Investigating the Relationship between Change Order Determinants and Project Performance: An evidence from educational building projects in KPK province, Pakistan

Abstract

Construction projects are difficult to complete without having changes to the original scope. Change orders are very common in modern construction projects and are often generated from different sources which can create complications for the project performance. Good educational infrastructure has a great impact on the achievement of better education. However, many research studies have identified the critical role of project complexity between change orders and project performance but there is hardly any study which has empirically tested these relationships on educational building projects in case of Pakistan. Thus this study aims to identify the main factors causing change orders and to analyze their potential effects on project performance, and to develop recommendations for the effective control of these change orders specifically in the context of educational building projects in KPK Province, Pakistan where variation orders are considered more common due to lack of research and development in this region of the country. This study also explores the mediating role of project complexity between change order and project performance. Primary data collected through a standardized questionnaire from the construction professionals involved in 25 completed educational building projects in KPK. Results of this study reveal that there exists a significant relationship between change orders and project performance and project complexity significantly mediates the relationship between change orders and project performance. Hence it is concluded that change orders have directly an adverse impact on project performance as well as the determinants of change orders create complexity in project which leads undesirable results in project performance. To improve project performance, the construction professionals must pay attention to minimize the adverse effects of change orders by handling the project complexity in an effective manner.