Determinants of Construction Performance among Small Scale Construction Firms in Ghana

Abstract

The extant literature has under-explored the factors that determine construction performance among small scale building contractors in Ghana. Using the data set of 50 questionnaire received from respondents in the sector, this study examines the determinants that affect construction performance. The descriptive statistics as well as the analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach was used to make inferences from the data collected. The results indicate that the factors of performance of small-scale construction companies are time, cost, quality, scope and risk. There is evidence that for time, cost, and quality, higher results are recorded for Class 4 companies, followed by Class 3 companies, and finally Class 2 companies. In effect, the results suggest that all these factors need to be considered; but in terms of the financial classifications of the firms – time, cost and quality related strategies or policies need to be taken idiosyncratically. Given that Class 2 companies are the best, followed by Class 3 and then Class 4, the results suggest that higher financially classed construction companies are less impacted performance-wise, from the factors identified. On the other hand, for the scope and risk factors, similar strategies or policies can be utilised irrespective of the financial classifications. Keywords- Construction, small scale, contractors, performance, time, cost, Ghana.