transportation infrastructures. Mega transportation infrastructure projects need plenty of resources, human capital and knowledge to accomplish their projects successfully. Mostly, projects success is largely being measured by their completion on time, with allocated resources and expected quality. Moreover, managers’ efficiencies to handle each and every knowledge area management make the project performance more effective. The purpose of this study is to assess critical project management factors affecting the performance of railway projects in Ethiopia by taking Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit as a case study. The major objective is to analyze the managers’ efficiencies to handle the knowledge area management and to examine the critical factors that ensure railway project success based on the empirical evidence of project practitioners in the case study. This dissertation is organized with five chapters. The impact of transportation infrastructure development projects to Ethiopian economy is the researcher main reason to study in this topic and poor project management practices in projects. The research is both descriptive and explanatory type. Data collected by using self-administered questionnaires for 50 respondents. The percentage frequency distribution, relative importance index and regressions were used to analyze data. Among numerous factors, this study found out: Well-defined stakeholder management plan, Estimation of project cost, Determine the required budget, Control cost, Quality checklists, Confirming HR availability and Well-defined cost plan are the most critical factors for effective performance of AALRT project by using both methods. Also, the study revealed that the AALRT success perceived by completing the project on time and cost as planned, the project meet its product technical and operational performance, the customers’ needs and expectation by the project are the core success criteria for the project to said effective. Therefore, this paper provides insight into the project management knowledge areas critical factors influencing the performance of railway construction project for different objectives, focusing on the operation and implementation phases in the context of project management.