Academic literature on the topic 'Construction industry – Ghana ; Conflict management – Ghana'

The establishment of the socialist regime had led to thorough political, economic, social, cultural and other changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first decade after the Second World War was marked by the reconstruction of the war-torn country, and great support in that process was provided by the USSR - the main ally of the new Yugoslavia. Emphasis was placed on the intensive development of the industry, which was to be the carrier of the overall economic development of the entire country. In accordance with this strategy, large industrial plants were established in all parts of Yugoslavia, thanks to which there was an intensive process of urbanization of numerous previously dormant communities. However, when there was a conflict and then a break with the USSR, Yugoslavia was forced to partially modify its economic development plans (the so-called Five-Year Plans). These changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina were most felt by cities such as Zenica, which instead of the originally planned Doboj became a Yugoslav metallurgical center, and Novi Travnik, which arose as a result of relocating part of the arms industry from Kragujevac in Serbia to central Bosnia. The factory “Bratstvo" (meaning Brotherhood) was built on a deserted meadow near Travnik in the heart of central Bosnia, and for the needs of housing workers who built industrial plants, as well as for those who worked in those plants, the first residential buildings were built in the form of low-quality wooden barracks. These were the roots of the workers' settlement that gradually grew into a new town called Novi Travnik. The fateful link between the factory and the city, which was established at that time, was not interrupted during the entire socialist period, so the survival and development of Novi Travnik completely depended on the business opportunities in the "Bratstvo" factory. The expansion of the production and plant of the "Bratstvo" also included the construction of new housing, communal, social, health, sports, cultural, catering and other facilities in Novi Travnik. A successful business year in "Bratstvo" meant a secure inflow of money into the local community budget as well as a sufficient number of funds for the work of cultural, artistic, entertainment, sports and all other societies in the city. The same rule applied in the case of bad business of "Bratstvo", and the most obvious example of how important the factory was for Novi Travnik can be seen in the case of a failed business in Ghana. The local authorities in Novi Travnik were absolutely aware of the role of the "Brotherhood" in the development of Novi Travnik and tried in every way to facilitate the functioning of the company, so, except for a few mere misunderstandings, relations between city and factory management were mostly friendly. After all, when the survival of the "Bratstvo" was called into question due to the failed business in Ghana, local authorities were among the first to appeal for the company's salvation, clearly noting that with the disappearance of the factory, the fate of Novi Travnik would be sealed. The paper presents a brief overview of the history of the company "Bratstvo" from its founding in June 1949 until the end of the socialist period in 1990, and analyses the relations between the city and factory authorities in that period. The aim of the paper was to show the importance that the factory "Bratstvo" had for the overall development of Novi Travnik and to determine how much the local authorities were aware of the role of companies in the development of the city. The paper provides insight into the processes that took place in a particular local community, but which can also be found in other industrial cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia during the socialist period.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the contemporary strategies for Health and Safety (H&S) management practices at the construction sites in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The study used a mixed method approach in conducting a cross-sectional survey at 28 active construction sites in the Kumasi and Accra metropolises of Ghana using questionnaires and interview guide by using purposive, convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected from 170 survey respondents and 18 interview participants comprising artisans and management staff. Findings On H&S management practices, the study found that most construction sites have policies for H&S delivery and are duly followed and enforced. Nonetheless, construction workers moderately agreed that there was reward for; the avoidance and reduction of accidents and illnesses, good H&S behaviour and provision for insurance and hospital claims. It was also revealed that most of the construction sites adopt either one or a combination of mandatory H&S standards. Generally, most workers possessed a fairly positive perception about the H&S management practices at their sites and were either satisfied or very satisfied with its performance. Research limitations/implications Generalizing the findings beyond the study areas is limited because of the use of the non-probability sampling techniques. Originality/value This study focused on the active construction sites in the study areas to investigate their H&S practices against the backdrop of numerous publications describing the general H&S situation in Ghana as poor. It revealed the current H&S performance of the construction sites for the benefit of the construction industry, researchers and the academia.

Cost management is key to project implementation and an important tool for maximizing profit nonetheless it has been a major challenge for most indigenous construction firms in Ghana. The study seeks to investigate the important factors influencing cost management practices among indigenous construction firms in Ghana and to ascertain whether there is a significant difference between the responses of the categories of the firm (construction and consultancy firms) in Ghana. A total of 82 questionnaires were retrieved from 100 administered questionnaires to professionals with indigenous construction firms representing 82% response rate. Data gathered were analyzed descriptively using Mean Item Score (MIS) via SPSS version 24 to identify the most important factors. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity conducted showed a KMO score of 0.894. Bartlett’s test of sphericity also revealed a significance level of 0.000 (p˂0.05). The ANOVA suggest that there is no significant difference between the responses between the categories of firms. Indigenous firms are encouraged therefore to consider managing disagreement between project team members by ensuring constant project implementation meetings and to understand ground conditions of projects by visiting proposed sites prior to estimation and tendering. Finally, communication and expenditure control measures should be enhanced and introduced respectively. The implication of this study while contributing to the discourse on cost management practices of indigenous constructions firms in Ghana, also outlines the major (highly ranked) factors influencing indigenous firms in the management of project cost, before, during and after project implementation.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causes of scope creep on project completion in the real estate development industry in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Both simple random sampling and convenience sampling techniques were used in selecting the respondents for the study. The respondents were experts working in the real estate development industry in Ghana. Findings Results from the study showed that the most critical factors that cause scope creep in the Ghanaian real estate development industry are client changes, unforeseen risks and unclear scope. Mitigating measures for addressing these factors were proposed. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to causes of scope creep in the real estate development industry in Ghana based on data collected from only real estate development firms in Accra. Due to geographic constraints, the researcher was unable to sample real estate development companies across the entire country. The finding of this study may not be generalised since causes of scope creep can be unique to individual country contexts. Practical implication This paper has documented the critical causes of scope creep and its major impacts on project completion in the real estate development industry in Ghana. The results will help project managers in the industry to appreciate the causes of scope creep and its effect on project completion as well as increase the quality of economics on real estate management and reduce the costs and risks of housing of delivery in the country. Originality/value The paper examined the causes and mitigation of project scope creep in the Ghanaian context.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causes of road construction delays in Ghana and identify appropriate mitigation measures. Design/methodology/approach The initial approach involved an empirical analysis of 48 road projects to quantify the extent of time. This was followed by a survey of the perception of road agency and donor partner officials of the critical causes of road project delays. Findings About 70 per cent of road projects experience delays and 52 per cent experience cost overruns. The average time overrun and cost overruns of road projects in Ghana was 17 months and US$1.15m (or 22.5 per cent), respectively. The five most critical causes of road construction delays were delay in finance and payment of completed work by owner (client-related); inadequate contractor experience (contractor-related); changes in scope by the owner during construction (client-related); delay to furnish and deliver the site to the contractor (client-related); and inflexible funding allocation for project items (donor-related). Research limitations/implications The most critical constraint of this study is the fact that findings are based on only the views of industry professional experts. It may be assumed that despite using broadly used terminology to refer to the causes of project delays, the interpretations by respondents may have differed from those intended. Further research could look at the correlation between time overrun and cost overrun using principle component analysis. Practical implications The identified delay factors are not unique to the road sector. From both academic and practical perspectives, the results emphasizes on the need for a holistic and integrated risk management model for the entire construction industry in Ghana. Originality/value The paper examined the causes of road project delays in the Ghanaian context and recommended remedial measures.

This paper undertakes a five-year review of the management of oil revenues in Ghana since the commencement of oil production in 2010. Using reports from the Petroleum Transparency and Accountability Index, official records from key state agencies, and interviews with core individuals within the petroleum sector, the paper assesses the quality of transparency and accountability in the management of Ghana's oil revenue. It argues that even though some progress has been made in the transparent and accountable use of oil revenues, more can be achieved if certain critical bills are passed and proactive interventions pursued without further delay on the part of government and policymakers within Ghana's petroleum sector. These would help prevent both potential social conflict that may result from a lack of information on how oil revenues are utilised and the corrupt use of oil funds by politicians and people in authority within the oil industry.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the critical risk factors affecting mining projects in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A purposive sampling approach was used in selecting the respondents for the study. These were practitioners working on mining projects in Ghana. Findings The study identified 22 risk factors contributing to mining project failure in Ghana. The five most critical mining project risk factors based on both probability of occurrence and impact were unstable commodity prices, inflation/exchange rate, land degradation, high cost of living and government bureaucracy for obtaining licenses. Mitigation measures for addressing the identified risk factors were identified. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to data collected from practitioners working on mining projects. Due to geographic and logistical constraints, the study did not include the perception of local communities in quantifying the risk factors. Practical implications This paper has documented the critical risk factor affecting the mining industry in Ghana. Though the identified risk types are also prevalent in other sectors of the construction industry, the key findings of this paper emphasize the need for a comprehensive risk management culture in the mining sector. From an academic research perspective, the paper contributes to a conceptual risk assessment framework. Originality/value The information gathered through this research can be utilized in identifying and understanding risks during the early stages of mining project implementation.

This study explored the extent to which health and safety (H&S) are considered in the procurement of public sector projects in Ghana. This is based on the background that procurement decisions have implications for project H&S management. The enormous size of public procurement projects offers opportunities for public clients to influence the behaviour of the construction market including the promotion of H&S through procurement. To date, no study has fully assessed the extent of H&S considerations in procurement decisions for public sector construction projects in Ghana. To fill this gap, this research has provided an evidence-based assessment of H&S considerations in the various stages of the procurement process for public sector projects in Ghana. Through a questionnaire survey, data were collected from construction industry professionals in Ghana. The data were subjected to statistical analysis to evaluate the extent of H&S considerations. The findings suggest that H&S is given low priority in the procurement of public projects, because clear project objectives relating to H&S are not set, and adequate consideration is not given to H&S at the various procurement stages. Based on the findings, this research has made recommendations to promote H&S in public procurement in Ghana.

Purpose – The Ghanaian banking industry has over the last 20 years witnessed tremendous growth to the extent that rural banks are now expanding their activities into urban centres. Hitherto, rural banks operated in rural and peri-urban areas in Ghana, but nowadays, there is an upsurge of rural banks activities in the urban centres of Ghana; and, they operate from rented premises, most of which are existing buildings in the urban areas. To meet the banking demands and the urban banking competitions such as the introduction of new technologies and regulations, the rural banks endeavour to expand (refurbish) the old/existing buildings with inherent adaptation and retrofitting challenges. Even though, adaptation and retrofit projects may not be popular in Ghana at large scales, this paper through combined methodology of constructive dialogue, case studies and condition survey approaches presents rural banks projects in Ghana as case studies of refurbishment and maintenance to “unearth” and resonate some key challenges of managing adaptation and retrofits in Ghana for future effective projects management solutions during their conception and execution. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Through combined methodology of constructive dialogue, case studies and condition survey approaches this paper presents rural banks projects in Ghana as case studies of refurbishment and maintenance to “unearth” and resonate some key challenges of adaptation and retrofit projects. Findings – The condition survey revealed unprecedented infrastructural drive by rural banks throughout Ghana and their desire to penetrate the urban areas as well. However, this drive unfortunately as it appeared, is not informed and carried out within the confines and dictates of existing legislations in Ghana. Again, it was found that adaptations and retrofitting will improve and integrate the rural banks in the urban economy through prudent project management practices. Research limitations/implications – Availability of local researches and literature on adaptations and retrofitting as project management practices in Ghana. Practical implications – Retrofitting and adaptation projects in Ghana is crucial for project management practices on low-impact building as Ghana faces energy challenges. Social implications – This research brings to bear realistic programme to build capacity of personnel to strategically integrate the rural banks into the central banking system of Ghana as well as project management practices through better and effective monitoring for social, ethical and equity impacts of their project managers. Originality/value – Apparently, adaptation and retrofit projects are not be popular in Ghana at large scales and this is the first time an academic paper of a kind has been written to guide and manage future adaptation and retrofit projects during their conception and execution as well as project management practices in general.

For a growing number of countries in Africa the discovery and exploitation of natural resources is a great opportunity, but one accompanied by considerable risks. In Africa, countries dependent on oil, gas, and mining have tended to have weaker long-run growth, higher rates of poverty, and greater income inequality than less resource-abundant economies. In resource-producing economies, relative prices make it more difficult to diversify into activities outside of the resource sector, limiting structural change. Economic structure matters for at least two reasons. First, countries whose exports are highly concentrated are vulnerable to declining prices and volatility. Second, economic diversification matters for long-term growth. This book presents research undertaken to understand how better management of the revenues and opportunities associated with natural resources can accelerate diversification and structural change in Africa. It begins with chapters on managing the boom, the construction sector, and linking industry to the resource—three major issues that frame the question of how to use natural resources for structural change. It then reports the main research results for five countries—Ghana, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. Each country study covers the same three themes—managing the boom, the construction sector, and linking industry to the resource. One message that clearly emerges is that good policy can make a difference. A concluding chapter sets out some ideas for policy change in each of the areas that guided the research, and then goes on to propose some ideas for widening the options for structural change.