CAUSES OF DELAY
Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions in Structural Engineering and Construction – Ghafoori (ed.)
© 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-56809-8
Delays in the Iranian construction projects: Stakeholders and economy
E. Asnaashari, A. Knight & A. Hurst
Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
ABSTRACT: The construction industry has a major role in the Iranian economy by generating employment and wealth. However, delay is one of the most reoccurring problems in the Iranian construction industry and has negative impacts on project success in terms of time, cost, and quality. This paper presents one part of an investigation into the factors which cause delay in construction projects in Iran. In that study, eleven in-depth interviews were carried out with Iranian construction practitioners. Qualitative analysis of responses categorized causes of delay in five groups as: (1) Stakeholders; (2) Economy; (3) Politic; (4) Management; (5) Miscellaneous.
This paper, by focusing on the two first groups, develops a comprehensive interpretation to reveal the role of stakeholders and economy in causing delay in construction projects in Iran.
1
INTRODUCTION
Project scheduling is the first challenge at the inception of most construction projects. Without a systematic planning and scheduling, managing construction projects is hardly possible. As Keane & Caletka (2008) pointed out, high level of experience and accurate time and cost estimating are necessary to plan a project effectively. However, projects’ schedules often are affected by several factors which can endanger the success of the project. One of the most important factors that seriously affect projects’ schedule is delay.
Delay is ‘the time overrun either beyond completion date specified in a contract, or beyond the date that the parties agreed upon for delivery of a project’ (Assaf
& Al-Hejji 2006). Delay is also defined as an ‘act or event which extends
© 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-56809-8
Delays in the Iranian construction projects: Stakeholders and economy
E. Asnaashari, A. Knight & A. Hurst
Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
ABSTRACT: The construction industry has a major role in the Iranian economy by generating employment and wealth. However, delay is one of the most reoccurring problems in the Iranian construction industry and has negative impacts on project success in terms of time, cost, and quality. This paper presents one part of an investigation into the factors which cause delay in construction projects in Iran. In that study, eleven in-depth interviews were carried out with Iranian construction practitioners. Qualitative analysis of responses categorized causes of delay in five groups as: (1) Stakeholders; (2) Economy; (3) Politic; (4) Management; (5) Miscellaneous.
This paper, by focusing on the two first groups, develops a comprehensive interpretation to reveal the role of stakeholders and economy in causing delay in construction projects in Iran.
1
INTRODUCTION
Project scheduling is the first challenge at the inception of most construction projects. Without a systematic planning and scheduling, managing construction projects is hardly possible. As Keane & Caletka (2008) pointed out, high level of experience and accurate time and cost estimating are necessary to plan a project effectively. However, projects’ schedules often are affected by several factors which can endanger the success of the project. One of the most important factors that seriously affect projects’ schedule is delay.
Delay is ‘the time overrun either beyond completion date specified in a contract, or beyond the date that the parties agreed upon for delivery of a project’ (Assaf
& Al-Hejji 2006). Delay is also defined as an ‘act or event which extends
References: Aftab News, 2006 [online] Available at: [Accessed February 2008] (In Farsi). 704