Is project management a benefit to the Botswana construction industry?

Abstract

Project management has become a popular topic in the construction industry throughout the world. Botswana is no exception and many developers are now insisting that project managers should also be in charge of their development projects. However, as project managers charge a considerable fee for some of the services that were historically handled by architects, some industry role players have expressed their doubts whether project managers are in fact worthwhile. Project managers claim to do all these services better and faster than the traditional architect but it could be asked whether their involvement generated any tangible benefits to the construction industry to justify their added cost to a building project. The main aim of this article is to answer this question. A quantitative survey was conducted by means of a structured questionnaire involving various role players in the Botswana construction industry. The results were interpreted and the authors would like to present their positive findings that project management is indeed a benefit to the construction industry in Botswana.

Projekbestuur is ’n gewilde onderwerp orals ter wêreld, veral in die konstruksiebedryf. Botswana het nie die tendens vrygespring nie en derhalwe is daar ook baie ontwikkelaars wat daarop aandring dat projekbestuurders in beheer staan van hulle ontwikkelingsprojekte. Daar is egter heelwat skeptici wat wonder of projekbestuur die moeite werd is veral as daar in ag geneem word dat die projekbestuurder aansienlike fooie vir sy dienste vra, ’n fooi wat tradisioneel in elk geval deur die ontwikkelaar aan die argitek betaal is vir dienste soos kontrakadministrasie, konstruksietoesig en spanleiding. Hierdie artikel poog om vas te stel of die projekbestuurprofessie werklik enige konkrete verbeterings in die konstruksiebedryf in Botswana teweeggebring het. ’n Kwantitatiewe opname is gedoen deur vraelyste te stuur na verskeie rolspelers in die Botswana konstruksiebedryf. Die resultate is geïnterpreteer en die skrywers van hierdie artikel wil graag hul positiewe bevinding dat projekbestuur wel ’n positiewe uitwerking in die konstruksiebedryf in Botswana het, aanbied.