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Abstract
Delays in construction projects are global phenomena and the State of Qatar is no exception. Following the announcement of awarding the FIFA 2022 World Cup hosting rights to Qatar, the State will be spending tens of Billions of Dollars on hundreds of new construction projects.
The objective of this research, therefore, is to identify, explore, and rank the relative importance of the principle factors contributing to construction delays in the local industry. To achieve this objective, a structured questionnaire survey comprising 43 delay causes, which were shortlisted based on relevant previous research on construction delay factors and the input of local industry experts and professionals, was distributed to a large number of employers, consultants, and contractors. Using the "Relative Importance Index" (RII) technique, the following causes are identified as the primary contributors to construction delays: (1) unavailability or shortage in materials; (2) delay in payment process by the employer; (3) frequent change orders issued by the employer; (4) lack of coordination among design disciplines; (5) difficulties in financing the project by the contractor; (6) late materials procurement; (7) delay in responding to requests for information; (8) clarity of drawings and technical specifications; (9) slow decision making process by the employer; and (10) the unavailability or shortage in skilled labor and technical staff. The findings can be used to provide employers, consultants, contractors, and policy makers, guidance for focusing, acting upon, and controlling the most significant factors perceived to influence the progress of projects, hence, ameliorating the performance of the construction industry in an environment on the verge of witnessing an unprecedented boom in demand for faster delivery and lower cost of constructed facilities.
Keywords: Delay Causes, Construction Industry, State of Qatar, Constructability
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Introduction
Delays in construction projects are global phenomena and the State of Qatar is no exception. It may be argued, moreover, that this trend has become the norm rather than the exception, especially in developing countries, and thus, constitutes a major risk and debilitating effect on relationships and cash flow among employers, consultants and contractors, which can lead to exhaustive disputes, arbitrations, and expensive litigations. The significance of this impact, therefore, clearly justifies the concern over such a chronic problem facing the industry.
A "delay" in...