PhD Final Thesis April 2013.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

Thesis Keith Gale 2013Construct validity was provided through engagement with external sources forpublished research into critical success factors (CSF) and a project success index.Recent publications provided a basis for determining the content of each CSF andaggregation into a relative project success index (PSI). Although the publishedresearch was placed in a different contextual position (Hong Kong region), outcomesof success from clients provided a basis upon which to produce values anddescriptors for this research. Chosen values and descriptors for this research,following consultation with the client, are closely related to the original publishedstudies.Data from operational measures specifically engages with metrics supported bycontractual data used with management of a construction project – e.g. start andfinish dates, payment certificates and the like. This provides the second externalinterface and ensures that content validity represents reality.Causality, through examination of characteristics of projects from published researchallowed an investigation in variables in order to determine the effect upon results.The examination revealed that two possible variables existed – that of project size(value). The method used to determine differences in outcomes between discrete andframework engagement utilised t-tests with cross validation provided through twostages of testing. Stage 1 included all 164 projects contained by the case studyirrespective of value whereas stage 2 matched 60 paired projects closest by value.Reduction of the number of projects being examined at stage 2 did not make anysignificance difference to the results confirming internal validity with statisticalmethods used (Kerlinger and Lee, 2000).Overall results regarding the difference in critical success factors and project successindices for discrete and framework agreement methods are validated in chapter sevenby the independent-samples t-tests as follows:For H1,• framework projects showed a significant improvement in ‘finish on time’.• framework projects showed a significant improvement in ‘accuracy of projectpayments’.• framework projects showed a significant improvement in ‘right first time’.• framework projects showed a significant improvement in ‘health and safety’.253