Project Management Practices And Performance Of Residential Construction Projects In Nairobi City County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Project performance is a primary consideration in any project, and different strategies are usually

employed to ensure better project performance. Despite the dedicated efforts to improve project

performance, gated community residential construction projects still register poor performance. A

literature review reveals that many public construction projects, residential construction projects,

and road construction projects still register poor performance related to project management

practices. Studies conducted have primarily focused on the public sector projects and do not offer

insights into the private and residential construction projects, specifically the gated community

projects. This study aimed to investigate the influence of project management practices on the

performance of residential construction projects in Nairobi City County. The study’s specific

objectives were to establish the influence of planning, resource scheduling, project

communication, and monitoring and evaluation on the performance of residential construction

projects in Nairobi City County. Construction management theory, resource-based view theory,

cybernetics theory, and realistic evaluation theory were the key study theories. Simple random

sampling and purposive sampling was used with a descriptive survey research design. Seventynine

gated community residential construction projects were selected, with the target population

being the project managers, project supervisors, and contractors from each selected project. Data

was collected using questionnaires. A pilot study was carried out to test the validity and reliability

of research questionnaires. Peer review and scrutiny by research experts tested the content validity

of the instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted to analyse the data presented

in tables. The findings will be significant to project managers, project supervisors, contractors, and

clients of gated community residential construction projects. The study found a significant

relationship between planning, resource scheduling, project communication, and project

monitoring and evaluation, and project performance. The study concluded that planning, project

communication, resource allocation, and M&E were essential to project performance. The study

recommended that project managers, supervisors, and contractors should consider critical project

management practices to boost project performance.