A study of the effect of scope creep on project performance in Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) construction projects
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Date
2021-06-15
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Abstract
Every construction project has objectives it intends to achieve and these are mostly performance related.
Construction projects for Ghana immigration Service, the gate keeper of Ghana is not an exception. This
study was conducted to ascertain the effect of scope creep on project performance in the Ghana
Immigration Service. This problem can be attributed to the ineffective definition of the scope of a project.
Poor scope definition can lead to scope creep and subsequently lead to cost overruns, time overruns and
other forms of construction underperformance. Bad planning where limited attention is given to the
Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) projects’ scope management processes and haste in starting work
which has not been properly planned can cause scope creep which may lead to cost overruns. The
objective of the study is to identify the causes of scope creep and its effect on the performance of GIS
construction projects. A descriptive research methodology was adopted and target population was the
Contractors. A structured questionnaire was designed and administered to these groups of people. A nonprobability sampling method i.e. purposive sampling technique was adopted for the study. The data
gathered from the field was analyzed largely using descriptive statistics and presented in tables. From the
study it was discovered that contractor selection, ineffective planning and scheduling of project, Poor
project management and supervision, and deficiencies in cost estimates prepared were the main causes
of project scope creep. The study demonstrated that, scope creep can lead to cost overruns, schedule
overruns and the overall performance of the project. The scope of a project forms part of the macro
category of project success criteria as it starts at the conception stage to operating stage. Thus, project
scope describes the totality of a project. It is therefore very necessary to develop strategic measures to
deal with scope creep and improve the smooth execution of projects. From the study, it was realized that,
the most severe cause of scope creep is the selection of an incompetent project manager. Also, the lack
of change control contingency plan significantly causes scope creep. The client and his advisor must
endeavor to select an appropriate project manager for the execution of the project. Also, during the preaward phases, scope creep can be avoided if the developer and his project Management team ensure that
the scope is well defined, the design is complete, a proper delivery system is selected and a suitable
contracting method for the relevant construction project. Create a realistic goal that allows sufficient time
for key tasks to be accomplished. Adequate selection and involvement of stakeholders are absolutely
essential to the success of any project.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Award Degree of Master of Science in Project Management
Keywords
Scope creep, Project management