Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 275-[299]).

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Thesis (M. Hous. M.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-133).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 275-[299]) Also available in print.

M.Ing. (Engineering Management) / The triple constraint considerations in construction projects determine failure or success of projects. The key reasons of a winning project comprise of identification, monitoring, control and management of projects risks. Projects, over the years, failed to be completed within the contracted triple constraints. The persistent failure of construction projects in South Africa contributes to lack of development in skills and infrastructure. It is hypothesized that a deeper comprehension of the triple constraint and strategic management may supplement success of construction projects. It is difficult to complete projects within the stipulated triple constraint elements due to the high degree of unforeseen circumstances. Although the success of construction projects is confined to the triple constraint, the projects successes can also be influenced by other external factors and intra-management of the triple constraint including trade-offs. The ever escalating societal demand makes it a necessity to keep up through intensive investigation into construction projects. Communication breakdown is one of the sources of errors and is therefore essential for practicality of the survey in the investigation. A questionnaire was chosen for the survey. The collected data was organised into qualifications and experience and was presented in a tabular and graphical formats. Due to the anticipated reluctance to participation, a larger number of people were engaged. Contrary to the contextual information, the fieldwork survey indicates that projects are successful relative to the triple constraint elements. The success or failure of projects is largely founded on the triple constraint elements except for contractors who in addition to the triple constraint cite other factors. The scarcity of engineering and construction skills in South African government is hurting success of construction projects and therefore infrastructure and skills development and sustainability. In conclusion, both the contextual and fieldwork survey attribute failure of construction projects to lack of understanding and poor management of the triple constraint elements and trade-offs. These conclusions are however limited to failure to survey all project management data, sample size, ability to address questions and honesty of participants. A further study into a bigger sample of this specific study is proposed.

SMEs fulfil an important role in the long-term growth and development of the economy of the country. The development and growth of construction SMEs are important for all countries, as a strong SME base has the capacity to produce a high-quality infrastructure for the country. Construction SMEs also stimulate economic activity in other sectors of the economy. Research has, however, shown that the failure rate of small businesses within the first five years is high in South Africa. Reseatch has also indicated that the lack of long-term planning and the lack of strategic thinking are major contributing factors to the business failure of SMEs. SMEs operating in the construction industry are faced with the same challenges as their counterparts in other sectors of the economy, but in addition to those difficulties, construction SMEs also have to deal with the unique characteristics of the industry that have adverse implications for them. The construction industry has experienced considerable growth and success, in the past decade, particularly as a result of the government's considerable infrastructural spending, especially in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The growth in the construction industry has, however, not resulted in similar results for Construction SMEs; and research has shown that most of them have not developed into more established entities. In fact, in the Eastern Cape, 91 per cent of all registered contractors fall within the lowest level of the Construction Industry Development Board's classification system. Many construction SMEs perform poorly, but among them there are those that have the potential to grow and develop into larger more established entities. Research has shown that contractor development programmes aimed at assisting the growth and development of construction companies have been successful in increasing participation in the industry, but not in ensuring that small enterprises grow into self-sustainable established enterprises. In contrast, the research has shown that SMEs that practice strategic management perform better, and that there are many advantages for SMEs in applying strategic management principles. This study, therefore, investigates how strategic management can be applied to address the problems faced by construction SMEs, and to exploire techniques and tools of strategic management that can make a significant contribution to their growth and development.