Bernard K. Baiden

Assessment and enforcement of liquidated and ascertained damages in construction contracts in Ghana

Purpose – The enforcement of liquidated and ascertained damages (LADs) can be problematic when the amounts are poorly assessed and there are lapses in the administration of contracts. This paper seeks to investigate the relevance of LAD clauses in construction contracts in Ghana, as well as the methods employed in their assessment and enforcement.Design/methodology/approach – A parallel survey method was adopted. Three sets of similar questionnaires (slightly modified) were administered to professionals in client, consultant and contractor organisations in contract administration roles, to explore their experiences in the assessment and enforcement of LADs.Findings – LADs are not serving their purpose in construction contracts in Ghana. Clients have created situations that render LADs unenforceable. LAD amounts are also not genuine pre‐estimates of expected loss to be incurred, as assumptions and guesses rather than genuine calculations on a case‐by‐case basis are adopted in their assessment.Originality/v...

Perceptions on Barriers to the Use of Burnt Clay Bricks for Housing Construction

Burnt clay bricks can be readily manufactured in Ghana as all ten regions have significant clay deposits with the Ashanti region having the highest estimated deposit of 37.1 million metric tonnes. In recent times, burnt clay bricks have been regarded as old fashioned and replaced by other perceived modern walling units within Kumasi, the metropolitan capital of Ashanti Region, despite its availability, unique advantages (aesthetics, low maintenance cost, etc.), and structural and nonstructural properties. This study involved a questionnaire survey of 85 respondents made up of architects, brick manufacturing firms, and brick house owners or occupants in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana and sought to examine their perceptions on barriers to the use of burnt clay bricks for housing construction. The findings revealed that the key factors inhibiting the use of burnt clay bricks for housing construction are low material demand, excessive cost implications, inappropriate use in construction, noncompatibility of burnt clay bricks with other materials, unreliable production, and transportation problems. The findings however provide a platform for stakeholders to address the barriers to enable the extensive use of clay bricks in housing constructions.

Organizational culture of Ghanaian construction firms

ABSTRACT Identity crisis has become a major source of inefficiency and ineffectiveness of individuals and organizations. One of the strategic ways for solving this crisis is through identifying the culture (personality) of organizations. The study identified organizational culture typologies of construction firms in Ghana, which is in response to the need for culture studies in construction and the unavailability of such studies in the Ghanaian Construction Industry. The study was quantitative; data were collected from Indigenous contractors in Ghana using a questionnaire survey. Analysis was done using Mean Score Ranking, Relative Importance Index and Exploratory Factor Analysis. Workplace Culture, Business Culture, System Culture and Group Culture were the identified typologies for the study. The cultures identified reveal the strategic areas of construction organizations which need management planning and commitment, to help in reshaping them to be competitive in the business environment.

Financial distress and highway infrastructure delays

Purpose In developing countries, delays in highway infrastructure projects caused by financial distress-related factors threaten the construction industry’s capacity to contribute optimally to economic development. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to determine factors contributing to financial distress and develops a conceptual framework to illustrate the relationship between financial distress and project delay. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey collected data on factors that contributed to financial distress and delays in highway infrastructure delivery. In total, 78 responses were obtained, and factor analysis revealed that factors associated with payment, project financing, cash flow, economic issues, project planning and cost control influenced project delays. Findings The research identifies the importance of efficient public and private policies to engender financial sustainability among construction firms in developing countries. Originality/value This work presents the first research of its kind and strives to engender wider academic debate and renewed economic development in some of the world’s most impoverished nations.

Performance measurement tools for Ghanaian contractors

This paper addresses the absence of performance measurement systems in the Ghanaian construction industry. A thorough review of literature and existing academic publications on performance measurement was undertaken. As part of the process, three performance measurement systems used in the construction industries in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Denmark were reviewed. The performance measurement system used by Danish contractors was selected and adapted for Ghanaian contractors. Two performance measurement tools are developed in this paper. The Project Scorecard (ProScor) can be used to measure project performance whilst the Contractor Scorecard (ConScor) can be used to measure organizational performance. The developed tools were validated using focus group sessions with experts drawn from the Ghanaian construction industry and later using a questionnaire-based survey of selected Ghanaian contractors. Future work will focus on developing interactive versions of the tools to enhance their use.

Critical success factors for Ghanaian contractors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of a set of critical success factors (CSFs) for Ghanaian contractors. The factors collectively define a set of best practices which Ghanaian contractors should focus on improving if they are to attain internationally competitive performance. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic review of previous research, literature on existing programmes, models and frameworks commonly used for improving performance was undertaken to identify the most important success factors. The identified factors were scored and ranked with 16 of the most frequently occurring success factors selected. A questionnaire-based survey of Ghanaian contractors explored their perceptions of the most important success factors. Using factor analysis, the most important success factors were extracted. Findings – Eight CSFs were identified for Ghanaian contractors. These were: quality and zero defects culture, organisational design, work culture and work environment, client...