ICCREM 2019 241
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Influence of Risk Factors on Project’s Objectives in Construction Industry of Pakistan
Asad Kamal
1
; Hafiz Zahoor
2
; Babar Ali
3
; Suqrat Babar
4
; and Ahsen Maqsoom
5
1
Postgraduate, Dept. of Construction Engineering and Management, National Univ. of Sciences
and Technology, Risalpur Campus, Pakistan 24080. E-mail: asad.kamal@mce.nust.edu.pk
2
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Construction Engineering and Management, National Univ. of
Sciences and Technology, Risalpur Campus, Pakistan 24080. E-mail:
hafiz.zahoor@mce.nust.edu.pk
3
Postgraduate, Dept. of Construction Engineering and Management, National Univ. of Sciences
and Technology, Risalpur Campus, Pakistan 24080. E-mail: babar.ali@mce.nust.edu.pk
4
Postgraduate, Dept. of Construction Engineering and Management, National Univ. of Sciences
and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan 44000. E-mail: sbabar.cem5nit@nit.nust.edu.pk
5
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, COMSATS Univ. Islamabad, Wah Campus,
Pakistan 47040. E-mail: ahsen.maqsoom@ciitwah.edu.pk
ABSTRACT
Construction industry is prone to a number of risks due to its dynamic nature and the
involvement of several stakeholders. These risks, if left untreated, negatively influence the
project’s objectives including cost, time, and quality. Numerous studies have been conducted
globally to find the potential risks faced by construction industry; however, they aren’t alike in
all the regions. Thus, identifying and mitigating the potential risks, pertinent to a specific region,
is an important milestone in the success of construction projects. This study, therefore, attempts
to identify seventy-three key risk factors related to delay, cost overrun, and quality, affecting the
performance of building projects in Pakistan, through an extensive literature review and semi-
structured interviews. The identified factors were then prioritized, by the industry experts from
both public and private sectors, using a questionnaire survey. The study discusses the influence
of top five risk factors, in detail. The findings are expected to help, key stakeholders in Pakistan,
in effective planning and monitoring of building projects at various stages; thus completing the
projects within the allocated time, budgeted cost, and desired quality level. The study’s
methodology and results can be generalized, with cautious, in other regions and cultures having
similar work environment.
INTRODUCTION
Construction is one of the most important and largest employment producing sectors within
Pakistan (Maqsoom et al. 2013). It has registered a growth of 9.05% against the last year growth
of 14.6% (Pakistan Economic Survey 2017). Boom of construction in different economic zones
such as Energy, Architecture and Planning, Industrial and Transportation, makes it a defining
element for the economic development of the country (Gardezi et al. 2014; Maqsoom et al.
2013). Though construction industry is progressing well, the quantum and rate of progress are
yet not up to the mark (Maqsoom and Charoenngam 2014). Construction industry of Pakistan,
like other countries around the world, has a poor record in terms of completing projects in
allotted time and cost (Gardezi et al. 2014). In addition, it is facing the serious issues in
maintaining the quality of construction works. Hence, it is unable to deliver as per the
government plan criteria of progressive development (Maqsoom and Charoenngam 2014).
The key objectives of a construction project are to complete it within time, cost and specified
ICCREM 2019
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