Modeling and Analyzing Factors Affecting Project Delays Using an Integrated Social Network-Fuzzy MICMAC Approach

Abstract

Factors that cause project delays are directly and indirectly interrelated. Despite this, the majority of prior studies that have been conducted to identify and rank project delay factors have failed to account for interrelationships between factors. Arguably, without taking these interrelationships and their cumulative effect into account, it is unlikely that the challenges associated with project delays will be fully addressed. With this in mind, this article presents an integrated Social Network-Fuzzy Integrated Network-fuzzy Cross-impact matrix multiplication analysis (MICMAC) approach that considers the largely imprecise interrelationships between multiple project delay factors. The effectiveness of the developed approach is shown through an illustrative demonstration that indicates the approach is effective in determining and analyzing the direct and indirect relational structures between the individual project delay factors. The value of the approach lies in its use for developing an effective risk-mitigation plan for minimizing the severity of project delays.

Keywords:

• Project Delays
• Social Network
• Fuzzy
• Integrated Network-fuzzy Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Analysis (MICMAC)

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Decision Making & Risk Management, Program & Project Management

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hamdi Bashir

Hamdi Bashir received his Ph.D. degree in 2000 from McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management at the University of Sharjah. Prior to joining this university, Dr. Bashir has held faculty positions at Sultan Qaboos University, University of Alberta, and Concordia University. Dr. Bashir’s research interests are in the areas of project management, manufacturing systems, quality management, and health care management.

Udechukwu Ojiako

Udechukwu Ojiako is Professor of Engineering Management & Law at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He currently is the Associate Editor for Production Planning & Control. Udechukwu holds a PhD in Project Management obtained from the University of Northumbria (2005), a PhD in Business obtained from University of Hull (2015) and an LLB in Laws obtained from the University of London (2017). He also recently completed an MPhil (Laws) with Aberystwyth University (2019).

Caroline Mota

Caroline Mota holds a PhD in Management Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Brasil, where she is currently an Associate Professor of Production Engineering. Caroline has participated of several research projects sponsored by the Brazilian National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq). Her research interests include project management and multiple criteria decision aid models.