When the action 5 stimulus of team induction was introduced to the project activities, the following processes were carried out;
4.3.6.1 Diagnosis
The risk of directing efforts into different directions at the expense of achieving ‘Unity of Purpose’ was one aspect which led to the implementation of this action 5. The reason for the implementation of the ‘team induction’ action was informed by the data generated from focus group workshops and conclusions derived from the various literature reviewed (Thomas, 2013; Bilau, 2015). This was because it was observed that different team members and sub-contractors joined the project at different times and during different phases of the project. Some of the new role players appeared ignorant of what was expected of them and this resulted in the performance of tasks which were reserved for execution during a later phase of the project. This was due to the fact that the tasks referred to were not sequenced to be executed at the time when certain activities were being performed.
4.3.6.2 Action Planning
A plan was put in place for every new person or sub-contractor working on the project for the first time to be inducted, provided with training or orientation of the project activities pertinent to the particular phase within the respective area of operation in order to appraise the person or sub-contractor on the activities within that phase. This was also aimed at ensuring that the new project staff was made aware of how their respective roles fit into the overall project vision and also advised on the expected time frames for the delivery of various milestones so that the project remained on schedule.
4.3.6.3 Action Taking
During this phase, only the roofing sub-contractor (C8), Sports fields sub-contractor(C11), concrete works sub-contractor (C14) and a few labourers (General workers) were taken through the induction sessions when they reported to the project site for the first time.
4.3.6.4 Evaluation
The induction and orientation sessions resulted in a seamless continuation of work as activities performed by different teams were co-ordinated leading to a stable work-flow according to the programme. Action 5 further ensured that no activity was stopped on
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account that the preceding task had either not been performed or had not been completed in time resulting from a role players’ lack of knowledge as to when such an activity was to be complete or how soon to complete the preceding activity and also identifying which activities needed to be executed simultaneously.
4.3.7 Action 6: Contract Management
The following processes were undertaken during the introduction of action 6 stimulus to project activities;
4.3.7.1 Diagnosis
The action was taken in accordance with the views derived from the literature review in which scholars asserted that one of the major risks causing the school infrastructure backlog was the premature termination of contracts by the client or abandoning of the projects by contractors. It was also suggested that the risk emanating from the lack of contract management was caused by the inability of the contract managers to enforce the prescribed contract penalty clauses when it became necessary to do so. It was further concluded that in some instances, the contract management action was taken so late in the contract that the desired outcomes were not achieved (Kaseke, 2011). Lack of monitoring and control of the penalty clause during default in the early stages resulted into multiple defaults which the contractor(s) failed to remedy because they were numerous and too costly.
4.3.7.2 Action Planning
The plan of action conceptualised was to ensure that anyone in default or in breach of the contract was provided with a written notice indicating the breach and given a number of days as provided by the contract to remedy the situation or have the contract penalty clause invoked in case of failure to implement corrective measures aimed at providing a remedy for the breach.
4.3.7.3 Action Taking
During this phase, the main contractor, C1, was issued with a default notice which indicated that the contractor was in breach of the contract because the project was behind schedule. The contractor was advised to take all necessary measures to restore the project to schedule. In response, the contractor applied for extension of time (assisted by the researcher) by means of a letter presented as Annexure E. The Implementing Agent (IA)
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referred to as C5 wrote a motivation letter to the client recommending the approval in a letter presented as Annexure K. The clients’ approval to the contractors’ application was presented as Annexure G. The concrete works sub-contractor, C8 was issued with a notice to correct defects on the concrete works through a site instruction issued in the site instructions book by the structural engineer. At the expiry of the 14 days’ notice period, remedial work had not been carried out and the contract was accordingly terminated by the researcher in his capacity as project manager. A new sub-contractor sourced from the site database was procured and enlisted to complete the balance of the concrete work which, the newly appointed sub-contractor did in an accelerated and compressed programme within the stipulated time and restored the programme back to the prescribed project schedule.
4.3.7.4 Evaluation
During the evaluation phase of this action, it was noted that if the penalty clause had not been enforced, both C1 and C4 would have continued performing their respective activities at the same pace which would have had negative effects on the project schedule, and also with dire consequence on quality which had the potential to increase cost and cause a budget over-run.
4.3.7.5 Analysis and Specified Learning
The analysis of the above action implies that sub-contractors whose work was below the specified quality were held accountable and compelled to take remedial action to correct their respective mistakes. The enforcement of the penalty clause served as a deterrent and a way of managing default related risks which had an effect on the project constraints of cost, time and quality.