Factors Affecting Public Project Success: The Case Of Selected Projects In Adea Berga

Abstract

The success and failure of any project depend on its performance. The goal of all stakeholders’ owners, managers, contractors, engineers, and consultants in both public and private sectors is to complete projects on time, within budget, with high quality, and in the safest manner possible. However, several factors frequently affect project performance. This research aimed to investigate the factors affecting public project success in selected projects within Adea Berga Wereda. A cross-sectional research design was employed; using stratified random sampling to select 120 project implementers (managers, contractors, consultants, and clients) who completed structured questionnaires at their convenience. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 28, with descriptive binary analysis conducted using frequencies and percentages. Additionally, the Relative Importance Index (RII) was calculated. The findings revealed that key factors affecting project implementation performance include design changes by owners, owner interference, management neglecting project status until near completion, prioritization of individual actions over project goals, major disputes and negotiations, and poor communication among parties. Analysis of the three selected projects in Adea Berga yielded a Schedule Performance Index (SPI) mean value of 0.69 and a Cost Performance Index (CPI) value of 0.76, indicating that the projects are behind schedule and that actual costs exceed the work completed. Therefore, project managers must better understand the factors influencing project performance to take appropriate action. Further large-scale research is recommended to identify factors affecting project performance in both private and public project-holding institutions.