Risk assessment and management practices (RAMP) within the Tanzania construction industry: Implementation barriers and advocated solutions

Abstract

Despite the extensive research on the barriers to the implementation of risk assessment and management practices (RAMP); there is a paucity of studies that examine these barriers within the context of developing countries, particularly Africa. This paper aims to investigate the perceptions of Tanzanian construction professionals concerning the barriers to the implementation of RAMP. A triangulated data collection approach is adopted. Barriers identified from literature review were empirically tested by data collected using a sample survey of 67 construction professionals drawn from 27 consultants; 24 contractors and 16 client organizations within the Tanzanian construction industry (TCI). Response data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Ranking and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the barriers affecting the implementation of RAMP. These three listed barriers were identified as significant: (i) awareness of risk management processes; (ii) lack of experience; and (iii) lack of information. In contrast, ‘cost implementations’ and ‘time constraints’ were ranked lowly. The identified barriers could be used as a ‘road map’ for the development of appropriate solutions for successful implementation of RAMP, and to improve the decision-making processes of construction organizations. In addition, knowledge and understanding of risk management process would effectively contribute to identifying and managing inherent risk.

Keywords:

• barriers
• risk management
• risk assessment
• construction industry
• Questionnaire survey
• Tanzania

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express sincere gratitude to three anonymous reviewers and the associated editor of the International Journal of Construction Management for their constructive and helpful comments to enhance the quality of earlier versions of this paper.

It should be noted that an abbreviated version of parts of this paper has been presented and published in the proceedings of the 29th Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference (ARCOM) held in Reading, UK, 1st – 3rd September 2013.