50
2.2.0. Conceptual Framework
A Conceptual Framework is a structure of what has been learned to best explain the natural progression of a phenomena that is being studied (Camp, 2001).
Conceptual Framework is used by researchers to guide their inquiries and presents the research in relation to the relevant literature. Conceptual Framework is the researcher‟s own position on the problem and gives direction to the study. Miles and Huberman (1994), defines conceptual framework as a written or visual presentation that explains either graphically, or in narrative form, the main things to be studied- the key factors, concepts or variables and the presumed relationship among them. Conceptual framework is the basis on which any theory about the object of research could be postulated.
51
According to Charles and Andrew (1990), Construction clients are increasingly perplexed with the general level of effectiveness and accountability of projects.
Cost overrun in connection with project delays have more often than not, been recognized as one of the prime factors that leads to high cost of construction.
According to Jagboro (1987), the Nigerian Institute of Quality Surveyors in 1981 conducted a survey which showed that costs of construction in Nigeria were about 40% higher than similar types in Brazil and Kenya 35% higher than Britain and 30% higher when compared to construction in United States of America. This was further but stressed by Newcombe (1990), who opined that there exists global criticism of the construction industry‟s failure to deliver projects on time. The Nigerian construction industry is of overriding significance in terms of providing employment and economic growth. Efforts geared towards the improvement of construction competence in terms of timeliness, cost-effectiveness and quality efficiency will be meaningful and contribute to cost savings for the country at large. In Nigeria, besides investigating cause and consequences of time overrun, little research was identified to have been done on the relationship between motivation and effective project delivery which is measured on the basis of Time, Cost and Quality of building projects.
2.2.2 The Concept of Time in Effective Project Delivery Time in the execution of building projects is the duration from the date of site possession to the date of practical completion of that particular project, usually considered in weeks. Effective time control is one of the basic goals of parties involved in construction projects. Timely completion of a construction project is frequently seen as a major criterion of project success by clients, contractors and consultants alike (Bowen, Cattell, Hall and Pearl, 2002:48). There is no single definition that denotes what time is in construction projects. In the construction project context, time is referred to as the planned duration of works. It is also known as the schedule of works; however, whenever the planned schedule is not adhered to, it means something has gone wrong and then the terminology changes to „delays‟. From the initial stage, the client is interested in the time required for the project to be delivered. The client goal is shorten as much as possible, the time needed for each phase of the project, beginning from the initial planning stage to the completion stage.
52
Time, it is said is money. The Economic significance of time is why clients assert that “time is of the essence” in many contract. The construction contract contains many aspect where time can be controlled by the building project owner indirectly through contract clauses and contracting procedures.
The contractor is in the best position of exercising the most direct control over construction duration. Contractors use network schedules to control project durations, which are mostly a contract agreement between the two parties.
Clients may stipulate contract durations based on economics, weather, or other considerations. The project executor (the contractor) only generates a detailed network schedule after signing the contract. The initially scheduled duration might be longer than the actual time re33quired in the contract, hence, there is need for adjustments to meet contracts requirements. The contractor might want to finish the project earlier in order to avoid winter season, to take advantage of bonus payments, or to free up resources for different projects, and as a result require action to get back on track. In these cases, the contractor needs to define the project duration at which construction costs are minimized.
According to Newcombe (1990), there exists global criticism of the construction industry‟s failure to execute projects on time. Chan and Kumaraswamy (2002), are of the opinion that construction is of increasing importance due to the fact that it serves as a vital bench mark for assessing project performance and project organization efficiency. It is therefore, observed that the timely completion of projects is commonly regarded as one of the major criteria by which the success of the projects is commonly regarded as one of the major criteria by which the success of the projects are measured by building owners, consultants and contractors alike. This calls for the need to develop a strategy for the timely completion of projects by contractors in order to ensure that the project is effectively delivered, hence, the need for motivation of operatives, since they are key players during project delivery.
Delay in the completion of a construction project can be a major problem for construction companies, leading to costly and adverse relationships amongst project participants (Alwi and Hampson, 2003:1). There are many factors causing delays in construction projects. Fugar and Agyakwah-Baah (2010:109) identify ten factors of delays in construction projects in Ghana as the following:
delays in honouring payment certificates, un3derestimation of cost of projects, underestimation of complexity of projects, difficulty in accessing bank credit, poor supervision, underestimation of time for completion by contractors,
53
shortage of materials, poor professional management, fluctuation of prices, and poor site management. Apolot et al. (2012:309) identify the following ten causal factors of delays in Uganda‟s public sector construction projects: delayed payment to contractor/subcontractors and/or suppliers, inadequate/inefficient equipment, tools and plant, rework due to poor work/wrong materials by the contractor, bureaucracy, for example, rules regarding the approval of changes, contractor‟s work load, unreliable sources of materials on the local market, poor schedule management, poor monitoring and control due to incompetent/unreliable supervisors and poor communication. While the research studies on delays provide an endless list of causal factors, it is anticipated that a comprehensive breakdown of causal factors of time overruns, especially those related to construction team, would provide the insi3ght to adopt incentives in any given construction project.