Variations in the Civil Engineering Construction Projects: Knowledge Management as an Antidote
Kasimu M. A1; Saba. Liman2; & Jibrin Ibrahim M3
1Department of Quantity Surveying,
2Department of Architecture & 3Department of Building Technology
Federal polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria
Email:kasimumohammmed@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
The Civil Engineering (CE) construction sector in Nigeria has been facing the challenges of management of knowledge and professionals’ experiences to reduce the variations and other claims problems during the course of construction project. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to establish the benefits of knowledge management (KM) practice in moderates the causes of variations in the CE construction projects in Nigeria. To accomplish this aim, the quantitative research approach through the uses of survey method was employed as a result of quality and type of data required, in line with complexity, fragmentation and diversification of CE construction firms. A total of 350 numbers of questionnaires were distributed to Engineers, Quantity surveyors, Project Managers, Construction Managers, Foremen and other professionals across the selected CE construction companies in Nigeria. The average index was used to analyse the data obtained from the responses of the respondents. The result obtained from the analysis shows that the practice of KM improves project delivery in term of cost, time and quality, reduce unnecessary costs; reduce construction rework problems and demolitions; reduce errors and omissions in design; improvement in problems solution; improves labour skills and integrate knowledge in the construction company etc. Therefore the management of the CE construction firms should develop proactive management strategies that would facilitate the KM practice by organizing workshops and seminars to create awareness of the benefits of KM practice.
Keywords: Variations, Knowledge, Knowledge management, Construction projects, and Construction cost
