Project Planning Practices and Performance of Road Construction Projects in Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of project planning practices on performance of road construction projects in Kwale County, Kenya. The study employed the correlational research design to test non-causal relationships among study variables. The target population consisted of 236 project implementation team in charge of 59 road construction projects under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority in Kwale County, Kenya. The proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 148 project implementation team in charge of 37 road construction projects under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority in Kwale County, Kenya. A pilot study was conducted to ascertain the validity and reliability of the constructed survey questionnaire. A cross-sectional survey-based approach was used to collect primary data. With the help of 3 research assistants, the researcher utilized the drop and pick method to hand deliver the survey questionnaires to the project implementation team in charge of the road construction projects. The collected data was processed and entered into the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26 to create a data sheet used for statistical analysis. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The Pearson's product moment correlation results indicated that project planning practices had positive and significant relationship with performance of road construction projects in Kwale County, Kenya. The regression results indicated that that project resource planning practice and project scope planning practice had positive and significant influence on performance of road construction projects in Kwale County, Kenya. The project managers should recognize the importance of project planning practices and apply them to foster the performance of road construction projects. The policymakers should initiate policy review to motivate project managers to recognize the importance of project planning practices and apply them to foster performance of road construction projects. Future researchers should examine the moderating effect of project complexity on the relationship between project planning practices and performance of road construction projects in other regions or contexts.