An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry

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dc.contributor.advisorShaw, Corrinneen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGrobbelaar, Gidoen Jen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-07-01T08:57:23Z
dc.date.available2015-07-01T08:57:23Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis study will investigate project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry. The availability of capital for projects was reduced by the 2008-2009 global economic recession. This resulted in additional strain on project performance, since the potential implications of cost and schedule overruns for clients, project teams and project managers became harsher. For project failure, the implications may be even worse. Possible implications include career damage; unemployment; financial loss; or liquidation of companies. Projects in the South African petrochemical industry are faced with many challenges such as unfavourable legislation; lack of competent and experienced project human resources; low quality of work; low productivity; and remoteness of the region and industry. These challenges pose a risk to project success. When projects are completed successfully, it can hold major advantages for clients as well as for project team members. These potential advantages include corporate growth; improved job security; career advancement; and financial gain. There are certain factors which need to be managed effectively on projects to improve the probability of project success. These are referred to as success factors. The research question for this study is: What are the most critical factors that project managers need to manage effectively in the South African petrochemical industry to improve project success? This question will be answered by first considering theoretical data, as well as empirical data collected from project professionals with relevant experience by means of interviews and a survey. Purposive sampling was used to obtain inputs from 61 project professionals with over 1,000 years combined project experience in this region and industry. The sample includes participants from project engineering consultants, client organisations, as well as project professionals working for owner project management companies. From the empirical data, challenges unique or dominant in the region or the industry were identified. Using qualitative content analysis, challenges were coded, which resulted in 30 challenge categories. The 10 highest priority challenge categories were consolidated to form 5 general challenges. These are an unfavourable environment; low competence and experience levels; poor availability of project resources; low quality of work; and low productivity. These challenges are a hindrance to project success.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationGrobbelaar, G. J. (2014). <i>An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13231en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGrobbelaar, Gidoen J. <i>"An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13231en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGrobbelaar, G. 2014. An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Grobbelaar, Gidoen J AB - This study will investigate project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry. The availability of capital for projects was reduced by the 2008-2009 global economic recession. This resulted in additional strain on project performance, since the potential implications of cost and schedule overruns for clients, project teams and project managers became harsher. For project failure, the implications may be even worse. Possible implications include career damage; unemployment; financial loss; or liquidation of companies. Projects in the South African petrochemical industry are faced with many challenges such as unfavourable legislation; lack of competent and experienced project human resources; low quality of work; low productivity; and remoteness of the region and industry. These challenges pose a risk to project success. When projects are completed successfully, it can hold major advantages for clients as well as for project team members. These potential advantages include corporate growth; improved job security; career advancement; and financial gain. There are certain factors which need to be managed effectively on projects to improve the probability of project success. These are referred to as success factors. The research question for this study is: What are the most critical factors that project managers need to manage effectively in the South African petrochemical industry to improve project success? This question will be answered by first considering theoretical data, as well as empirical data collected from project professionals with relevant experience by means of interviews and a survey. Purposive sampling was used to obtain inputs from 61 project professionals with over 1,000 years combined project experience in this region and industry. The sample includes participants from project engineering consultants, client organisations, as well as project professionals working for owner project management companies. From the empirical data, challenges unique or dominant in the region or the industry were identified. Using qualitative content analysis, challenges were coded, which resulted in 30 challenge categories. The 10 highest priority challenge categories were consolidated to form 5 general challenges. These are an unfavourable environment; low competence and experience levels; poor availability of project resources; low quality of work; and low productivity. These challenges are a hindrance to project success. DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry TI - An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13231 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/13231
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGrobbelaar GJ. An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2014 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13231en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Mechanical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherMechanical Engineeringen_ZA
dc.titleAn investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industryen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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