Analyzing Institutional Challenges Leading to Project Delays: A Case Study of Selected Organizations in Rwanda
Project delays continue to be a persistent challenge, impacting organizational effectiveness and economic development. This study examines the institutional factors driving project delays across various organizations in Kigali, Rwanda. The following specific objectives guided the research: to identify institutional factors that contribute to time overruns in project implementation; to explore how institutional challenges, such as financial limitations and poor planning, lead to cost overruns; to assess how institutional inefficiencies affect the quality of project outcomes; and to propose strategies to overcome institutional challenges and reduce project delays. The hypotheses were: H0 (null hypothesis): there is no significant relationship between institutional challenges and project delays in selected organizations in Rwanda. H1 (alternative hypothesis): Institutional challenges significantly contribute to project delays in selected organizations in Rwanda. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used to analyze data using SPSS. Data were collected through a structured survey from a purposive sample of 51 project professionals and project representatives. Respondents represented the private sector (56.86%), government institutions (19.61%), NGOs (15.69%), international organizations (5.88%), and others (1.96%). Most were male (68.63%) and aged 26–35 (60.78%) with bachelor’s degrees (60.78%). Findings revealed that 53% of organizations experienced delays in fewer than 10% of projects, while 37% faced delays in 10–30% of projects. The primary causes included budget constraints (28%), poor planning and scheduling (26%), and bureaucracy (22%). Key consequences were missed business opportunities (34%), increased costs (28%), and loss of client trust (24%). Multiple linear regression showed that institutional and managerial factors explained 14.84% of the variance in project delays, with a p-value of 0.0584. The hybrid project management approach was most used (39.22%), reflecting a need for adaptable frameworks. The study recommended that institutions should carry out better planning (40%), improved communication (22%), streamlined procedures (12%), and increased budgets (12%) to address institutional delays.
Undergraduate PM Program code BAPM, Digital repository