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Alkharmany, A (2017) Project management: the effect of Saudi national culture on the attitudes of key stakeholders towards delay in construction projects in Saudi Arabia, Unpublished PhD Thesis, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton.

  • Type: Thesis
  • Keywords: national culture; stakeholder; delay; Saudi Arabia
  • ISBN/ISSN:
  • URL: https://research.brighton.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/8ed9c665-677f-4769-980b-49e70a801717
  • Abstract:
    The construction industry plays a vital role in the social and economic development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Despite huge investment in the industry, its growth has been slowed by poor performance which often face significant delays. Studies have highlighted that more than 70% of public sector construction projects in KSA go over budget and/or finish late. It is also highlighted that the effect of national culture on the attitude of key project stakeholders should not be overlooked, and that there is a limited understanding of how the Saudi National Culture (SNC) affects the attitude of stakeholders in construction projects in KSA. The aim of this study is therefore "to establish the influence of national culture on the attitude of key stakeholders (clients, contractors, and consultants) and its subsequent impact on delay in construction projects in the KSA". An in-depth literature review provided a robust understanding of national culture, attitude and the causes of delay on construction projects. Content analysis was then used to identify twelve factors that most influence the attitude of stakeholders in the Saudi construction industry. These enabled the development of a conceptual framework of how SNC could influence attitude of key stakeholders towards delay in construction projects. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted in the KSA and in the United Kingdom (UK) to help provide a better understanding of the variables in the relationship between culture, attitude and delay in construction projects. These interviews informed the research in developing a questionnaire aimed at “establishing the effect of national culture on the attitude of key stakeholders towards delay” in KSA. The questionnaires were distributed to a selection of clients, contractors and consultants in KSA. The collected data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results enabled the validation of the developed conceptual framework and the production of a list of recommendations for effective project management with the aim of reducing the occurrence of construction delay that originates from the effect of national culture on construction projects in the KSA. The primary research established that there is a correlation between each of the identified twelve factors and at least one of the three components of attitude (feelings, thoughts and actions) towards delay. It also established that except Indulgence vs Restraint (IVR), all other Hofstede’s National Cultural Dimensions have a correlation with the attitudes of key stakeholders towards delay. Interestingly, there is a clear divergence or difference in perception between the three selected key stakeholders (clients, consultants and contractors) on the effect of SNC on their attitudes towards delay.