Causes and Effects of Variations in Ethiopian Federal Road Projects
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Date
2009-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Construction industry is a major player in economy of any countries by generating employment
and wealth to the nations. However many projects in developing countries experienced
extremely low performance in terms of time cost. One of the contributing factors to this low
performance among others is variation. This is because variation can affect project cost,
schedules.
With this background, this study tries to identify whether variation exists or not, what causes
these variations, what is their consequences, which contracting party is the more responsible in
initiating these variation and which is most affected as a consequences of these causes.
Based on this a questionnaire which consists of 35 potential causes, 12 possible effects and other
questions which enables to achieve the objectives of the research were developed. Accordingly
the study concludes that variation as one major problem in Ethiopian Federal road construction
projects. Right of way or accesses to site problems, change in defined scope, lack of proper
planning, lack of proper evaluations of tender documents by contractors at tendering phase and
contractor’s financial problems were identified as major causes which results these variations
and client/employer were identified more responsible in initiating most of the variation issues.
The study also investigated; delay in project completion time, increase in project cost,
suspension or hold on works, decrease in productivity and dispute among parties as a major
effects and contractors as the most affected contracting party as a result of effects of variations
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Construction industry is a major player