Browsing by Author "Marsimoyi Weyuma"

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    The Practices of Project Management Offices in Public Building Construction Projects: The Case of Selected Organizations in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa Universiy, 2025-06) Marsimoyi Weyuma; Abraham Assefa (PhD)
    Project Management Offices (PMOs) have emerged as key institutional mechanisms in Ethiopia's public construction sector for improving project governance and execution. Despite their growing prominence, many PMOs are not fully integrated into enterprise-level governance structures, and project outcomes are frequently below expectations. This study investigates PMO practices, challenges, and effectiveness in three public building construction organizations in Addis Ababa: the Mega Projects Construction Office (MPCO), Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), and Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU). An exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory multiple-case study design was employed, along with a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach. Data were triangulated across 21 semi-structured interviews, 33 structured survey responses, and a review of organizational documents. The data were analyzed using thematic and content analysis supported by descriptive statistics. The findings show that PMOs have improved cost control and schedule adherence, but their impact is limited by departmental boundaries, fragmented governance structures, poor risk management practices, and low stakeholder engagement. Capacity gaps remain due to a lack of a structured recruitment framework, an overreliance on experience-based staffing, a low adoption of professional certifications, and inconsistencies in training provision. Systemic challenges, including fragmented regulatory frameworks, and frequent leadership turnover, continue to inhibit PMO effectiveness. The study concludes by proposing policy- and practice-oriented recommendations to strengthen PMO governance, institutionalize competency-based staffing, enhance structured training systems, and adopt global project management standards and frameworks to the specific context of Ethiopia’s public construction sector. The findings contribute to a better understanding of PMO practices in developing country contexts, addressing a critical gap in empirical research and providing practical insights for improving project governance in Ethiopia's public construction sector.