ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

SCHOOL OF COMMERCE

Assessment of factors causing project delay : The case of Ethio Telecom’s

ODN projects.

A Project Work Submitted to Addis Ababa University College of Business and

Economics, School of Commerce in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the
Degree of Master of Arts in Project Management

By: Adem Abera

Advisor: Zegeye Muluye (Dr.)

June 2022

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Assessment of factors causing project delay : The case of Ethio

Telecom’s ODN projects.

1
Declaration

I, Adem Abera, declare that this research paper is my own original work and has not been submitted

earlier to any university or institution for the award of any degree, diploma, or prize to the best of

my knowledge.

……………………………………..

Adem Abera

2
LETTER OF CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that the project work presented in in this report, entitled “Assessment of factors

causing project delay : The case of Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects ” is conducted by Adem Abera

under my supervision and guidance. This work is original in nature and, in my opinion, suitable

for submission in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Arts Degree in

Project Management.

Advisor : Zegeye Muluye (PhD)

Signature: __________________

Date: ___________________

3
 Addis Ababa University

School of Commerce

Assessment of factors causing project delay : The case of Ethio Telecom’s

ODN projects.

By: Adem Abera

Approved By Board of Examiners

Advisor Zegye Muluye ( PhD) Signature---------------------Date ---------------

Internal Examiner -----------------------------------------Signature ------------------Date---------------

External Examiner-----------------------------------------Signature---------------------- Date-------------

4
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty Allah for his countless favors and blessings on me.

Then, I would like to thank my advisor Dr . Zegeye Muluye for his unreserved comments and

directions while working through this research project.

I would also like to thank all my family members for their continuous support, encouragements,

and inspirations during my study.

Finally , I would like to thank all the respondents to the questionnaire of this research for

sacrificing their precious time and effort which contributed a lot for the successful completion of

this project.

5
Table of Contents

Declaration ...................................................................................................................................... 2

LETTER OF CERTIFICATION .................................................................................................... 3

ACKNOWLEDGMENT................................................................................................................. 5

List of Tables and Figures............................................................................................................... 9

Acronyms/ Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. 10

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 11

Chapter 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 12

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 12

1.1 Background of the study ..................................................................................................... 12

1.2 Statement of the problem. .................................................................................................. 14

1.3 Research questions ............................................................................................................. 15

1.4 Research objectives ............................................................................................................ 15

1.4.1 General objective .......................................................................................................... 15

1.4.2 Specific objectives ........................................................................................................ 15

1.5 Significance of the study ..................................................................................................... 15

1.6 Scope of the study ............................................................................................................... 16

1.7 Limitations of the study....................................................................................................... 16

1.8 Organization of the study .................................................................................................... 17

1.9 Definition of key terms ....................................................................................................... 17

6
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ............................................................. 19

2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 19

2.2 Conceptual review ............................................................................................................... 19

2.2.1 Meaning of project delay ............................................................................................. 19

2.2.2 Importance of project time management ..................................................................... 20

2.2.3 Sources of project delay ............................................................................................... 20

2.2.4 Causes of project delay ................................................................................................. 21

2.2.5 Effects of project delay ................................................................................................. 27

2.3 Review of Empirical Studies ............................................................................................... 27

2.4 Research Gaps ..................................................................................................................... 31

2.5 Conceptual framework of the study ................................................................................... 32

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES ....................................................................... 33

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 33

3.1 Research design ................................................................................................................... 33

3.2 Description of study variables ............................................................................................. 33

3.3 Description of study area and target population.................................................................. 34

3.4 Sampling technique and sample size................................................................................... 35

3.5 Data collection – source, types, instruments. ...................................................................... 35

3.6 Data analysis – techniques, software................................................................................... 36

3.7 Reliability analysis .............................................................................................................. 37

3.8 Ethical Consideration .......................................................................................................... 38

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ................................................... 40

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 40

7
 4.1 Demographic Information of the respondents ................................................................ 40

4.1.1 Company affiliation of the respondents....................................................................... 40

4.1.2 Gender of the respondents ........................................................................................... 41

4.1.3 Job position ( status) of the respondents ................................................................. 42

4.1.4 Project work experience of the respondents ................................................................. 43

4.1.5 Education level of the respondents ............................................................................... 43

4.2 Descriptive Statistics .......................................................................................................... 44

4.2.1 Design related project delay factors ............................................................................ 44

4.2.2 Owner related project delay factors .............................................................................. 46

4.2.3 Contractor related project delay factors........................................................................ 48

4.2.4 External related ODN project delay factors ............................................................... 49

4.2.5 Ranking of categories of ODN project delay factors .................................................. 51

4.2.6 Top ten major factors of ODN project delay ............................................................... 52

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................... 57

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 57

5.1 Summary of findings ........................................................................................................... 57

5.2. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 58

5.3 Recommendation ................................................................................................................. 60

5.4 Suggestion for future research............................................................................................ 62

References ..................................................................................................................................... 63

Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 69

Questionnaire ................................................................................................................................ 69

8
List of Tables and Figures

Table 3. 1 Reliability statistics ...................................................................................................... 38

Table 4. 1 Company affiliation of the respondents ....................................................................... 41

Table 4. 2 Gender of the respondents ........................................................................................... 41

Table 4. 3 Job position ( status) of the respondents ...................................................................... 42

Table 4. 4 project work experience of the respondents ................................................................ 43

Table 4. 5 Education level of the respondents .............................................................................. 44

Table 4. 6 ranking of design related project delay factors ............................................................ 45

Table 4. 7 ranking of owner related project delay factors ............................................................ 47

Table 4. 8 ranking of contractor related project delay factors ...................................................... 49

Table 4. 9 ranking of external related project delay factors ......................................................... 51

Table 4. 10 Ranking of categories of ODN project delay factors ................................................ 52

Table 4. 11 Ranking of ODN project delay factors ..................................................................... 56

Figure 1: Conceptual Model of the Study .................................................................................... 32

9
Acronyms/ Abbreviations

3G Third Generation

4G Fourth Generation

5G Fifth Generation

EEP Ethiopian Electric Power

ODN Optical Distribution Network

PMBOK Project Management Body of Knowledge

IoT Internet of things

PMI Project Management Institute

RII Relative Importance Index

ROW Right of way problem

SPSS Statistical Package For Social Science

10
Abstract

The objective of this study is to identify the main causes of delay in Ethio Telecom’s ODN

projects. Project delay can be defined as the difference between planned and actual project

completion date (Curtis et al, 2011) . It is possible to control or minimize project delays once their

causes are assessed and identified. A total of 39 ODN project delay factors were identified through

literature review and were further categorized in to 4 groups: Design related delay factors, owner

related delay factors, contractor related delay factors, and external related delay factors. 118 ODN

project professionals from both the owner and contractors responded to an online questionnaire

through google forms. Quantitative approach was employed to gather and analyze the numerical

data obtained from the respondents. SPSS and Microsoft Excel software was used to analyze and

rank the delay factors based on RII ( Relative importance index) value. The study revealed that

design related delay factors to have the highest RII value of 0.640 followed by the owner related

delay factors ( RII = 0.611) , then external related delay factors ( RII=0.576) , and contractor

related delay factors ( RII=0.566).

The researcher recommends that the owner and the contractors have to secure all the project

materials, tools and instruments required by the projects before commencing the ODN projects

and the owner should reengineer its contract amendment and payment process and also the skill

and knowledge of the design team should be continuously upgraded so that delays of ODN

projects will be minimized or avoided.

Key words: Project delay factors, Effects of Project delay , ODN projects , Relative importance

index, Ethiopia , Ethio Telecom,

11
Chapter 1

Introduction

In this chapter background of the study, statement of the problem, the research questions, research

objectives, significance of the study, scope of the study and limitation of the study will be

discussed. How the study is organized will also be explained and finally key terms will be defined.

1.1 Background of the study

Project delays are one of the most common project problems globally. In one survey, less than

50 percent of companies said they complete projects on time. In another survey, nearly half of

project managers (46 percent) responded that meeting project deadlines was among their

biggest challenges. Project delays seem to occur more often than not ( kissflow,2022).

Even though project delay is a common case worldwide, it is a very serious problem in

developing countries and impairs the economic growth of a country.

In today’s world it is difficult to live without telecommunication services . Telecom operators

are helping human beings live better life by providing various telecom services in sectors

such as education, business , medicine, military, transportation, agriculture…. and are creating

impact on all spheres of life. Telecommunication is one of the industries that has huge

contribution for development and growth of a country. Economic development of a country is

almost impossible without telecommunication services.

12
One of the main important services that telecom operators are currently providing is

Broadband internet services . Telecommunication services such as video streaming, video

chat, file sharing, tele medicine , teleworking, E-Government, E-Commerce, and interactive

media as well as various ways to share and access information are facilitated by broadband

connectivity. Internet of things (IoT) and interactive computations such as cloud computing

are also results of broadband internet connections (AREDO, 2017)

Telecommunication companies provide Broadband internet services to their customers

through employing Optical Distribution Network ( ODN) . In ODN , optical fiber cable and

optical devices that distribute signals to customers are deployed. The Optical Distribution

Network (ODN) is a key segment of fiber-based networks which connects the central office to

a terminal user. Some of the advantages of using Optical Distribution Network ( ODN) rather

than copper network are higher reliability, higher speed, and higher internet bandwidth . ODN

plays a great role in providing Broadband services by connecting each household through fiber

cable technology.

Telecom service was introduced in Ethiopia by Emperor Menelik II in 1894 through the

installation of telephone land line from Harar to Addis Ababa. After undertaking many

organizational reforms , Ethio Telecom was established on November 29 , 2010 with the

ambition of supporting the steady growth of Ethiopia. Currently it is the leading telecom

service provider in the country providing 5G, 4G and 3G mobile and fixed broadband internet

services to its customers. It has a mission of providing reliable communications and digital

financial services to simplify life and accelerate digital transformation of Ethiopia (Ethio

Telecom, 2022).

13
 Ethio telecom has started deploying ODN projects before two years with the intension of

reaching each home and office through optical fiber. Currently, the company has more than

500,000 fixed broadband subscribers through both ODN and copper networks and has a plan

of implementing ODN projects that can accommodate 200,000 subscribers in this budget

year. It is also replacing its existing old copper networks with ODN as the copper network

has quality and limited bandwidth problems.

The company has the ambition of completing its ODN project on time so that it can be able to

serve its waiting and potential broadband customers without delay. However, there is delay in

implementing these ODN projects due to many factors. The main purpose of this study is to

assess those factors causing delays in its ODN projects.

1.2 Statement of the problem.

Some of the criteria for a project to be successful are to be completed on time, on budget , within

the desired quality and should satisfy the customer.

However, Ethio Telcom’s ODN projects are currently getting delayed due to various factors and

these project delays are causing Ethio Telecom to lose money due to material and labor cost

inflation and also resulting in dissatisfaction of waiting customers, increasing time to market,

decreasing in market share and in loosing potential revenue.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify and assess those factors that cause delays in Ethio

Telcom’s ODN projects and give recommendations so that the ODN project delays can be

minimized or avoided .

14
1.3 Research questions

1. What are the factors causing the delay of Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects?

2. What are the top factors that cause delay to Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects?

1.4 Research objectives

1.4.1 General objective

The general objective of this study is to assess and investigate the factors causing delay in

Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects.

1.4.2 Specific objectives

The study has the following specific objectives :

1. To know the factors that cause delay of Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects.

2. To find out the top factors that cause ODN project delays and to rank them.

1.5 Significance of the study

The study will help the owner, the contractors and practicing ODN project professionals to be

aware of the ODN project delay factors and take in advance mitigation actions so that ODN

project delays can be controlled and minimized and ODN projects can be completed on time

or even before the planned completion date.

The study will also benefit researchers who want to conduct studies on similar topics by

providing information on ODN project delay factors and helps to fill the knowledge gap in

15
 ODN project delay factors . The result of the study can also serve as input for the development

of process and procedures that help in reducing time and cost overruns of ODN projects.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of the study is limited only to ODN projects that are being implemented in Addis

Ababa city through the supervision of Ethio Telecom’s Head office . ODN projects in other

cities which are supervised by the regional Ethio Telecom’s offices are not included in this

study.

The study focused only on the assessment of the 39 ODN project delay factors that cause delays

in Ethio Telcom’s ODN projects. Other factors that can cause ODN project delays are not

considered in the study. In addition, only quantitative approach is used to gather and anylze

the data obtained from the respondents and the study used only descriptive research design.

Finally, only the owner and contractors are participated in the study, other various ODN project

stakeholders are not participated in the study.

1.7 Limitations of the study

The limitations of this study are :

• The unavailability of previous studies conducted on Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects

that can strengthen the findings of this study.

• The unavailability of documented information on ODN projects

• The use of only one type of data collection instrument (questionnaire) .

• The scope of the study is limited only to ODN projects found in Addis Ababa city .

16
 The above-mentioned limitations may have some negative impacts on the quality of the

results obtained by the study and the findings of the research may not be generalized for

regional ODN projects that are being implemented out of Addis Ababa city.

1.8 Organization of the study

This paper has five chapters. The first chapter discusses about the background of study,

statement of the problem, research questions, general and specific objectives of the study,

significance of the research, scope of the study, limitation of the study, organization of the

paper , and definition of key terms .

The second chapter deals with review of related literature comprising both conceptual and

empirical reviews, and conceptual framework of the study.

The third chapter describes about the research design, variables of the study, study area and

target population, sampling techniques and methods, data collection, data analysis, reliability

and validity analysis, and ethical considerations.

The fourth chapter presents data analysis and interpretation and finally the fifth chapter

provides summary of findings, conclusion, and recommendations.

1.9 Definition of key terms

The below mentioned terms are used in this study and their definition is as follows:

17
Optical Distribution Network (ODN) is a network that comprises the physical optical fiber

cable and optical devices that distribute signals to users in telecommunications (Wikipedia,

2022) .

Optical fiber cable is a cable containing a number of glass fibers that transmit information

as light pulses ( Jennifer, 2021) .

Broadband internet refers to high-speed Internet access that is faster than the traditional dial-

up access ( Federal Communications Commission, 2014).

Project Time management is controlling the project time by applying project management

tools techniques and systems which help to complete a project on schedule .

Project Delay is draw back in project time performance because of different factors.

Effects of Project delay : The consequences that will happen due to project delay.

18
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction

In this chapter, literature related to this study topic is reviewed. The chapter consists of the

conceptual review, empirical review , research gap, and conceptual framework of the study. The

conceptual review section of the chapter examines: the meaning of project delay, the importance

of project time management, sources of project delay, causes of project delay, and effects of project

delay. The empirical review part of the chapter examines the top causes of project delays in various

projects. Finally, the chapter presents the research gap and conceptual framework of the study .

2.2 Conceptual review

2.2.1 Meaning of project delay

Project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product or provide a service.

Any project must have a starting point and an ending point, and also it must have a product or

service as a deliverable ( Mubarak, 2015). Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects are projects financed

by Ethio Telecom with the aim of increasing the number of broadband customers , increasing the

revenue of the company, and contributing to the growth and development of the country.

A delay is an action or condition that results in completing a project later than the time stipulated

in the contract (Flyvbjerg et al., 2003). Project delay is the difference between planned and actual

project completion date (Curtis et al, 2011)

19
2.2.2 Importance of project time management

Project time management is one of the ten project management areas mentioned in the Project

Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide ( Project Management Institute (PMI),

2008) . In order to complete projects on time, efficiently and effectively we have to practice

and apply properly during the life cycle of our projects the following project time management

processes defined in the PMBOK Guide: Plan Schedule Management, Define Activities,

Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, Estimate Activity Durations, Develop

Schedule and finally Control Schedule .

2.2.3 Sources of project delay

Sources of project delays can be classified in to internal and external sources . Internal sources

are those parties involved in the project contract who cause the project delay . The project is

said to be delayed by external sources when the cause of the delay is from circumstances

outside the parties' control such as natural disasters, government decisions…(Ahmed et al. ,

2002).

Sources of delay can also be categorized into three categories: delays originated by the client,

delays stemmed from the contractor and delays caused by external factors (Scott , 1993).

Theodore (2009) divided project delays into critical delays and non-critical delays . Critical

delays are those delays that have an impact on the completion of the project or on a milestone

date. Noncritical delays are those that do not have an impact on the project's completion or a

milestone date.

20
 2.2.4 Causes of project delay

There are different factors that cause project delay. Different authors in different countries

have grouped those factors into different categories such as design related, owner related

contractor related , external related , equipment related, labor related, material related, project

related, engineer related, finance related and human behavior related factors ( Muhwezi et al,

2014). However, this research regroups and assesses those project delay factors by categorizing

them into the following four classes: design related, owner related, contractor related, and

external related delay factors.

2.2.4.1 Design related delay factors

The party responsible for design task of a project can cause the project to delay in many ways.

Muhwezi et al (2014) identified the following design related factors that cause project delay on

building construction projects in Uganda : Design errors made by designers ,inadequate site

investigation , unclear and inadequate details in drawings ,delay in reviewing and approving design

changes, lack of experience of designers , insufficient data collection and survey before design,

Poor communication and coordination of designers with other parties , insufficient estimation of

original contract duration , poor use of advanced designing software.

In a separate research , El-Razek et al ( 2008) mentioned that design changes during construction,

design errors made by designers and changes in material types and specifications during

construction as design related factors that contribute to project delay in building construction

projects in Egypt . Slow approval of drawings, incomplete drawings, incomplete specifications

and change in drawings are some of the factors of design related project delays identified by Faridi

21
and El-Sayegh (2006) in their research on significant factors causing delay in the UAE

construction industry .

Zidane & Andersen ( 2018) in their study on causes of delay in major Norwegian projects

mentioned that design related project delay factors as : late/slow/incomplete/improper design,

poor/incomplete documentation (designs, engineering documents), missing or error in

documentations during construction, error in engineering causing changes, poor quality in designs

and materials causing changes.

Dula ( 2021) in his study mentioned that change in initial design, complexity of the project, error

in estimating durations, error in estimating cost, poor communication by designers, unfinished

designs, mistakes in preliminary site investigations, late design approval, delay in issuing work

orders as factors that cause project delay in large irrigation projects in Ethiopia.

Getahune ( 2021) in his study on factors causing construction delay in Addis Ababa housing

development corporation projects identified the following design related project delay factors:

frequent design change, vague specification /unclear specification, incomplete design, inadequate

experience, unrealistic contract duration, inaccurate estimates of cost, poor supervision, and delay

approval of drawing and variation orders.

2.2.4.2 Owner related delay factors

Many authors have identified client related delay factors to cause project schedule delays. Some

of them are mentioned below.

22
Assaf and Al-Hejji (2006) in their study on causes of delay in large construction projects in Saudi

Arabia identified the owner related delay factors as: delay in progress payments by owner, delay

to furnish and deliver the site to the contractor by the owner, change orders by owner during

construction, late in revising and approving design documents by owner, delay in approving shop

drawings and sample materials, poor communication and coordination by owner and other parties,

slowness in decision making process by owner, conflicts between joint-ownership of the project,

unavailability of incentives for contractor for finishing ahead of schedule and suspension of work

by owner. Muhwezi et al (2014) described the following client related factors as causing delay :

corruption tendencies , delay in payments, design changes by owner during project

implementation, poor communication and coordination with other parties, slowness in decision

making, delay in site delivery, lack of incentives for contractor to finish ahead of schedule, delay

in performing inspection and testing of completed projects.

Daba & Pitroda ( 2018) in their study entitled “A Critical Literature Review on Main Cause of

Delay in Construction Projects” identified that the owner related project delay factors to be :

corruption , intermittent termination of variation while project is ongoing, less on-time payment

for developers, variation of specifications and material type during construction work, delay in

checking contract document, variation of project scope, poor coordination with other stakeholders,

slow decision-making ,inadequate information during project feasibility study , delay in site

delivery, lack of motivations for contractor to finish ahead of schedule, ineffective representative,

poor experience, interference during actual project work, joint-owners disagreement, improper

feasibility study, poor coordination and communication, interruption of work, slow document

23
approval, nature of bidding and award, impractical contract duration , and unrealistic delay

penalties.

2.2.4.3 Contractor related delay factors

Contractors also contribute for delay of a project due to many reasons. Some of the contractor

related project delay factors that are mentioned in various related literature which are relevant to

this study are presented as follows.

Fashina et al ( 2021) identified in their study that the contractor related delay factors in

Somaliland projects to be : difficulties in project financing , errors during construction, improper

planning and preparation during construction project, poor site management and coordination,

delays in sub-contractor's work ,underestimation or overestimation of the project cost, conflicts

between contractor and other parties, delays in the mobilization of workers, regular change of sub-

contractor's technical staff, conflicts in sub-contractor's schedule in execution of project,

underestimation of the project duration .

Muhwezi et al (2014) mentioned that some of the contractor related project delaying factors in

Uganda projects as : financial indiscipline/dishonesty, inadequate contractor experience ,

incompetent project team , Poor site management and supervision , absenteeism, ineffective

project planning and scheduling, rework due to errors, poor communication and coordination with

other parties , unqualified / inadequate experienced labor , low motivation and morale of labor,

improper equipment, tools and instruments, shortage of equipment, shortage of labor, damage of

materials, personal conflicts among labor, and financial problem of the contractor.

24
El-Razek et al ( 2008) described the following contractor related project delay factors in Egypt:

difficulties in financing project by contractor , poor site management and supervision, ineffective

planning and scheduling of project, rework due to errors during construction, delays in sub-

contractor’s work, inadequate contractor experience, delay in site mobilization, delay in

preparation of shop drawings and material samples .

Muluneh (2018) who conducted research to assess the causes of a substation construction project

delay at Ethiopian Electric Power ( EEP) identified that the contractor related project delay factors

as difficulties in financing project by contractor, conflicts in sub-contractors’ schedule in

execution of project , conflicts between contractor and other parties (consultant and owner),

ineffective planning and scheduling of project , delays in sub-contractors work, inadequate

contractor's work , frequent change of sub-contractors, poor qualification of the contractor's

technical staff, delays in site mobilization.

2.2.4.4 External related delay factors

External related factors also play a huge role in causing project delays. Marzouk & El-Rasas

(2014) mentioned in their research that the external related delay factors that cause delay to

construction projects in Egypt are: weather effect (hot, rain, etc.), environmental restrictions,

changes in government regulations and laws, slow permit by government/municipality, delay in

performing final inspection and certification by a third party, lack of communication between the

parties, fluctuations in cost/ currency, and force Majeure as war, revolution, riot, strike, and

earthquake, etc

25
Daba & Pitroda ( 2018) after critically reviewing literature on main causes of project delay

globally identified the following external related project delay factors : claim, unexpected natural

disasters, accidents at the site, social and environmental factors, escalation of local material prices

and global economic rise, price rise on the international market ,unreliable suppliers, public enemy,

war, and conflict, delay in obtaining permits from local authority, geopolitical stability, variation

in government regulations , late access to the site (like electricity, road , water) , neighbors

problems, delay by traffic restriction and control, corruption, social factors, cultures, government

policy and its commitment, late certification from 3rd party, lack of communication, thieves,

international economic crisis, time delay by traffic restriction at the place of work, and raw

materials unavailability.

Muhwezi et al (2014) mentioned the external related factors as : unfavorable weather conditions

legal disputes between project participants , shortage of project materials , unexpected surface &

subsurface conditions (such as soil, high water table) , accidents during project execution ,

environmental , social, and cultural factors , delay in obtaining permits from local authority, and

changes in government regulations and laws.

In their research on causes of delay in road construction projects across 25 developing countries ,

Rivera et al. ( 2020) identified the following external related project delay factors : inflation,

political situation, force majeure, lack of proper IT management, disruption of traffic movement,

obstruction of economic and urban development, shortage of fuel, shortage of overseas currency

(import of materials and equipment), effects of unexpected subsurface and changing ground

condition, environmental claims, economic hardships, slow decision making and administration in

26
the non-client organization, road right of way, peace and order, government change of regulations

and bureaucracy, economic conditions, accident during the construction.

According to Getahune ( 2021) the external related delay factors in Addis Ababa housing

development corporation projects are : effect of site condition, delay of permission from

government body, weather condition, unavailability of utility, social and cultural factor, change in

regulation by government, and restrictions and controls from government body.

2.2.5 Effects of project delay

Project delay may result in dispute, clash, claims, lawsuit, total desertion, litigation, and

abandonment of the project with the general consequences of loss of wealth, time and capacity,

increased project cost due to inflation, low quality deliverable, customer dissatisfaction and

slows the economic growth and development of a country. Specifically for the client a project

delay causes the loss of income and unavailability of facilities . For the contractor, the project

delay will result in the loss of money due to extra spending on equipment and materials and

hiring labor and loss of time ( Haseeb et al, 2011).

2.3 Review of Empirical Studies

There are so many studies which are conducted globally on factors that cause project delays,

the findings of some of the studies are presented below.

Mwanaumo et.al ( 2021) have identified in their research 34 factors causing delays in

telecommunication projects in Zambia and finally their study revealed that the top eight

ranked factors as: (1) Unclear project scope and deliverables at initiation; (2) Poor stakeholder

27
identification and involvement; (3) Under-estimation of activity duration; (4) Over-

optimistic estimates; (5) Lack of project surveys or feasibility studies; (6) Lack of dedicated

project teams; (7) Procurement approval process; and (8) Late delivery of project materials by

suppliers.

Fashina et al ( 2021) carried out an exploratory study on the significant factors that influence

delays in construction projects in Hargeisa , Somaliland. Their study shows that the top ten

project delay factors are:

(1) delay in honoring payment progressively

(2) underestimation or overestimation of the project cost

(3) delay in the approval of major changes in the work scope

(4) change orders during construction by owner and increase/fluctuation in the prices of

materials

(5) errors in design and contract documents

(6) delays in sub-contractor's work

(7) poor communication and coordination with contracting parties , shortage/ lack of

equipment.

(8) underestimation of the project durations, lack/shortage of labors, materials procurement

difficulties (lateness), and unfavorable site conditions

(9) shortage/lack of materials in the marketplace

(10) lack of significant experience of consultant .

28
In their research on cost escalation and schedule delays in road construction projects in Zambia

, Kaliba et al ( 2008) found the following causes as the major factors that cause delay in the

Zambian road construction industry : delayed payment , protracted financial processes in client

organizations , financial difficulties that accompany the delayed release of funds by client

organizations, contract modification , economic hardships, material procurement and changes

in drawings , staffing problems, equipment unavailability, poor supervision, construction

mistakes, poor coordination on site and changes in specifications , and finally labor disputes .

When we come to our country, we will find many studies caried out on factors that cause

project delays in different types of projects . The findings of some of the studies related to this

research are presented below.

Tolossa ( 2019) in his study has concluded that the most common factors that lead to late

completion of road construction projects under Defense Construction Enterprise to be

improper project planning practices, poor project monitoring practices, poor leadership skills,

ineffective procurement process, poor top management support, financial problems,

economic, political, and social factors, and frequent request for design changes .

Muluneh (2018) who conducted research to assess the causes of a substation construction

project delay at Ethiopian Electric Power ( EEP) has identified the below mentioned top ten

main causes from the initially identified forty-six factors.

1. Poor and unorganized procurement

2. Delays in sub-contractor’s work

3. Poor management of the contract by the consultant

29
4. Difficulty to run the project due to poor cash flow of the contractor

5. Inadequate experience of consultant

6. Poor management and supervision of the project by the contractor

7. Lack of appropriate machineries in the work site

8. Poor planning and scheduling of project

9. Late procurement of electromechanical equipment

10. Design error that led to wrong construction and rework

In a study conducted at Addis Ababa road construction projects under the supervision of Addis

Ababa city road authority , Godifey ( 2017 ) has identified 32 causes of time overrun. The

conclusion of his study shows that the common causes of time overrun to be delay of

delivering the project site (Right of way problem), financial problems of contractors, improper

planning, and site management.

According to Emiru ( 2019) , who carried out a research on determinant factors affecting

schedule delay on water supply and sewerage construction projects in Addis Ababa, the top

ten determinant factors that affect schedule delay of those projects are bureaucracy in

Government agencies, Government tendering system of choosing the lowest bidder, late

delivery of materials, escalation of local material prices, ineffective project planning and

scheduling, insufficient estimation of original contract duration, design errors made by

designers, slowness in decision making, delay in site delivery, and unexpected surface and

subsurface conditions.

30
 MIRESSA ( 2019) who conducted a case study on two very much delayed road projects at

Addis Ababa city found that out of the identified 74 factors related to project time delay , the

following top ten (10) factors to be significant contributors to road construction project time

delay in the city .

1. Slow land expropriation due to resistance from occupants / Slow site clearance which is

termed as Right of way problem (ROW).

2. Delays in contractors’ progress payment by owner.

3. Shortage of materials/Equipment on site.

4. Difficulties in financing the project by contractor.

5. Delay to deliver the site.

6. Wrong or improper (poor) design.

7. Shortage (non-availability) of construction materials.

8. Ineffective resources management by contractor.

9. Type of project bidding and award (negotiation, lowest bidder).

10. Late delivery of construction materials

2.4 Research Gaps

The researcher would like to mention that even though there are so many studies carried out to

assess factors causing delays on different types of projects, there are only few studies done

on causes of delay of telecommunication projects and especially the researcher could not get

study done on causes of delay of ODN projects.

31
2.5 Conceptual framework of the study

Figure 1 below shows the conceptual framework which was developed based on the literature
reviewed . The conceptual framework shows that there is a relationship between ODN project
delay factors and ODN project delay.

1. Design related
ODN project delay
factors
2. Owner related
ODN Project delay
factors
3. Contractor related ODN Project delay
ODN project delay
factors
4. External related
ODN project delay
factors

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

Figure 1: Conceptual Model of the Study

32
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Introduction

This chapter discusses about the research design, study variables, study area and target population,

sampling technique, sample size, data collection, data analysis, reliability and validity analysis,

and finally about ethical considerations.

3.1 Research design

This study is non-experimental research and uses descriptive research design to describe the

factors of Ethio Telecom’s ODN project delays and to rank them. In this research quantitative

approach is employed where numerical data about the factors of ODN project delay is gathered

through structured questionnaire from respondents using five -point Likert scale and then the

collected data is analyzed using SPSS and Excel statistical software to know and then rank the

main factors that cause ODN project delay.

3.2 Description of study variables

After conducting thorough literature review on factors that cause delays on related projects

domestically and globally and then getting additional opinion on causes of delay from Ethio

Telecom’s ODN project experts, the researcher gathered various factors that cause ODN

project delays and grouped them under the following main four categories which are used as

independent variables of this research .

1. Design related project delay factors

33
 2. Owner related project delay factors

3. Contractor related project delay factors

4. External related project delay factors

The dependent variable of this study is ODN project delay.

3.3 Description of study area and target population

Ethio Telecom’s Fixed network Division which undertakes various fixed network projects is

the study area of this research. The Division has three departments which are directly involved

in ODN projects.

The target population is composed of the following elements:

1. Ethio Telecom’s Fixed Network Division’s 61 staff who directly involve in ODN projects

by managing, administrating, controlling, and designing ODN projects, comprising

directors, managers , supervisors, project specialists, project performance analysts and

project site supervisors.

2. The 57 contractors that implement ODN projects by signing fixed price contract with Ethio

telecom. These contractors have been trained by Ethio Telecom so that they can execute

ODN projects easily.

Hence, the target population consists of 118 project professionals from both the owner and

the contractors.

34
3.4 Sampling technique and sample size

As the number of the target population is small ( 118) and to get the best results, the researcher

decided to use census and collect data from the whole of the target population.

Hence, in this study data is collected from 61staff of Ethio Telecom’s Fixed Network Division

and also from 57 contractors, totally the researcher collected data from 118 project

professionals from both the project owner and contractors.

The researcher used as a unit of analysis Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects that are implemented

and are under implementation from July 7, 2021 G.C up to July 6, 2023.

3.5 Data collection – source, types, instruments.

The study used survey as data collection method through structured questionnaire . Primary

data is gathered through structured questionnaire .

The research used the questionnaire employed by Muhwezi et al (2014) to assess the factors

causing delays on building construction projects in Uganda. Their questionnaire is also adopted

by Bekele (2018) and other researchers who conducted studies in similar subjects . The

questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part is designed to gather demographic data

from each respondent. The second part enables respondents to rate the possible factors that

cause ODN project delay based on the below mentioned five -point Likert scale . Same scale

was also used by Getahune (2021), Dula ( 2021) and Tolossa ( 2019) to assess project delay

factors.

35
 1 = Not significant

2 = Slightly significant

3 = Moderately significant

4 = Very significant

5 = Extremely significant

3.6 Data analysis – techniques, software

In this study Relative Importance Index ( RII) Technique is used to determine the relative

importance and significance of the various causes of ODN project delays.

RII is calculated using the following formula ( Rajgor, 2016) .

RII = ΣW / (A*N)

Where :

W is the weighting given to each factor by the respondents (ranging from 1 to 5),

A is the highest weight ( i.e., 5 in this study),

and N is the total number of respondents ( 118, in this case).

It is to be noted that the higher the value of RII, the more significant the cause of project

delays.

SPSS software is used to find the RII of each factor causing project delays. Then the factors

of the project delay are ranked as per their value of RII.

36
3.7 Reliability analysis

Reliability measures the internal consistency of the items in a scale and indicates that the

extent to which the items in a questionnaire are related to each other. (Middleton, 2023) .

The reliability of the questionnaire of this research was ensured by the researcher by taking

the following measures.

1. The questions are carefully and precisely worded.

2. The questionnaire was checked by the research advisor.

3. The questionnaire was checked and reviewed by ODN project professionals before data

collection.

4. A pilot survey was conducted using the research questionnaire and its workability is

checked.

5. Data is collected from the whole of the target population.

6. Reliability analysis is conducted using SPSS software to test the internal consistency of the

data. Cronbach’s alpha value for all variables was found to be more than 0.7, as shown in

table 3.1 below, which indicates that the internal consistency of the data is acceptable.

37
 Variables Number of items Cronbach’s Alpha value

8 0.865
Design related ODN project

delay factors

10 0.848
Owner related ODN project

delay factors

12 0.932
Contractor related ODN

project delay factors

9 0.843
External related ODN

project delay factors

Table 3. 1 Reliability statistics

3.8 Ethical Consideration

During this research the following ethical consideration and measures are taken by the

researcher.

1. Explicit consent was requested from the respondents.

2. The confidentiality of the information they provided is maintained.

3. Awareness was given to the respondents about the objectives of the research and the big

role their contribution will play in the completion of this research.

4. The respondents are treated with respect and courtesy .

38
5. The researcher conducted the study with honesty by avoiding data distortions and

misleading manipulation.

6. The analysis of data and interpretation of the results of data analysis were limited to what

the data actually tells.

7. The researcher arrived at conclusions based on objective inferences that are purely guided

by the data collected.

39
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Introduction

This chapter deals with analysis, presentation and interpretation of the data collected through

online questionnaire using Google forms. One hundred eighteen (118) project professionals from

both the project owner and contractors were requested to fill the online questionnaire comprising

39 possible ODN project delay factors grouped under design, owner, contractor and external

related ODN project delay factors. Accordingly, all participants responded to the questionnaire

and all the responses are found valid , hence the response rate of the survey was 100% . Statistical

Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS ) version 25 and Microsoft Excel software is used for the

analysis of the data collected. This chapter consists of two sections. The first section presents the

demographic information of the respondents, and the second section deals with analysis of the data

collected using descriptive statistics.

4.1 Demographic Information of the respondents

4.1.1 Company affiliation of the respondents.

Out of the total 118 respondents 57 ( 48.3 percent) are from contractors’ side and the remaining

61 ( 51.7 percent) are from the owner ( Ethio Telecom) side as shown in table 4.1 below.

40
 Company affiliations Frequency Percent

Contractor 57 48.3

Owner ( Ethio Telecom) 61 51.7

Total 118 100.0

Table 4. 1 Company affiliation of the respondents

4.1.2 Gender of the respondents

As shown in table 4.2 below out of the 118 respondents 11 participants ( 9.3%) are female and

107 participants ( 90.7%) are male. Hence, the majority of the respondents are male because ODN

projects, by their nature , demand to work out of office and outdoors with so many hardships and

sometimes these projects are field works which are not preferable by most females.

Gender Frequency Percent

Female 11 9.3

Male 107 90.7

Total 118 100.0

Table 4. 2 Gender of the respondents

41
 4.1.3 Job position ( status) of the respondents

The job position ( status ) of the respondents within their organization is shown in table 4.3

below. As can be seen in the table, 48 ( 40.7% ) of the respondents are managers, 22 (18.6 %

) are project specialists , 15 (12.7%) are site supervisors, 12 (10.2 % ) are supervisors, 7 (5.9%

) are directors, and finally 7 (5.9%) are engineers. In this research most of the respondents are

found to be managers because most of the respondents from the contractor side are the

managers of their respective company.

Job position/ status Frequency Percent

Director 7 5.9

Engineer 7 5.9

Expert 1 0.8

Manager 48 40.7

ODN project facilitator 1 0.8

Project specialist 22 18.6

Site supervisor 15 12.7

Supervisor 12 10.2

Technician 5 4.2

Total 118 100.0

Table 4. 3 Job position ( status) of the respondents

42
4.1.4 Project work experience of the respondents

The number of years of experience of the respondents in ODN related project works is shown

in the table 4.4 below. From the table we can see that 36 ( 30.5%) of the respondents have

project work experience of more than 15 years, 22 (18.6%) of the respondents have project

work experience between 10 to 15 years , 40 (33.9%) of the respondents have experience of 6

to 10 years. Hence, most of the respondents have enough experience on ODN related project

works.

Number of years of experience Frequency Percent

0 to 5 20 16.9

6 to 10 40 33.9

10 to15 22 18.6

> 15 36 30.5

Total 118 100.0

Table 4. 4 project work experience of the respondents

4.1.5 Education level of the respondents

Table 4.5 below shows the education level of the respondents. As can be seen from the table

87 (73.7%) of the respondents have BA/ BSc, 19 (16.1 % ) of the respondents have MA/ MSc.

and 12 (10.2%) of them have diploma.

43
 Education level Frequency Percent

Diploma 12 10.2

BA/ BSc. 87 73.7

MA/MSc 19 16.1

Total 118 100.0

Table 4. 5 Education level of the respondents

4.2 Descriptive Statistics

Respondents were asked through online questionnaire to rate a total of 39 potential ODN project

delay factors which are categorized under design related, owner related , contractor related and

external related project delay factors. Accordingly, the respondents rated those project delay

factors using a 5-point Likert scale based on the significance of each factor to ODN project delay.

The collected data is analyzed using descriptive statistics and the result is presented in the

following sections.

4.2.1 Design related project delay factors

Table 4.6 below shows the ranking of design related project delay factors. From the table we can

see that the respondents rated as most important design related project delay factors to be

insufficient data collection and survey before design (RII 0.686) , design errors made by designers

(RII 0.683) , delay in reviewing and approving design changes (RII 0.676) , insufficient estimation

of original contract duration (RII 0.647), and inadequate site investigation (RII 0.629).

44
This finding goes inline with the findings of Zewdie (2020) who found that the significant design

related project delay factors in road construction projects in Oromiya region to be insufficient

data collection and survey before design (RII=0.815) and design errors made by designers

(RII=0.745).

The above-mentioned result of this study also agrees with the study conducted by Bekele ( 2020)

who identified insufficient estimation of original contract duration, delay in reviewing and

approving design changes, and inadequate site investigation as the most important design related

causes of delay in road construction projects having the RII value of 0.798, 0.712,0.657

respectively.

Design related factors causing project delay RII value Rank

Insufficient data collection and survey before design 0.686 1

Design errors made by designers 0.683 2

Delay in reviewing and approving design changes 0.676 3

Insufficient estimation of original contract duration 0.647 4

Inadequate site investigation 0.629 5

Poor communication and coordination of designers 0.612 6

with other parties

Unclear and inadequate details in drawings 0.597 7

Lack of experience of designers in ODN projects 0.588 8

Table 4. 6 ranking of design related project delay factors

45
4.2.2 Owner related project delay factors

Table 4.7 below shows the rank of owner related ODN projects delay factors. From the table we

can see that the respondents ranked as most important owner related project delay factors to be

delay of contract amendment (RII 0.710), delay in payments (RII 0.703), delay in site delivery

(RII 0.656), delay in performing inspection and testing of completed projects (RII 0.656), design

changes by the owner during project implementation (RII 0.607) and slowness in decision making

(RII 0.603).

The above result is supported by the research conducted by Zewdie (2020) who found the main

project delay factors from the owner side to be: delay in site delivery (RII=0.890), delay in

progress payments (RII=0.825) and slowness in decision making (RII=0.795).

The above finding is also in line with the findings of Bekele ( 2020) who found that delay of

payments by owner (RII=0.827), delay in decision making ( RII 0.725), delay in site delivery to

the contractor ( RII=0.695), design changes by the owner (RII=0.642) as the most important

causes for contributing to project delay from the owner side.

Slow decision making (RII 0.790) , delay in progress payment by owner (RII 0.758), and late

delivering of the project site (RII 0.611) are also among the most contributing owner related causes

of delay as mentioned in the study conducted by Muluneh (2018) which supports the findings of this

study.

46
The researcher has noticed that the factor “ delay in payments by the owner ” is ranked as most

important owner related project delay factor in many studies conducted on project delays. This also

agrees with the finding of this research.

Table 4.7 below also shows that corruption tendencies (RII 0.461) have minimal contribution to

ODN project delay. However, this is contrary to the findings of Muhwezi et al (2014) , Daba &

Pitroda ( 2018) and other researchers who ranked corruption tendencies as most significant owner

related project delay factor. A possible reason for this is that the contract type used in the ODN

projects is fixed price contract which does not encourage to involve in high corruption tendencies.

Owner related project delay factors RII value Rank

Delay of contract amendment 0.710 1

Delay in payments 0.703 2

Delay in site delivery 0.656 3

Delay in performing inspection and testing of completed 0.656 4

projects

Design changes by owner during project implementation 0.607 5

Slowness in decision making 0.603 6

Lack of incentives for contractor to finish ahead of schedule 0.595 7

Poor project supervision 0.569 8

Poor communication and coordination with other parties 0.546 9

Corruption tendencies 0.461 10

Table 4. 7 ranking of owner related project delay factors

47
4.2.3 Contractor related project delay factors

Table 4.8 below reveals the rank of contractor related ODN projects delay factors. From the table

we can see that the respondents evaluated as most important contractor related project delay factors

to be shortage of equipment , tools and instruments (RII 0.722), financial problem of the

contractor (RII 0.614), ineffective project planning and scheduling (RII 0.588), inadequate

contractor experience (RII 0.576), unqualified / inadequate experienced labor (RII 0.573) and poor

site management and supervision (RII 0.569).

The above result is supported by the findings of Muhwezi et al (2014) who found that among the

top contractor related factors that cause project delay to be: inadequate contractor’s experience

with RII (0.885), and poor site management and supervision with RII (0.835) .

The finding also goes in line with Getahune ( 2021) who mentioned that poor site management,

unavailability of equipment and poor planning and scheduling to be one of the most significant

causes of contractor related project delay having high RII values.

The result also agrees with the findings of Muluneh (2018) that difficulties in financing the

project, poor management of the contract, poor planning and scheduling of the project, lack of

appropriate machinery are the most contributing factors to project delay from the contractor side.

Table 4.8 below also shows that contractor related project delay factors such as financial

indiscipline/dishonesty (RII 0.529), absenteeism (RII 0.524), poor communication and

coordination of the contractors with other parties (RII 0.514), and damage of materials by the

contractors (RII 0.481) have least influence on ODN project delay. This is contrary to the findings

48
of Muhwezi et al (2014), who mentioned that financial indiscipline/dishonesty of the contractor

as most important project delay factor related to the contractor having RII value of 0.923.

Contractor related project delay factors RII Rank

Shortage of equipment , tools and instruments 0.722 1

Financial problem of the contractor 0.614 2

Ineffective project planning and scheduling 0.588 3

Inadequate contractor experience 0.576 4

Unqualified / inadequate experienced labor 0.573 5

Poor site management and supervision 0.569 6

Shortage of labor 0.556 7

Rework due to errors 0.551 8

Financial indiscipline/dishonesty 0.529 9

Absenteeism 0.524 10

Poor communication and coordination with other parties 0.514 11

Damage of materials 0.481 12

Table 4. 8 ranking of contractor related project delay factors

4.2.4 External related ODN project delay factors

Table 4.9 below reveals the rank of external related ODN projects delay factors. From the table

we can see that the respondents assessed as most important external related project delay factors

to be shortage of project materials (RII 0.754), lack of integration with other utility providers (RII

49
0.639) , delay in obtaining permits from local authority (RII 0.634), unexpected surface &

subsurface conditions (such as soil, high water table) (RII 0.595), and unfavorable weather

conditions (RII 0.568) .

This study revealed that shortage of project materials (RII 0.754) as the most important external

related ODN project delay factors that is because of the shortage of foreign currency to purchase

ODN project materials from abroad.

The findings of this study agree with the findings of Sebsebie (2020) and Muhwezi et al (2014),

who mentioned shortage of project materials as an important factor that cause project delay.

Table 4.9 below also shows that external related project delay factors such as environmental ,

social, and cultural factors (RII 0.532), legal disputes between project participants (RII 0.529),

accidents during project execution (RII 0.469), changes in government regulations and laws (RII

0.461) have minimal effect on ODN project delay. This finding goes in tandem with the findings

of Bekele (2018) , Muluneh (2018) , and Muhwezi et al (2014) who found that social and cultural

factors, accidents during project execution, and changes in government regulations and laws to be

least significant in causing project delays. However , in opposite to this study , Muhwezi et al

(2014) found that legal disputes between project participants to have significant effect on project

delay with RII value of 0.773.

50
 External related project delay factors RII Rank

Shortage of project materials 0.754 1

Lack of integration with other utility providers 0.639 2

Delay in obtaining permits from local authority 0.634 3

Unexpected surface & subsurface conditions (such as 0.595 4

soil, high water table)

Unfavorable weather conditions 0.568 5

Environmental , social, and cultural factors 0.532 6

Legal disputes between project participants 0.529 7

Accidents during project execution 0.469 8

Changes in government regulations and laws 0.461 9

Table 4. 9 ranking of external related project delay factors

4.2.5 Ranking of categories of ODN project delay factors

Table 4.10 below shows the ranking of the above-mentioned categories of ODN project delay

factors. As shown in in the table design related ODN project delay factors ( RII 0.640) are

ranked first and owner related ( RII 0.611) , external related ( RII 0.576) and contractor related

ODN project delay factors ( 0.566) are ranked second, third and fourth respectively.

51
The result shows that there are problems in the designing task of ODN projects that cause delay

to ODN projects, and the company should do something to find solution for such design

problems.

However, the above-mentioned result does not support the result found by Muluneh (2018) and

Bekele ( 2020) who both found that the contractor related project delay factor to be the most

important project delay factor.

Category of the ODN RII value Ranking

project delay factor

Design related 0.640 1

Owner related 0.611 2

External related 0.576 3

Contractor related 0.566 4

Table 4. 10 Ranking of categories of ODN project delay factors

4.2.6 Top ten major factors of ODN project delay

Table 4.11 below shows the ranking of the totally identified 39 ODN project delay factors . From

the table we can see that the top ten ODN projects delay factors are :

1. Shortage of project materials ( RII 0.754),

2. Shortage of equipment , tools and instruments ( RII 0.722),

3. Delay of contract amendment ( RII 0.710),

52
 4. Delay in payments by the owner ( RII 0.703),

5. Insufficient data collection and survey before design ( RII 0.686),

6. Design errors made by designers ( RII 0.683),

7. Delay in reviewing and approving design changes ( RII 0.676),

8. Delay in site delivery ( RII 0.656), and delay in performing inspection and testing of

completed projects( RII 0.656 ),

9. Insufficient estimation of original contract duration ( RII 0.647), and finally

10. Lack of integration with other utility providers ( RII 0.639).

The above finding agrees with the results of Bekele (2018) and Dula (2021) who found that delay

in payments as one of top ten project delay factors . It is also inline with the results found by

Muluneh ( 2018) and Muhwezi et al (2014) who mentioned that design errors made by designers

is one of the top ten important project delay factors. Moreover, it also supports the result found by

Bekele (2018 ) and Dula ( 2021) that insufficient estimation of original contract duration is one of

the top ten contributing factors to project delay. The finding of this study is also supported by

Muhwezi et al (2014) who mentioned that data collection and survey before design as one of the

five most significant factors of construction project delay in Uganda.

However, the researcher did not find researchers that mentioned delay in contract amendment and

lack of integration with other utility providers within the list of their top ten most important project

delay factors.

53
Possible factors of ODN project Category of the RII Rank

delay factor of the delay

Shortage of project materials external 0.754 1

Shortage of equipment , tools and contractor 0.722 2

instruments

Delay of contract amendment Owner 0.710 3

Delay in payments Owner 0.703 4

Insufficient data collection and survey before Design 0.686 5

design

Design errors made by designers Design 0.683 6

Delay in reviewing and approving design Design 0.676 7

changes

Delay in site delivery Owner 0.656 8

Delay in performing inspection and testing of Owner 0.656 8

completed projects

Insufficient estimation of original contract Design 0.647 9

duration

Lack of integration with other utility external 0.639 10

providers

Delay in obtaining permits from local external 0.634 11

authority

54
Inadequate site investigation Design 0.629 12

Financial problem of the contractor contractor 0.614 13

Poor communication and coordination of Design 0.612 14

designers with other parties

Design changes by owner during project Owner 0.607 15

implementation

Slowness in decision making Owner 0.603 16

Unclear and inadequate details in drawings Design 0.597 17

Lack of incentives for contractor to finish Owner 0.595 18

ahead of schedule

Unexpected surface & subsurface conditions external 0.595 18

(such as soil, high water table)

Lack of experience of designers in ODN Design 0.588 19

projects

Ineffective project planning and scheduling contractor 0.588 19

Inadequate contractor experience contractor 0.576 20

Unqualified / inadequate experienced labor contractor 0.573 21

Poor project supervision Owner 0.569 22

Poor site management and supervision contractor 0.569 22

Unfavorable weather conditions external 0.568 23

Shortage of labor contractor 0.556 24

55
 Rework due to errors contractor 0.551 25

Poor communication and coordination with Owner 0.546 26

other parties

Environmental , social, and cultural factors external 0.532 27

Financial indiscipline/dishonesty contractor 0.529 28

Legal disputes between project participants external 0.529 28

Absenteeism contractor 0.524 29

Poor communication and coordination with contractor 0.514 30

other parties

Damage of materials contractor 0.481 31

Accidents during project execution external 0.469 32

Corruption tendencies Owner 0.461 33

Changes in government regulations and laws external 0.461 33

Table 4. 11 Ranking of ODN project delay factors

56
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

This chapter presents summary of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the

researcher that would help in avoiding or minimizing the occurrence of delay in Ethio Telecom’s

ODN projects.

5.1 Summary of findings

This research revealed that insufficient data collection and survey before design, design errors

made by designers, delay in reviewing and approving design changes, insufficient estimation of

original contract duration, and inadequate site investigation as the most significant design related

ODN project delay factors . This finding of design related project delay factors agrees with the

findings of Muhwezi et al (2014) . Moreover, delay in contract amendment, delay in payments ,

delay in site delivery , delay in performing inspection and testing of completed projects, design

changes by the owner during project implementation, and slowness in decision making are ranked

as major ODN project delay factors caused by the owner. In addition, shortage of equipment ,

tools and instruments, financial problem of the contractor, ineffective project planning and

scheduling by the contractor, inadequate contractor experience ,unqualified / inadequate

experienced labor , and poor site management and supervision of the contractor are found to be

the most important ODN project delay factors originating from the contractor side.

The study also showed that shortage of project materials lack of integration with other utility

providers, delay in obtaining permits from local authority, unexpected surface & subsurface

57
conditions (such as soil, high water table) , and unfavorable weather conditions to be the most

highly contributing external related factors to ODN project delay.

Finally, the research revealed that the top ten most important ODN project delay factors to be

shortage of project materials, shortage of equipment , tools and instruments , delay of contract

amendment , delay in payments by the owner, insufficient data collection and survey before design,

errors made by designers , delay in reviewing and approving design changes, delay in site delivery,

delay in performing inspection and testing of completed projects, insufficient estimation of original

contract duration, and finally lack of integration with other utility providers .

5.2. Conclusion

Assessing and knowing the factors of delay for ODN projects is advantageous, as it will be possible

to minimize or avoid the delay of such projects when their causes are effectively identified and

analyzed. The objective of this study was to identify, assess and investigate the factors causing

delays in Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects so that appropriate actions can be taken to avoid or

minimize the bad effects of ODN project delays. After conducting a detail literature review, a total

of 39 ODN project delay factors were identified and classified in to four categories : design related

ODN project delay factors, owner related ODN project delay factors, contractor related ODN

project delay factors, and external related ODN project delay factors. RII ( relative importance

index) was used to rank such ODN project delay factors so that the major contributing factors to

the delay of ODN projects can be identified. Accordingly, after analyzing the evaluation and

58
assessment of the 118 ODN project stakeholders to the identified ODN Project delay factors , the

top 10 most important ODN project delay factors were known as shown in table 4.10.

The result of this study mostly agrees with the findings of similar studies conducted in different

sectors and countries with regard to the most important project delay factors identified. However,

the corruption tendencies project delay factor which is ranked as least important project delay

factor in this research is not supported by other studies.

Moreover, out of the top 10 most important ODN project delay factors identified in this research,

4 project delay factors are from design related project delay factors, 3 project delay factors are

from owner related project delay factors , 2 project delay factors are from external related project

delay factors, and finally 1 project delay factor is from contractor related project delay factors.

This is contrary to the findings of other researchers who listed substantial number of contractor

related project delay factors in their list of top 10 project delay factors. This may be due to the fact

that in Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects contractors get special support in different areas such as

training , technical support, and others from the owner so that they can complete ODN projects

on time. Another reason is that as each project is different from other projects with respect to

country, culture, industry sector and company, the findings obtained from each project can be

different from others.

59
5.3 Recommendation

Based on the findings mentioned above , The researcher puts forward the following

recommendations so that delays in Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects can be controlled, minimized,

or avoided and the ODN projects will be completed on time.

• The project materials required for ODN projects are procured locally as well as imported

from abroad demanding foreign currency. The owner and the contractors should exert their

maximum effort and ensure that all project materials are available before commencing any

ODN project so that during implementation phase of the project, shortage of project

materials will not happen.

• ODN projects require sensitive instruments which are used for splicing and testing optical

fiber cables which are procured internationally through hard currency. Hence, the

contractors should make available all the equipment, tools and instruments which are

procured locally, and the owner should discuss with the concerned governmental financial

institutions to secure the foreign currency required for the purchase of those instruments

and help contractors by procuring and availing on-time such internationally procured

instruments on loan or sale bases.

• The owner should revise its existing contract amendment process and procedures and take

remedial action to execute contract amendment tasks within acceptable durations.

• The owner should investigate its existing process , procedures and organizational structure

for effecting project payments and should find the bottlenecks that hinder on time

60
 payments and take the necessary actions and measures so that contractors get their

payments as per the agreed contract, on time.

• The design team should take enough time for data collection and survey tasks of ODN

projects so that sufficient data is collected before issuing the final design. The supervisors

of the design team should also check and ensure that the data collection and survey task is

done properly.

• The design team should carefully prepare designs to minimize and avoid errors made by

designers. The team also should use modern software applications for preparing the design

and the final design should be subjected to peer review and finally to be checked by the

design supervisors. Skill upgrading trainings should also be provided to the designers

regularly.

• When design change is requested , the design team should give priority for the task by

conducting on-time design review and by quickly approving appropriate and reasonable

design change requests.

• The owner should deliver the project site to the contractors as quickly as possible after

contract signature.

• The owner should also perform inspection and testing of completed ODN projects on-

time. The handover and acceptance of the completed ODN projects should be done

without delay.

• The planning and design team should appropriately estimate and provide a reasonable

contract duration estimation for each ODN project according to the project’s size and

complexity.

61
 • The owner has to work closely with other utility providers so that its ODN projects will get

their support and not be hindered by their various actions.

• The owner should continue giving regular trainings to the contractors on technicalities of

ODN projects and project management skills.

5.4 Suggestion for future research

As the scope of this research is limited only to the assessment of project delay factors in Ethio

Telecom’s ODN projects that are implemented and under implementation in only Addis Ababa

city, the researcher suggests that similar studies be conducted on ODN projects that are

implemented and are under implementation in regional areas.

62
 References

Adebayo, A. F., Mustafe, A. O., Ahmed, A. S., & Funke , F. F. (2021). Exploring the

significant factors that influence delays in construction projects in Hargeisa.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021009294

Ahmed, S., Azher, S., Castillo, M., & Kappagantula, P. (2002). Construction delays in Florida.

An empirical study.

Aredo, A. A. ( 2017). AN ASSESSMENT OF CUSTOMERS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS ETHIO

TELECOM BROADBAND SERVICE DELIVERY PRACTICES; THE CASE OF ETHIO

TELECOM FINANCIAL ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS. MA thesis. Addis Ababa

university. College of Business and Economics. School of Commerce.

Assaf, S. A., & Al-Hejji, S. (2006). Causes of delay in large construction projects. International

Journal of Project Management, 24(4), 349–357.

Bekele, B. ( 2018). Assessments of the Causes of Schedule Delay in Road Construction Projects;

the case of Eshetu Lemma Road Contractor. MA thesis. Addis Ababa university. College

of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Bekele, B. ( 2018). Assessments of the Causes of Schedule Delay in Road Construction Projects;

the case of Eshetu Lemma Road Contractor. MA thesis. Addis Ababa university. College

of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

63
Curtis , B., David, E., Jon, E., Brianne, G., Nicolas, N., & Bill, S. (2011). Assessing the Costs

Attributed to Project Delays. Texas Department of Transportation.

Daba, D. D, & Pitroda, J. (2018). A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW ON MAIN CAUSE OF

DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. International Research Journal of Engineering

and Technology (IRJET). 05 (01), 612-615. https://www.irjet.net/archives/V5/i1/IRJET-

V5I1132.pdf

Dula A.( 2021). Causes of Delays in Large Scale Irrigation Projects in Ethiopia. MA thesis.

Addis Ababa university. College of Business and Economics. School of Commerce.

El-Razek, A. M. E., Bassioni, H. A., & Mobarak, A. M., (2008). Causes of delay in building

construction projects in Egypt. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management,

134, 831–841.

Emiru, L. ( 2019). Determinant Factors Affecting Schedule and Cost Overruns on

Water/Sewerage Construction Projects: The Case of AAWSA. MA thesis. Addis Ababa

university. College of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Ethio Telecom. (n.d). About Ethio telecom. Retrieved May 21, 2023, from

https://www.ethiotelecom.et/profile/

Faridi, A. S., and El-Sayegh, S. M.(2006). Significant factors causing delay in the UAE

construction industry, Journal of Construction Management and Economics, 24(11),

1167–1176.

64
 Federal Communications Commission ( 2014, June 23). Types of Broadband Connections.

Federal Communications Commission. https://www.fcc.gov/general/types-broadband-

connections

Flyvbjerg, B. Bruzelius, B. N., Rothengatte, W. R. (2003). Megaprojects and Risk: An Anatomy of

Ambition. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.

Getahune, A. ( 2021). Assessing factors causing construction delay in Addis Ababa housing

development corporation projects, the case of project 12. MA thesis. Addis Ababa

university. College of Business and Economics. School of Commerce.

Godifey, F. (2017). Factors Affecting Cost and Time Overruns on Road Construction Projects

under Addis Ababa City Administration . MA thesis. Addis Ababa university. College of

Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Haseeb, M. , Bibi, A. , & Rabbani, W. (2011). Problems of projects and effects of delays in the

construction industry of Pakistan. Australian Journal of Business and Management

Research.

Jennifer, E. (2021, October). fiber optics (optical fiber).TechTarget.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/fiber-optics-optical-fiber

Kaliba, C., Muya. M, & Mumba. K. ( 2009). Cost escalation and schedule delays in road

construction projects in Zambia. International Journal of Project Management, 27 (5),

522-531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2008.07.003.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263786308000951)

65
 Kissflow. (2022, August 24). How to Avoid and Overcome Project Delays. Kissflow.

https://kissflow.com/project/how-to-avoid-project-delays/

Marzouk, M., & El-Rasas, T. (2014). Analyzing delay causes in Egyptian construction projects.

Journal of Advanced Research. 5, 49–55.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260007031_Analyzing_delay_causes_in_Egypt

ian_construction_projects

Middleton, F. (2022, January 30). Reliability vs. Validity in Research | Difference, Types and

Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reliability-vs-validity/

MIRESSA, S. (2019). ASSESSMENT OF ROAD PROJECT DELAY FACTORS (CASE STUDY

OF ADDIS ABABA ROAD AUTHORITY ). MA thesis. Addis Ababa university. College

of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Mubarak, S. (2015). Construction Project Scheduling and Controlling (3rd ed.). Hoboken, New

Jersey. John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Muhwezi, L., Acai, J., & Otim, G. (2014). An assessment of the factors causing delays on

building construction projects in Uganda. International journal of construction

engineering and management, 3(1), 13-23.

MULUNEH, A. ( 2018). Assessment on Causes of Substation Construction Delay: Case of

Electricity Transmission system Improvement program 2 lot I project (Etisp 2 lot I) . MA

thesis. Addis Ababa university. College of Business and Economics. School of

commerce.

66
 Mwanaumo, E. , Mambwe, M., Mwanza, B. , & Sibalwa, E. (2021). An Investigation of Factors

Causing Schedule Overrun in Telecommunication Projects in Zambia.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352779820_An_Investigation_of_Factors_Caus

ing_Schedule_Overrun_in_Telecommunication_Projects_in_Zambia

Project Management Institute. (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge

(PMBOK® Guide) (Fourth ed.). Pennsylvania. Project Management Institute, Inc.

Rajgor, M., Paresh, C., Dhruv ,P. , Chirag, P., & Dhrmesh, B. ( 2016). RII & IMPI: EFFECTIVE

TECHNIQUES FOR FINDING DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. International

Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 03 ( 01), www.irjet.net

Rivera, L., Baguec, H., & Yeom, C. (2020). A Study on Causes of Delay in Road Construction

Projects across 25 Developing Countries. Infrastructures.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346213970_A_Study_on_Causes_of_Delay_in

_Road_Construction_Projects_across_25_Developing_Countries

Scott, S. (1993). Delay Claims in UK Contracts. Journal of Construction Engineering and

management.

Sebsebie, B. (2020). ASSESSMENT ON THE CAUSES OFCONSTRUCTION PROJECT DELAY:

IN THE CASE OF TL FOUNDATION SPECIALIST. MA thesis. Addis Ababa university.

College of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Theodore, T. (2009). Types of Construction Delays. Understanding them clearly, analyzing them

correctly. Oxford: Elsevier Inc

67
 Tolossa, T.( 2019). Determinants of Timely Completion of Road Construction Project - The case

of Road Construction Projects under Defense Construction Enterprise. MA thesis. Addis

Ababa university. College of Business and Economics. School of commerce.

Wikipedia. ( 2021, May 20). ODN. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ODN

Zewdie, T. (2020). Assessment of Factors Influencing Schedule Delay in Road Construction

Projects in Oromiya Region: The case “Sansuse – Tatek” and “Tulu Bolo-Kela” design

and build road project. MA thesis. St. Mary’s University. Addis Ababa. Ethiopia.

Zidane, Y., & Andersen, B. (2018). Causes of Delay and their Cures in Major Norwegian

Projects. Journal of Modern Project management.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322550775_Causes_of_Delay_and_their_Cures

_in_Major_Norwegian_Projects

68
Appendix

Questionnaire

Dear Respondent,

This questionnaire has purely academic purpose as I am conducting a study at Addis Ababa

University, College of Business and Economics for partial fulfillment of master’s degree in project

management. The questionnaire is designed to collect data for a research paper entitled

“Assessment of factors causing project delay : The case of Ethio Telecom’s ODN projects’’.

I believe your experience and educational background will greatly contribute to the success of my

research. Please try to answer all the questions openly and from the best of your knowledge, as

your answers will have an influence on the outcome of the research.

Thank you in advance for your time and effort for responding to this questionnaire.

With regards,

Adem Abera.

Part I. General background of the respondent

Please put “✓ ” mark for your choice in the blank space

1. Organization type : Owner (______) Contractor (______)

2. Gender : Male (_____) Female (______)

3. What is Your Position/ Status in your Organization?

69
 Director (_____) Manager (_____) Expert (_____) Supervisor (_____) Project specialist

(_____) Site engineer (_____) Other ( specify)---------------------------------------------------

4. Number of years you have been working in projects

0 to 5 (_____) 6 to 10 (_____) 10 to15 (_____) >15 (_____)

5. The highest level of education you have accomplished.

Diploma (_____) BA/BSc. (_____) MA/MSc. (_____) PHD (_____)

Part 2: Please rate the below mentioned possible factors that cause ODN

project delay by Putting “ ✓ ” mark under the appropriate box.

The values of the scale are:

1 = Not significant 2 = Slightly significant 3 = Moderately significant

4 = Very significant 5 = Extremely significant

No. Possible factors causing project delay 1 2 3 4 5

A. Design related project delay factors

Design errors made by designers

1

Inadequate site investigation

2

Unclear and inadequate details in drawings

3

70
 Delay in reviewing and approving design changes
4

Lack of experience of designers in ODN projects

5

Insufficient data collection and survey before design

6

Poor communication and coordination of designers with other

7
parties

Insufficient estimation of original contract duration

8

B. Owner related project delay factors

Corruption tendencies
9

Delay in payments
10

Design changes by owner during project implementation

11

Poor communication and coordination with other parties

12

Slowness in decision making

13

Delay in site delivery

14

Lack of incentives for contractor to finish ahead of schedule

15

Delay in performing inspection and testing of completed projects

16

Delay of contract amendment

17

71
 Poor project supervision
18

C. Contractor related project delay factors

Financial indiscipline/dishonesty
19

Inadequate contractor experience

20

Poor site management and supervision

21

Absenteeism
22

Ineffective project planning and scheduling

23

Rework due to errors

24

Poor communication and coordination with other parties

25

Unqualified / inadequate experienced labor

26

Shortage of equipment , tools and instruments

27

Shortage of labor
28

Damage of materials
29

Financial problem of the contractor

30

D. External related project delay factors

72
 Unfavorable weather conditions
31

Legal disputes between project participants

32

Shortage of project materials

33

Unexpected surface & subsurface conditions (such as soil, high

34
water table)

Accidents during project execution

35

Environmental , social, and cultural factors

36

Delay in obtaining permits from local authority

37

Changes in government regulations and laws

38

Lack of integration with other utility providers

39

73