Project Constraints and Performance of Residential Construction Projects in Nairobi County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Muiru, Waigumo Sarah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-19T06:54:39Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-02-19T06:54:39Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-11 | |
| dc.description | A Research Project Submitted to the School of Business, Economics and Tourism in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Business Administration (Project Management) of Kenyatta University, November 2025. Supervisor 1. Morrisson Mutuku | |
| dc.description.abstract | Construction projects are characterized by their intricate nature, encompassing numerous interconnected operations executed in a seamless manner to prevent exceeding allocated budget and timeline retaining quality. Residential construction projects in Nairobi face constraints that affect planning, design, and execution, leading to delays, budget overruns and compromised quality. Rapid urban population growth and inadequate infrastructure aggravate housing shortages, making it critical to understand and manage these constraints to ensure successful project performance. The research conducted primarily sought to validate the influence of project constraints on the performance of residential construction projects within Nairobi County. The specific objectives of the study were to ascertain the influence of legal, technical, environmental, economic and social project constraints on performance of residential construction projects in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was anchored on three theories namely, theory of constraints, black swan theory and decision theory and the descriptive research design was employed in this research. The participant population targeted for this study consisted of 334 construction project managers who are registered members of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) and the Institute of Construction Project Managers (ICPMK). The study sample involved 77 respondents selected based on a calculated target population of 334, with a 90% confidence level and a 0.1 margin of error, using the Yamane formula and convenience sampling was employed to identify respondents. Through the process of pilot testing the research instruments, the validity and reliability of the research instruments as well as the results of the study were obtained. The data collection process entailed the direct acquisition of information from the respondents through the utilization of both physical and online questionnaires, contingent upon the respondents' individual preferences. The acquired data was analysed using the SPSS statistical software, which utilises descriptive statistics. From the findings of the study, it is clear that the performance of residential projects in Nairobi is greatly impacted by the presence of project constraints, which negatively impact the timeline, budget, and quality of the projects. The majority of projects are currently in progress, with a substantial number on hold or abandoned, and only a few were completed. The study results showed that most construction projects were initiated after the year 2020. Economic constraints such as difficulties in obtaining loans from banks and financial institution, inflation and interest rate increase, limited resources/ budget limits had the greatest impact and were noted to be extremely impactful to the performance of residential construction projects. Legal constraints such as safety regulations, acquiring construction permits, prevalent corruption in the permit approval process, and delays in project approval followed in close succession were noted to be impactful to performance. Technical constraints were also noted to be impactful this includes restrictive site area/congested surroundings and inadequate storage and handling areas. Environmental constraints such as unforeseen climate changes, traffic and transportation challenges were impactful to project performance. Social constraints such as political dynamics within a region and ownership issues regarding land and construction site had the least impact on the performance of residential construction projects. The study recommends that construction companies should adopt comprehensive project cost estimation techniques, engage with legal experts early in projects, implement comprehensive environmental management plans and improve technical capabilities by providing advanced training for skilled labor and introducing modern construction techniques in order to enhance performance of residential construction projects. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/32504 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Project Constraints and Performance of Residential Construction Projects in Nairobi County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |