Impact of Schedule Delays on Project Performance: Moderating Role of Top Management Support

Abstract

Schedule Delays in construction industry’s projects has always been a major problem and it is considered as global phenomena. Delay in construction projects has severe consequences on goals of the project. The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between schedule delays and project performance and investigate the moderating effect of top management support on the relationship between schedule delays and project performance of the construction projects in Pakistan. To investigate the relationship, the questionnaire survey method was adopted and 310 respondents including Project Directors, Project Managers, Civil & Construction Engineers, Project Supervisors and other construction experts have given their input. The responses were received from the construction companies which has undertaken small, medium and large size construction projects in major cities of Pakistan i.e. Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Faisalabad and Multan, etc. This research has empirically proven that Schedule Delays i.e. Lack of Commitment, Insufficient Site Management, Poor Site Coordination, Improper Planning, Lack of clarity in Project Scope, Lack of Communication and Substandard Contracts significantly impact the construction projects of Pakistan and Improper Planning has the highest influence that attributed Project Performance. Further, Top Management Support in terms of Provide Resources, Structural Arrangements, Communication, Expertise and Power moderate the relationship between Schedule Delays and Project Performance. The all five constructs of Top Management support (moderator variable) also proved as “quasimoderator.” The practical implication of study is that Project Managers and other construction practitioners must understand that occurring of schedule delays is the common problem, however, findings of the results proposed that through proper planning, the delays can be reduced and with the support of Top Management, the overall Project Performance can be improved.