WOLLEGA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND

MANAGEMENT

STUDY ON MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN

ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN WESTERN OROMIA

BY: HELEN TESEMA

JUNE 2022
NEKEMTE, ETHIOPIA
 WOLLEGA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

STUDY ON MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN

ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN WESTERN OROMIA

A Thesis Submitted to the College of Engineering and Technology

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master Science in Construction Technology and Management

BY HELEN TESEMA

MAJOR ADVISOR: PRAVEEN KUMAR THALOOR RAMESH (PH.D.)

JUNE 2022
NEKEMTE, ETHIOPIA

ii
 WOLLEGA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
P.O. Box: 395, Nekemte, Ethiopia.

APPROVAL SHEET FOR SUBMITTING FINAL THESIS

As members of the Board of Examining of the Final M. A. /MSc. thesis open defense, we certify
that we have read and evaluated the thesis prepared by Helen Tesema under the title ‟study on
materials management practice in road construction projects in western Oromia ’’ and
recommend that the thesis be accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement for the Degree of
Master of Science in construction technology and management.

Chairperson Signature Date

Internal Examiner Signature Date

External Examiner Signature Date

Final Approval and Acceptance
Thesis Approved by

Department PGC Signature Date

Dean of college Signature Date

Certification of the Final Thesis

I hereby certify that all the corrections and recommendations suggested by the board of
examiners are incorporated into the final thesis entitled “study on materials managements
practice in road construction projects in western Oromia” by Helen Tesema

Dean of SGS Signature Date

iii
STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR
I Helen Tesema hereby declare and affirm that the thesis entitled “study on materials
management practice on a road construction project in western Oromia” is my own work
conducted under the supervision of Praveen Kumar Thaloor Ramesh (Ph.D.) I have followed all
the ethical principles of scholarship in the preparation, data collection method, data analysis, and
completion of this thesis. All scholarly matter that is included in the thesis has been given
recognition through citation. I have adequately cited and referenced all the sources. I also declare
that I have adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity and I have not
misrepresented, fabricated, or falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my submission. This thesis is
submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for a degree from the Post Graduate Studies at
Wollega University. I further declare that this thesis has not been submitted to any other
institution anywhere for the award of any academic degree, diploma or certificate.

I understand that any violation of the above will be cause for disciplinary action by the
University and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have thus not been properly
cited or from whom proper permission has not been taken when needed.

Name: Helen Tesema Signature:

Date:
School/Department: Construction Technology and Management
College: Engineering and Technology

This thesis has been submitted for examination with my approval as university supervisor.
Praveen Kumar Thaloor Ramesh (Ph.D.)

Advisor Signature Date

iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty God, for his help throughout my life and enabled
me to further my academic carrier.
I would like to express my deep sense of gratitude to my advisor Mr. Praveen Kumar Thaloor
Ramesh (Ph.D.) for his professional guidance, advice, support, and continuous encouragement to
make this research possible.

I would like to express my appreciation to all organizations and individuals who contributed
directly or indirectly to this thesis and provided the necessary materials and support for the
realization of this thesis. Especial thanks are forwarded to contractors, consultants, and clients
who sacrificed their time in filling the questionnaires.

My special thanks and gratitude also extended to all my family and friends, thank you for your
support and understanding. Without their support and encouragement, I could have had this
opportunity to complete my study. I also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of all those
individuals who had contributed in one way or the other to the completion of this paper.

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ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS

CII Construction Industry Institute

ERA Ethiopia Road Authority
PM Project Management
PMBOK Project Management Body of Knowledge
PMI Project Management Institute
RII Relative importance index
WBS Work Break Down Structure

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL SHEET FOR SUBMITTING FINAL THESIS ....................................................... iii
STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................. v
ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS ........................................................................................ vi
LIST OF TABLE ........................................................................................................................... xi
LIST OF FIGURE......................................................................................................................... xii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. xiii
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1

1.1., Background of the Study ...................................................................................................... 1

1.2., Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 3

1.3., Research Question ................................................................................................................ 4

1.4., Objective of the Study .......................................................................................................... 4

1.4.1., General Objective ................................................................................................................ 4

1.4.2., Specific Objective ................................................................................................................ 4

1.5., Scope of the study ................................................................................................................ 4

1.6., Significance of the study ...................................................................................................... 5

1.7., limitation of the study ........................................................................................................... 5

1.8., Organization of the Study..................................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 6

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 6

2.1., Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 6

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 2.2., General ................................................................................................................................. 6

2.3., Materials management importance for a Project .................................................................. 8

2.4., Material Management in road Construction projects ........................................................... 9

2.4.1., Components of Material Management are (Kulkarni, Sharma, & Hote, 2017) ................. 10

2.4.2., Materials Management Processes ...................................................................................... 11

2.5., Benefits of material management ....................................................................................... 16

2.6., Factors Affecting Materials Management in Road Construction projects ......................... 17

2.7., Measures for effective materials management in road projects ......................................... 22

2.7.1, Training of both management and other staff ..................................................................... 22

2.7.2., Ensuring proper planning, monitoring, and control ........................................................... 23

2.7.3., Proper usage of materials ................................................................................................... 23

2.7.4., Provision of adequate storage of materials ........................................................................ 23

2.7.5., Inventory control of materials on site ................................................................................ 24

2.7.6., Management, supervision, and administration of sites ...................................................... 25

2.7.7., Materials Schedule for the contract on hand...................................................................... 25

2.7.8., Provision and accessibility site layout ............................................................................... 26

2.7.9., Attention to weather conditions ......................................................................................... 26

2.8., Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................... 27

CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 28

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................. 28

3.1., Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 28

3.2., Research Design ................................................................................................................. 29

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 3.3., Method of Data Collection ................................................................................................. 29

3.3.1., Questionnaire ..................................................................................................................... 29

3.3.2., Site Observation ................................................................................................................. 30

3.3.3., Interview ............................................................................................................................ 30

3.4. Questionnaires Design ......................................................................................................... 31

3.5. Research Population and Sampling ..................................................................................... 32

3.5.1. Population ........................................................................................................................... 32

3.5.2. Sampling Technique ........................................................................................................... 32

3.5.3. Sample Size......................................................................................................................... 33

3.7 Validity of data ..................................................................................................................... 34

3.8 Pilot study ............................................................................................................................. 35

3.9 Reliability of data ................................................................................................................. 35

3.10 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................................ 35

CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 36

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ............................................................................................. 36

4.1 General Information ............................................................................................................. 36

4.1.1. Questionnaire Response Rate ............................................................................................. 36

4.1.2. Job Title of Respondent ...................................................................................................... 37

4.1.3 Educational Level of Respondents....................................................................................... 37

4.1.4 Respondents' Years of Experience ....................................................................................... 38

4.2., Responses of Construction Stakeholders............................................................................ 39

4.2.1., Problems and challenges of project materials management Practice preparation ............. 39

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4.2.2., Factors Affecting materials management practices on road construction projects............ 42

4.2.3., The Impacts of materials management Practice and Challenges on Road Projects .......... 48

4.2.4., Materials Management components and Its Implementation ............................................ 49

4.2.6., Possible measures for effective materials management in road construction.................... 54

4.3., Interview Response ............................................................................................................ 56

CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................................... 60

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ........................................................................ 60

5.1., Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 60

5.2., Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 62

5.3., Recommendation for future research ................................................................................. 63

REFERENCE ................................................................................................................................ 64
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................... 68

x
LIST OF TABLE

Table 4 : 1 Respondents' response rate ......................................................................................... 36

Table 4: 2 Respondents’ job positions .......................................................................................... 37
Table 4 : 3 Respondent’s years of experience .............................................................................. 38
Table 4: 4 Problems and challenges of materials management practices in road projects ........... 40
Table 4: 5 factors affecting materials management practices in road projects ............................. 43
Table 4: 6 Impacts of materials management problems and challenges on road project ............ 48
Table 4: 7 The degree of construction materials management implementation ........................... 50
Table 4: 8 Materials management Practice Improvement parameters .......................................... 52
Table 4: 9 Measures for effective materials management in road project ................................... 54
Table 4: 10 Response result of project guideline for construction material management ............ 57

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LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 2: 1 Materials Management Process (Source : (Yohannes Tedla1, 2018) ) ...................... 16

Figure 2: 2 Factor Affecting Materials Management ( Source: (Patel & Pitroda, 2015) ) ........... 19
Figure 3: 1 Map of the study area...…..……………………………………………...…………..27
Figure 4: 1 Percentage of the return rate ....................................................................................... 37
Figure 4: 2 Educational levels of respondents .............................................................................. 38
Figure 4: 3 challenges of project materials management practices .............................................. 41
Figure 4: 4 Contractor Related Factors ........................................................................................ 47
Figure 4.5 Consultant and client Related factors..........................................................................46
Figure 4: 6 Degree in construction materials management implementation ............................... 51
Figure 4: 7 possible Measures for effective materials management in road project .................... 55
Figure 4: 8 strategy and procedures for materials management practice preparation .................. 57
Figure 4: 9 meeting on a project progress evaluation ................................................................... 59

xii
ABSTRACT
Materials management is a critical component of the construction industry and one of the major
resources in the construction process for construction companies through the planned
construction of road projects. The main objective of this study was to study materials
management practice in road construction in western Oromia. For this study, both primary and
secondary data sources were gathered. The primary sources of data were collected from
respondents through a questionnaire, observation, and interview while the secondary data were
collected from literature and related documents. The study was focused only on road
construction projects in western Oromia. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was
used to select a representative sample from the population for the questionnaire because this
technique enables the selection of units from the population-based on qualified information and
to easily assess the best information. The responses were analyzed using the Microsoft Excel
software package and the help of the Relative importance index. According to the results of the
questionnaire responses, the top five ranked frequently occurring problems and challenges of
construction materials management Practice preparation are found to be: Lack of concern for
materials management development has been ranked as the first problem and challenges of
materials management practice preparation with RII of 0.85, lack of skill and knowledge on
materials management has been ranked on the second with RII 0.84., Inadequately defined
scope, in the beginning, has been ranked on the third with RII 0.83, Poor leadership practice has
been ranked on fourth based on respondent’s response with RII 0.82, and Incomplete Work
information or miscommunication has been ranked in fifth with RII 0.81. The overall results
imply that the more significant factors should be prioritized to improve the project construction
materials management practices. Creating a well-planned project, construction materials
management practices, Adopting construction materials management Practice Management
methodologies, prepare an appropriate Work Environment is necessary. In order to mitigate the
problem, the following recommendation were to be adopted Create procedures, guidelines, and
strategies before developing a project construction materials management Practice for a specific
project at the organization level and enhance the efficiency of construction materials
management Practice is much desired.

Keywords: Material management practice, Factor affecting, Road construction

xiii
CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1., Background of the Study

Nowadays in Ethiopia, the road construction sector plays an important role in short time
tendencies, with more frequent development, not only for the sector itself but also for other
economic activities as well (Mekdim, 2017). As a result, it is firmly believed that the
construction industry needs an effective materials management practice to retain profitability and
continue its dynamic contribution to the growth of the country. Before starting one project then,
the planning should be done with great concern, as the efficiency of the whole project largely
depends upon its planning. Planning of a construction project involves deciding about the extent
of materials planning, materials management, execution planning, etc.

Some researchers provide different definitions for material management, hence different
definitions can be found in different references but (N. B. Kasim et al., 2005), define materials
management as a process for planning, executing, and controlling field and office activities in
construction. While constructing any project, the materials management should be done with
great care, as the efficiency of the whole project. Resources are the means of production needed
to complete a project. According to (Raja & Murali et al., 2020) made a study about resource
management in construction projects in general construction projects employ huge resources of
men, materials, and machines for major works. Unless required resources are planned and
procured, no activity can be executed within the scheduled time.

Project managers are responsible for making complex decisions under different scheduling and
conditions of extended task durations (Jimoh, 2012). The increased durations increase costs.
Managing materials during construction projects is one of the most important parts that should be
specified in construction project management. Hence, to ensure the achievement of construction
commitments companies have to be increasingly spinning construction materials management as
an optimization strategy.

1
Materials management is a construction process that involves planning, executing, and
controlling field and office activities. The goal of materials management is to ensure that
construction materials are available at their point of use when needed. The materials
management system attempts to ensure that the right quality and quantity of materials are
appropriately selected, purchased, delivered, and handled on-site on time and at a reasonable
cost. According to (Khyomesh V. Patel & Prof. Chetna M. Vyas, 2011) construction materials
constitute about 30% to 70% of the project cost. Hence, it is important to manage all construction
materials from design to the construction stage in every project. The main reason for
construction material to be so influential in a construction project is because the cost for material
handling may range from 30 to 80 % of the total construction cost (Proverb, et al., 1999).
Therefore ineffective material management can cause inevitable loss for a construction project.
One of the essential criteria to have good project management in construction is the materials
management must enthusiastically pursue to achieve the efficient utilization of material (Othman
et al., 2014).

The deployment of materials management in construction results in not only the construction
work being high quality, and at the initial contract price, but deliveries must be on time. Poor
materials management system unfavorably affects the availability of construction materials,
consequently poor performance and delay in projects results. When a contractor fails to deliver
on time or at required quality thresholds, over and over again harsh financial penalties and
liquidity damage are imposed by clients, in due course, the negative financial impact
unexpectedly hinders the overall performance of the company by affecting the pre-planned
budget and working capital of other projects. In the absence of a proper construction
management system, it will be difficult to avail uninterrupted flow of required construction
materials.

Material management can be considered a prime uncertainty in a construction project. (Bell &
Stukhart, 1986) clarify materials management functions which include planning and material
take-off, vendor evaluation and selection, purchasing, expenditure, shipping, material receiving,
warehousing, and inventory and material distribution. As material management is interrelated to
other processes and stages of the construction project and is dependent on various other factors it
has high uncertainty. Especially the nature of the construction project being fragment basis with

2
unstructured communication and no clear responsibility between the parties increases the
challenge of implementing effective material management. Therefore, this paper assessed the
practices used in material management in road construction projects in western Oromia, by
identifying the major problems and ways by which identified problems can be minimized on
road construction projects and forward helpful measures and recommendations towards
promoting materials management in construction projects.

1.2., Statement of the Problem

Material management has been the backbone of every construction firm. Stakeholders involved
in managing materials management in construction projects all differ in terms of education,
experience, and view. According to (Idris, Madzlan, & Potty, 2014) studies on various
construction projects, it shows that problems and issues regarding the materials management in
construction projects influenced the performance and success of the project. (MollaS, 2016)
suggested that waste, transport difficulties, improper handling on-site, misuse of the
specification, lack of a proper work plan, inappropriate materials delivery, and excessive
paperwork all adversely affect construction materials management. Currently, in road
construction projects, there is a lack of an effective management system which leads to
inappropriate consumption of materials, there is a delay in the projects, unnecessary expenses,
and also construction materials are inappropriately managed. Hence, materials are a huge
investment of a company, if this huge investment cannot be managed properly; delivery is
delayed, and quality and time will be in question. Therefore, this study aims to indicate for
further researchers have to study the problems stated above and how material management
system is used in road construction projects, assess the suitability, see some materials
management practices used in the western Oromia construction industry, and they have to extend
their suggestion to mitigate the problems in the study area.

3
1.3., Research Question

This research intended to answer the following specific research questions.

 What are the current materials management practices in road construction projects?
 What is the factor that affects material management practice in road construction project
success?
 To what extent materials management procedures are designed & implemented in road
construction in the study area?
 What is the possible measurement of effective materials management in road
construction projects?

1.4., Objective of the Study

1.4.1., General Objective

The main objective of this study was to study materials management practice in road
construction in western Oromia.

1.4.2., Specific Objective

Specifically, the objectives of the study include:

 To identify the current material management practice implemented in road construction ;

 To identify the factors that affect material management practice in road construction
success;
 To identify the implementation of material management procedure practice in road
construction projects in the study area;
 To identify the possible measurement of effective materials management in road
construction.

1.5., Scope of the study

To meet the research with the budget and duration required, the study was restricted both in
scope and depth. The scope of this study is on material management practice in road construction
projects in western Oromia: namely Nekemte, Shambu, and Gimbi. The study was focused only
on road construction projects. The study addresses the general and specific objective; material

4
management practice challenges; their impact on the success of road construction projects in
general.

1.6., Significance of the study

This study gives further understanding to all practitioners and academicians by giving useful
information concerning material management and issues related to its practice. And the study has
also received an insight about ways and means to manage and maximization of available
materials. In addition to helping to Clarify the role of effective and efficient material
management practices in road construction in the mentioned area. This thesis result was helpful
for the stakeholders of road construction and management team working and nearby society.

1.7., Limitations of the study

The research work encountered problems and limitations during data collection. Questionnaire
and interview were designed in such a way that desired information could be collected, however;
Problems of the willingness of some respondents to participate in filling out questionnaires,
spending time waiting until getting the responses promised from the respondents, and the
unwillingness of some respondents to give secondary data that is necessary for the research from
office, Lack of similar studies particularly in Ethiopia made difficult in comparing results these
were some of the limitations. So the above-mentioned challenges limited the researcher to
address more issues in the study areas, and finally accomplish them on time.

1.8., Organization of the Study

This paper is organized and structured with five chapters. The first chapter starts with an
introduction to the study and also includes the problem statement, objective, scope, and
significance of the research. The second chapter deals with the literature review. The
methodologies adopted for this research are presented in chapter three. The fourth chapter
presents the analysis of the research data, results, and discussions. The last is chapter five which
includes Conclusions and Recommendations. Finally, references used for the study and
appendixes are attached at the end of the paper.

5
CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1., Introduction

This literature review is aimed at lying down the fundamental concepts and principles that the
research is based upon, on other published books, journals, dissertations, articles, etc. on the
same or similar topic by other scholars and researchers. This gives the investigator an
understanding of analyzing materials management practices on construction projects. The study
focused on “construction materials management practice in road construction in western Oromia,
hence, the literature review accommodates mainly focusing on the core concepts of materials
management, and the planning, selecting, purchasing, delivered, and handled on-site on time and
at a reasonable cost.

2.2., General

The construction industry is the sector of the economy that is responsible for the planning,
design, construction, maintenance, and works. The construction sector in Ethiopia is growing and
taking on an increasingly significant role in the development of the Ethiopian economy (Woldu,
2013). This is demonstrated by the construction of roads and development projects that are
undertaken all over the country.

Current construction sector activities include many road construction projects constructed by
Ethiopian road authorities, private contractors, and regional governments. This affirms that there
is a big construction flourishing all over the country. Management is a difficult task so the
construction manager must develop a plan of action for directing and controlling materials in a
coordinated and timely manner to deliver a project within the frame of limited funding and time.
According to (Ramajogi et al., 2017) the important issue in the successful application of a
construction project not solely depends on the amount and value of the work, but also depends
on materials availability. All the activities which are concerned with the construction project
need a specific quantity of material. Every activity of a project is allotted with a specific material

6
and it should be completed within the time limitation, otherwise, it may Impact the overall period
of the project. Good project management in construction has strongly practiced the efficient
utilization of material management (Alikhan, Ullah, & khan, 2019).
Ineffective materials management leads to financial impairment, costly project delays, lost time,
and reduced productivity (Chigara & Mangore, 2012). Unless required resources are planned and
procured, no activity can be executed within the scheduled time. On the other hand, excess
material wasting can result in cost overruns, while low material coverage or long lead time in
resource acquisition can delay the project schedule (Park, 2015). Project managers are
responsible for making complex decisions under different scheduling and conditions of extended
task durations. The increased duration results in an increase in overall the cost of the project.

According to (Molla, 2016) the Construction Industry Institute (CII) has shown that materials
and installed equipment can make up 50–60% of the overall project cost and impact 80% of its
schedule. The construction of roads in Ethiopia is not solely the responsibility of the construction
company; various stakeholders are concerned about the delivery of high-quality construction
work on the roads. Therefore, road construction projects must efficiently prepare and manage
material to complete their contractual obligations and meet their responsibilities.

Material management in construction firms must be the process of making the most effective use
of the company's resources. So It is important to manage all materials from the design phase to
the construction stage of the project as poor handling of construction materials affects the overall
performance of construction projects in terms of time, budget (cost), quality, and productivity.
The wastage of materials should also be minimized during construction to avoid loss of profit for
construction companies (Okorocha, 2013). Making that one has sufficient resources to complete
a project. Material management is the efficient and effective deployment and allocation of a
company’s materials when and where they are needed.

According to (Molla, 2016) made a study Materials management is the system for planning and
controlling all of the efforts necessary to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of materials
and equipment are properly specified on time, are obtained at a reasonable cost, and, most
importantly, are available at the point of use when required. The material is the key component
in any construction project. Therefore, if the material management in construction projects is not

7
managed properly it will create a major project cost variance. The total cost of the project can be
well controlled by taking corrective actions toward the cost variance that occurs during the
project (Madhavi et al. 2013; Veronika et.al. 2006).

According to (Stukhart, 1995) states that the main categories of materials encountered in a
construction project are engineered materials, bulk materials, and fabricated materials.
 Bulk materials: -These are materials that are manufactured to a set of specifications and
acquired in bulk. They can be purchased at conventional lengths or in large quantities.
Examples of such materials include pipes, wiring, and cables. They are more difficult to
plan because of uncertainty in quantities needed
 Engineered materials: -These materials are either custom-fabricated for a specific project
or manufactured to industry standards in a shop off-site. These materials have a specific
application. This includes materials that require detailed engineering data.
 Fabricated materials: - these are materials that are assembled to form a finished part or a
more complicated part. Examples of such materials include steel beams with holes and
beam seats.

2.3., Materials management importance for a Project

The efficient management of materials plays a key role in the successful completion of a project
(Al-Khalil et al., 2004). The control of materials is a very important and vital subject for every
company and should be handled effectively for the successful completion of a project. Problems
related to managing the flow of materials can be found in every organization. Materials account
for a big part of products and project costs. The cost represented by materials fluctuates and may
cover between 20-50% of the total project cost and sometimes more. various studies concluded
that materials account for around 50-60% of the project cost (Jusoh & Kasim, 2016). Materials
are vital in the operations of every industry since the unavailability of materials can stop
production. In addition, unavailability of materials when needed can affect productivity, cause
delays, and possible suspension of activities until the required material is available. The
unavailability of materials is not the only issue that can cause problems. Excessive quantities of
materials might also make serious problems for managers. Storage of materials can increase the
costs of production and the total cost of any project. While storage space is limited, managers

8
must discover different ways to store items until they are needed. Some of these alternatives
might require the re-handling of materials, which will increase the costs associated with them.
Provisions should be taken to handle and store the materials adequately when they are received.
Special attention should be given to the flow of materials once they are procured from suppliers.

Materials should be obtained at the lowest cost possible to provide savings to the company
(Arijeloye & Akinradewo et al, 2016). Material management has been an issue of concern in the
construction industry. 40% of the time lost on-site can be attributed to bad management, lack of
materials when needed, poor identification of materials, and inadequate storage (Ahmed et al,
2017).

It becomes necessary to have a good materials planning system. Some companies have increased
the efficiency of their activities to remain competitive and safe for future work. Various other
firms have reduced overheads and undertaken productivity improvement strategies. Considerable
improvement and cost savings would seem possible through enhanced materials management.
The timely availability of materials and systems is vital to successful construction. Materials
management functions are often performed on a fragmented basis with minimal communication
and no established responsibilities assigned to the owner, contractor, or engineer.

Better material management practices could increase efficiency in operations and reduce overall
cost. Top management is paying more awareness to material management because of material
shortages, high-interest rates, rising prices of materials, and competition. There is a growing
awareness in the construction industry that material management needs to be addressed as a
comprehensive integrated management activity.

2.4., Material Management in road Construction projects

Materials Management has been defined as the management system for planning and controlling
all necessary efforts to make certain that the right quality and quantity of materials and
equipment are specified on time, are obtained at a reasonable cost, and are available when
needed. (Khyomesh V. Patel & Prof. Chetna M. Vyas, 2011) defined Material management as a
process that coordinates planning, assessing the requirement, sourcing, purchasing, transporting,

9
storing, and controlling of materials, minimizing wastage, and optimizing the profitability by
reducing the cost of the material.
Construction materials management is a critical function in increasing construction project
productivity. According to (Bell & Stukhart, 1986) "Material need planning and material
takeoff," "vendor evaluation and selection," "purchasing, expenditure, shipping, material receipt,
storage and inventory," and "material distribution" are some of the functions of materials
management. "

(Kasim, 2008) Construction Materials management is an important function to improve

productivity in construction projects. From the definitions, it is obvious that material
management is a function responsible for planning and controlling materials flow. (Yohannes
Tedla1, 2018) explained that factors disturbing material management for the selected case study
of a construction site and the practice of the right material in the right place at the right time are
necessary for effective implementation of a construction project. He clarifies that construction
materials constitute about 70% of the total cost of the construction project. So proper
management practices are creating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the project and thus
help on-time completion of the project.

The advantage of material management is to control the flow of materials effectively. The
purpose of material management is to assure that the right materials are in the right place, in the
right quantities when required. (N. Kasim, 2006) reported that improper handling and managing
of materials on-site during the construction process will influence the total project cost, time, and
quality.

2.4.1., Components of Material Management are (Kulkarni, Sharma, & Hote, 2017)

 Material estimation, budgeting, planning, and programming.

 Scheduling, purchasing, and procurement.
 Receiving and inspection
 Inventory control, storage, and warehousing
 Material handling and transport
 Waste management

10
2.4.2., Materials Management Processes

According to (Fuad Hassan Ahmed, 2017) planning, procurement, logistic, handling, stock, and
waste control are the types of materials management functions. To better, understand the
materials management function process are the following: planning, procurement, logistics,
handling, stock, and waste control. A good materials management environment enables proper
materials handling on construction sites.
i) planning

According to (Illingworth, 1993) the process of planning construction methods has been defined
as "understanding what needs to be built and then establishing the correct method, in the most
economical way to meet the client's requirements. This is a detailed plan for accomplishing a
goal for a specific work task. The planning should be revised as frequently as possible to monitor
whether work is progressing as planned. During the planning prices, detailing the project in
terms of its outcome, team members’ roles and responsibilities, schedules, resources, scope, and
costs are needed. At the end of this phase, a project management plan is produced, which is a
document that details how your project will be controlled, executed, monitored, and closed.
According to (Stukhart, 1995) there is a requirement for suitable planning in the case of
materials, which must be done concurrently with engineering, construction, and other project
plans. He similarly stated that material planning will provide guides for all the subsequent
activities and can have a great impact on the project plan.

In the materials management function, the planning phase starts with the identification and
determination of required materials that need to be purchased and their availability. This function
covers scheduling and logistic planning as it is important to ensure an efficient transfer of
materials from the suppliers to the project site on time and can fulfill the construction need
(Yuthas & Young, 1998).

The materials planning process covers setting up and maintaining the records of each part used in
each plant to determine target inventory levels, and delivery frequency (N. Kasim, 2006). As a
result, good materials record management will aid the flow of goods at the job site, avoiding
issues like commodities out of stock and materials that have not been delivered. Planning of
access and routing of materials within a construction site has an important implication for the

11
development of an effective materials management strategy (Tibebu, 2016). The objective of
efficient materials planning is, to increase productivity and profit of the company, and facilitate
the completion of construction projects (Wong & Norman, 1997) Thus, better planning of raw
materials on-site can help prevent project delays and reduce activity times, resulting in improved
service.

ii) Procurement

The term procurement encompasses a wide range of activities that include purchasing
equipment, materials, labor, and services required for the construction and implementation of a
project (Barries & Paulson, 2002). It is managed by the construction material procurement
responsible personnel for inviting quotations with samples of construction materials where
applicable. The objective of procurement in materials management is to offer high-quality
materials at the proper time and place all within a set budget (Sawalhi1, 2012). The purchasing
function is essential to material management. Purchasing has the responsibility and the authority
to commit project funds for materials, equipment, and services. This activity may be
accomplished by the home office, the field, or a combination of both depending on the size and
the scope of the project.

(N. Kasim, 2006) specified that procurement is about organizing the purchasing of materials and
issuing delivery schedules to suppliers and following-up, to make sure that suppliers deliver on
time. Purchasing is one of the basic functions common to all types of business enterprises. The
process is started with a purchase requisition, and the authorization of the firm through an
approved official to buy the needed materials. Quality, quantity, and date needed are specified on
a requisition form, which must be signed by an authorized person. The requisition form should
also be numbered for accounting control in the case of materials that are needed periodically, a
repeating requisition form may be established, where goods are ordered regularly according to a
predetermined schedule. (Lamer, 2007) suggested a section to include the purchase order
number, the address should be included in the form’s design for best control.

12
 iii) Logistics

Logistics can be defined as that aspect of the supply chain process that plans, implements, and
controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and
related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet customers’
requirements (Ahmed, 2017). Similarly (Stukhart, 1995) expresses that logistics is a concept that
emphasizes movement and it encompasses planning, implementing, and controlling the
movement and storage of all goods from raw materials to the finished product to meet customer
requirements. Consequently, the construction industry requires the active movement of materials
from the suppliers to the production area in both the factory and the worksite (Pheng & Chuan,
2001).

The major responsibility of the construction, project manager of a construction project revolves
around the optimization of daily operations of services through careful planning, organizing,
directing, and controlling activities before and during construction. Operational efficiencies that
involve day-to-day decisions relative to logistics are directly part of the responsibilities of site
management. Construction logistics operations in this context include (Jang, 2003)
 Manpower supply;
 Schedule control;
 Material supply, storage, processing, and handling;
 Site material flow management on a job site,
 Site infrastructure and equipment location and
 Management of information related to all physical and service flows.
Consequently, the factors that should be considered during the logistics process for effective
materials management include optimal forecasting of materials movement; and Planning of
access and routing of material within a construction site.

iv) Handling

Handling of materials means maintaining the perfect order to supply the materials for their
movement and location, in material handling gives the rating to materials based on quality and it
should be considered when designing a material handling system, to supply the effective
operation of manpower, increase the output and advance to the system for more flexible.

13
Effective material handling can be described as using the right method in providing the right
amount of the right material, at the right place, time, sequence, position, condition, and cost. This
involves handling, storing, and controlling the construction materials. The importance of
appropriate handling of materials is highlighted by the fact that they are expensive and engage
critical decisions. Due to the frequency of handling materials, there are quality considerations
when designing a materials handling system. The materials handling equipment selection is an
important function in the design of a material handling system to enhance the production
process, provide effective utilization of manpower, increase production, and improve system
flexibility (Chan, 2002).

v) Stock and Waste Control

Stock control is the technique planned for ensuring that materials or equipment are always
available. It includes raw materials, processed materials, assembly components, consumable
stores, general stores, maintenance materials and spares, work in progress, and finished products.
Construction activities generate a lot of waste and cause difficulty for the construction industry.
The cause of waste in construction projects indicates that waste can arise at any stage of the
construction process from inception, right through the design, construction, and operation of the
built facility. Therefore, waste can be reduced through the careful consideration of the need for
minimization and better reuse of materials in both the design and construction phases (Briscoe et
al., 2004).

The implementation of materials management which is effective will help to minimize the waste
of materials and increase profit for the firm (Anderson, 2018). Material storage on-site requires
close attention to avoid waste, loss, and any damage to materials that would affect the operations
of the construction project. Problems often arise during materials supply because of improper
storage and protection facilities (M.R.Canter, 1993). However (Stukhart, 1995) suggested that
there are a few considerations to be taken into account in the planning of the storage space such
as the timing of the initial buy, and historical information and experience. On-site material
management should aim to decrease earnings loss due to theft, damage, and wastage, as well as
stock-outs. As a result, the requirements for storage space should be considered from the
beginning of the construction process.

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vi) Storage of Materials

Construction work generally entails the temporary occupation of a site, but unfortunately, site
storage tends to reflect this, with a carelessness shown towards materials and components which
would hardly be tolerated in most other industries. Storage consists of more than one operation
according to (Johnston, 2016) and, is involved as follows:

 Delivery of goods to the site,

 Offloading,
 Stacking
 Protection against deterioration,
 Identification for future reference,
 Accounting procedures,
 Issue of materials to operatives for use on-site,
 Loading for transfer to construction areas
 A general movement of goods

Collectively these operations entail a great deal of organization together with the use of
mechanical equipment, site labor, and contract supervision. Materials may be kept on-site over
long or short periods until they are needed. Storage also means an expenditure of capital, and
many contractors are reluctant to purchase materials in advance, except for those needed almost
immediately. Because the period between ordering and receiving materials is so uncertain, the
contract must make allowances for temporary storage, and where materials are stored under the
conditions laid down in the contract the contractor is entitled to be reimbursed for this. This
provides a cash flow, enabling the contractor to purchase further materials as they are needed,
reducing the stocks held by suppliers and manufacturers, and creating opportunities for
continued production.

Storage under proper conditions includes stacking the materials in racks and frames, retaining
them in bins and boxes, protecting them from impact damage, and enclosing them from adverse
weather conditions. Covered accommodation will be needed for materials that must be safely
stored in open-fronted sheds or protected by temporary mobile covers. Tarpaulin or lose plastic

15
sheets are not always satisfactory; they are often blown off during heavy winds or left off by
operatives withdrawing stocks (Johnston, 2016).

Material need generated from site

Material ordered in store

Indent is generated

Check availability in store

Check the balance items

Vender selection from the approved list

Material inspection from received stock

Issue of material to the department

Figure 2: 1 Materials Management Process (Source : (Yohannes Tedla1, 2018) )

2.5., Benefits of material management

This part will describe some of the aspects that the materials manager should keep in mind to
handle all activities related to materials appropriately. According to (Wubishet et al., 2013) the
goals of a material management system should be the lowest final cost, best quality, assurance of
supply, and lowest administrative costs. The materials manager should get the materials needed
at the lowest cost possible. By buying products at the lowest possible costs, operating costs can
be reduced and profits can be increased. Proper handling and storage of materials can reduce the
total cost of materials; therefore the materials manager should ensure that materials are handled

16
properly and stored in the most appropriate places. Quality is a very significant aspect that the
materials manager has to keep in mind. When specifications need a high-quality product, quality
could become the most important objective. Suppliers play an essential role in any organization.
Many companies rely greatly on outside suppliers for the materials needed for production. Good
relations with suppliers might be decisive for a company to be in business.

An effective material management system can bring many profits to a company. Previous studies
by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) concluded that labor productivity could be improved
by six percent and can produce 4-6% additional savings (Bernold & Treseler, 1991). Among
these benefits are:

 Reducing the overall costs of materials

 Better handling of materials
 Reduction in duplicated orders
 Materials will be on-site when needed and in the quantities required
 Improvements in labor productivity
 Improvements in a project schedule
 Quality control
 Better field material control
 Better relations with suppliers
 Reduce materials surplus
 Reduce storage of materials on site
 Labor savings
 Stock reduction
 Purchase savings
 Better cash flow management

2.6., Factors Affecting Materials Management in Road Construction projects

There are several factors described in the area of material management and all of these
influences can make to latent problems. (Yohannes Tedla1, 2018) recommended Factors such as
transportation difficulties, waste, improper site handling, lack of a suitable work plan, abuse of
specifications, inappropriate material transportation, and excessive paperwork are all indicated to

17
damage material management. (Kulkarni et al., 2017) states that it is important to manage all
materials from the design phase to the construction phase. Poor handling of construction
materials affects the overall performance of construction projects in terms of quality, budget,
time, and productivity. The wastage of materials should also be minimized during construction to
avoid loss of profit for construction companies. There is a need to build up a new approach to
materials management in construction projects to improve the efficacy of the production process.
So improper materials management can lead to increased costs throughout the road construction
project. Efficient and effective management of materials can result in considerable savings in
project costs. Materials may deteriorate in store if careful attention is not taken.

According to (Jusoh & Kasim, 2017) mentioned the factors affecting materials management are:-
sourcing of materials and requisition; demand estimation; transportation; receiving and
verification of materials on-site; storage of materials on-site; issuing of materials for use;
procurement or indent for materials; quality inspection and control; maintenance; time; materials
handling; stock and waste control; financial ability; possession of qualified staff; possession of
qualified subcontractors; possession of qualified of required equipment; competence of
estimators; availability of equipment; duration of the project; type of project; type of materials;
and level of awareness there are many issues which contribute to poor materials management in
construction projects.

(N. Kasim, 2006) identifies improper construction materials management as a factor affecting the
general performance of construction projects concerning construction time, quality, cost, and
overall construction productivity. (Rivas, 2011) The main causes of materials-related problems
on construction sites are late delivery of road materials, unavailability of goods before the start of
construction activity, and the considerable distance of materials from the work area.

In the same way, a study on factors influencing craftsmen’s productivity in Chile reported that
the main identified factor was the materials-related problem which consist of ‘lack of on-time
delivery’, ‘insufficient equipment to move materials’ or ‘lacking on-site logistics’, and
‘excessive paperwork’ (Jusoh & Kasim, 2017). Moreover, another study in Indonesia also has
reported a similar finding that ‘lack of materials’ has affected the craftsmen’s productivity.

18
The causes of the no availability of materials were due to on-site transportation difficulties,
excessive paper works, improper materials storage, and inadequate planning (Vipin & Rahima
Shabeen, 2019). In general, the availability of materials on construction sites has main
implications for construction laborers’ productivity.

Design

Poor planning and

On site
scheduling

Factor affecting Effective workforce

materials Handling
management
Waste on Transportation
construction site

Lack of security
Site management
personnel
and practices

Storage facility
Site

Figure 2: 2 Factors Affecting Materials Management ( Source: (Patel & Pitroda, 2015))

19
Material management at the site is always associated with certain risk factors which vary for
each project. These risk factors contribute to the uncertainty of the project. According to (Vipin
& Rahima Shabeen, 2019) the following are the problems related to material management:
 Cost escalation of materials
 On-time delivery of materials
 Procuring good quality materials and maintaining the quality till
 Construction and maintenance phase.
 Managing the risk related to materials, cost escalation of materials, inventory-related
risks, etc.
 Procurement problems like a correct description of materials, insufficient storage area,
to early receiving of materials, etc.
 Procedures and hierarchy problems lead to communication problems of material handling
and movement
He opined that material management with a focus on quality has an important manner on the
final product for any institute. The author concluded that a change in the material procurement
process to ensure enough quantity and quality of material from a trusted source, as well as a
positive relationship with the vendor can make the organization competitive in the long run.

Shortage of construction materials contributes to the reason for the delay in managing
construction materials on the construction site (Aibinu and Odeyinka, 2006). Late delivery of
ordered construction materials is also problematic in construction materials management. In
addition, (N. B. Kasim et al., 2005) noted that the common issues concerning construction
materials management are as follows;

 Receiving construction materials before they are required, causes more inventory costs
and chances of deterioration in quality;
 Not receiving construction materials at the time of requirement, causing loss of
productivity;
 Incorrect construction materials takeoff from drawings and design documents;
 Subsequent design changes;
 Damage/loss of items;
 Selection of type of contract for specific construction materials procurement;

20
  Vendor evaluation criteria;
 Piling up of inventory and controlling of the same; and
 Management of surplus construction materials.

It is a fact that those construction projects that are unable to use their resources efficiently will
reduce their productivity reflecting their poor management skills. (Ahmed et al., 2017) reported
that 40% of the time lost on the site can be attributed to inefficient management, lack of
materials when needed poor identification of materials, and insufficient storage. Formulating an
ineffective materials management plan can contain a negative impact on cost, quality, and time,
which will affect the project delivery. There have been various studies conducted in different
countries to identify the factors causing cost overrun, delay, and quality issues in construction
projects. Surprisingly, the factors are more or less very similar in various cases, but the ranking
of the factors was different. The fact that cannot be ignored is that factors related to construction
material appeared in most of these lists of factors causing cost overrun, delay, and quality issues.

According to (Cheng, 2014) a study into cost influencing factors on construction projects
revealed that material shortage or supply delay is a prominent project risk that will influence the
project cost. Similarly, a study conducted to identify the delay factors in construction projects in
Turkey found that material is a significant factor causing project delay (Gündüz et al., 2013).
Furthermore, it was explained that problems such as late delivery of materials, poor procurement
of construction material, and shortage of construction materials are prime factors causing project
delay. Unlike time, cost and quality are highly subjective.

The factors affecting the quality of a project are perceived differently by the client, contractor,
and consultant. This is due to individual, knowledge, attention, and decision. The studies above
had identified from the literature review, many factors that affect materials management. but, to
identify the factors exhaustively, all the factors must relate to the process and function of
materials management i.e. project planning, materials take-off, vendor inquiry, purchasing,
materials control, warehousing, expediting, and shipping. This means that the identified
influential factors should contribute to the shortage of materials. It is noted also from the
literature review that some of the factors are interrelated or overlapped with each other.
Sometimes, the factor is termed differently, but it represents the same meaning. For example ‘use

21
of incorrect material’ is similar to ‘improper material usage’ in meaning. therefore, in order to
represent the influential factors in an appropriate arrangement and to avoid duplication, this
study has made some rationalizations. Therefore in this study, the factors affecting project
performance will be explored in terms of cost and time. So the cost overrun and delay in the
current Western Oromia construction project will be explored to find out its relationship with the
existing material management processes that are practiced in western Oromia. Furthermore, this
study can help to justify the significance of improving the parameters of material management
processes in the construction industry of western Oromia to implement a more successful project.

2.7., Measures for effective materials management in road projects

According to (Al-Khalil et al., 2004) measurement of the effectiveness of the material

management process is required to analyze problems, suggest solutions, and assess the impact of
change on the process. Thus, effectiveness can be defined as the degree to which targets are
achieved. In order, to achieve good materials management on a construction project (Arijeloye &
Akinradewo et al., 2016), opine that the following areas have to be taken very critically.

 Training of management and other staff,

 Inventory control of materials on-site,
 Ensuring proper planning, monitoring, and control.

A study conducted by (Alwi et al., 2002) recommends the following are effective management
of construction projects which includes: Management, supervision, and administration of sites,
Provision of adequate storage of materials, appropriate usage of materials, Materials schedule for
the contract on hand, Materials delivery, Provision, and accessibility site layout, Attention be
given to weather conditions.

2.7.1, Training of both management and other staff

Training of all stakeholders of the staff on materials management is essential for the
effectiveness of material management in construction sectors. (Vivian, 2006) suggests that
education and training are necessary to encourage and promote the benefits of reuse, recycling,
and reducing material consumption; however, cost savings for reuse and reducing material
consumption are difficult to quantify because materials can be reused and consumed multiple

22
times. (McAllister, 2015) examine that it is more effective to provide training and education
among staff, and involve employees’ participation in implementing waste management and
pointed out that employees’ participation could only be effective with genuine support from
management.

2.7.2., Ensuring proper planning, monitoring, and control

(Al-Khalil et al., 2004) describe construction site management practice as the process of
determining, analyzing, devising, and organizing all resources necessary to undertake a
construction project. It also includes monitoring and controlling the planned actions toward
successful project delivery. Some of the specific activities include the production of network
analysis, method statements, Gantt-chart, resource leveling, progress reports, and exception
reports. The core element of planning is the establishment of a program that reflects the planning
process in real-time, construction planning is the total process of determining the method,
sequence, labor, plant, and equipment required to undertake a construction project (Sunke,
2009). All but the simplest projects require planning to ensure the most efficient use of time and
resources (Zwikael et al., 2009).

2.7.3., Proper usage of materials

(Albert et al., 2018) describe properly the usage of materials as the flow component that provides
for their movement and placement. Material usage can be defined as the provision of proper
handling techniques either manually or mechanically for the components held on site during the
construction process. Adequate care must be taken to prevent wastage when working with
materials on a construction project, the assembly of the installation process involves the practical
incorporated into the project of materials depending on how the skills of the workmen involved.
Materials on the job site at times may have had a little defect due to poor storage or poor quality
on the part of the manufacturer.

2.7.4., Provision of adequate storage of materials

Material storage management focuses on starting material into the built-up site to be recorded,
the material layout, and stored over a certain period until it is taken out of the storage area to the
worksite and the process is repeated and properly organized materials storage is the most

23
essential criteria for effective materials management (Yuthas & Young, 1998). Material storage
on site requires close attention to avoid waste, loss, and any damage to materials that would
affect the operation of the construction project (N. Kasim, 2006).

The proper material storage system must be designed to accommodate loads of the materials to
be stored; the sensitive environmental needs for different materials to be permanently stored and
preserved; the functional, efficiency, and safety of the visiting public and operating personnel;
and the protection of the materials from fire, water and man-made threat (Misron et al., 2018).
There must be proper storage facilities provided for materials on site, some materials are usually
not stored in the shed or locked up in the house, also double handling of materials because of
improper or indecision about the proper storage facility constitutes waste. Old stock must be
available for use after a fresh delivery is made and these materials must be placed in such a way
that damage would not be done to them by human activities or traffic on site. Bagged materials
such as cement should be stored in a place that is free from moisture.

2.7.5., Inventory control of materials on site

Preparing inventory control of materials on-site as required is necessary for effective materials
management. (Arijeloye & Akinradewo, 2016) maintains that it involves taking note of the use
and inventory of materials on site and recordings i.e. the loading and off-loading, transit, and
handling of materials. It is recommended that plans be established to ensure that materials arrive
on time. When construction materials are delivered to a job site, they should be inspected for
damage, quantity, quality, and specifications. Similarly, (Mann & Beckmann, 2004) stated that
this involves physical control of materials, preservation of stores, minimization of obsolescence
and damage through timely disposal and efficient handling, maintenance of store records, proper
location, and stocking. Stores are also responsible for the physical verification of stocks and
reconciling them with book figures. The inventory control covers aspects such as ABC analysis,
setting inventory levels, fixing economical ordering quantities, setting safety stock levels, lead
time analysis, and reporting.

24
2.7.6., Management, supervision, and administration of sites

Supervision is the direction of people at work and management is the planning and control of the
work process on construction sites, supervision, management, and administration of sites are
gradually spread over the earth because it is a more efficient way of accomplishing work
(Sugiharto Alwi, 1999). All work requires the coordination of effort; this is accomplished by
giving workers assigned tasks and assigned time in which they are to accomplish these tasks, but
instruction is not enough. Clear, specific instruction on what is to be done, monitor the worker in
the course of their efforts.

According to (Jimoh, 2012) the arrangement on construction sites leads to effective information
dissemination and exchange. During and after project construction, information such as
correspondences, minutes, labor allocations, payroll, progress reporting, notices or claims,
instruction, drawing register, and technical information flow among stakeholders for processing
and future actions.

2.7.7., Materials Schedule for the contract on hand

(Kevin, 2013) It has been established that the preparation of a good materials schedule helps a
long way in solving the problem of material handling on site. This is prepared at the contract
stage of the construction contract by an estimator and also by the contractor to know accurately
how much material to mobilize the site. This contains correctly defined type, the size of
materials, and every other possible information regarding the required supplies and the quantity
and date on which they shall be delivered.

Materials schedules are valuable to a buyer for ordering and also to the site supervisor to ensure
that materials when delivered are allocated or unloaded at or for the elements of the project for
which they are specified ordered productivity (Raja & Murali et al., 2020). Project schedules
should establish guidelines for when and how the project should be completed, and schedule
requirements should be communicated and managed effectively throughout the project. The
reason for scheduling is to organize and allocate the resources of, equipment and labor with the
construction project tasks over a set period.

25
2.7.8., Provision and accessibility site layout

Construction site layout involves identifying, sizing, and placing temporary facilities within the
boundaries of a construction site (Arijeloye& Akinradewo et a, 2016). Warehouses, fabrication
shops, repair shops, batch plants, and housing facilities are among the temporary amenities
available. The types of temporary facilities and their locations are determined by a variety of
factors, including the project's size, scope, design, location, and construction work organization.

The management can make significant improvements by eliminating travel time, waiting time,
and raising worker morale by demonstrating a better and safer work environment through
detailed planning of the site layout and location of temporary facilities. Site layout involves the
study, planning, and organization of unused areas of the site around the proposed development to
accommodate the contractor’s construction equipment, materials, and buildings for use in the
execution of the construction works (Al-Khalil et al., 2004). One of the primary considerations
for site layout is the need to keep the construction production continuous by maintaining a means
of access to the site and facilitating the adequate flow of traffic. Consequently, the material
location is important when preparing a layout plan and this consideration would aid materials
handling on the construction project.

2.7.9., Attention to weather conditions

According to a research study by (Muhwezi et al., 2012), severe weather conditions were ranked
in the first positions as the most significant waste attributes on the project in the respective
categories, exposing materials to inclement weather such as steel bars that rust and may get
damaged. Using research results conducted by (Yuthas & Young, 1998) Adverse weather is
considered one of the main factors causing delays and cost overruns on construction projects .so
weather conditions are provided big attention to effective materials management in road
construction to be accomplished within appropriate budget, time, and quality.

26
2.8., Chapter Summary

In the literature review, the researcher tried to give a comprehensive theoretical and empirical
view on the issue of Construction materials management practice globally and nationally. It has
been learned from the literature that proper construction materials management plays a crucial
role in the success of road construction companies. Material management in construction firms
must be the process of making the most effective use of the company's resources. Under this
literature review, material management, the benefit of material management and factors affecting
material management in road construction projects are well-reviewed. The reviewed literature
indicated also the Company's practice of materials management factors such as Sourcing of
materials and requisition, Project location, The physical arrangement of the work area &
planning of materials, Lack of relevant staff training on materials usage, management of
materials utilized at the workplace, etc. additionally, the possible measures for improving
effective materials management and training of both management and other related staff in road
construction projects are reviewed.

27
CHAPTER THREE

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1., Study Area
The research area is the western Oromia regional state. Namely, Nekemte town, shambu town,
and Gimbi town.
East Welega (Oromo: Wallagga Bahaa) is one of the zones in the central Oromia Regional
State of Ethiopia. This administrative division acquired its name from the former province
of Welega. Towns and cities in this zone include Nekemte.

East Welega is bounded on the southwest by Illubabor, on the west by the Didessa River which
separates it from West Welega, on the northwest and north by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region,
on the northeast by Horo Guduru Welega Zone, on the east by West Shewa, and on the southeast
by the Gibe River which separates it from Jimma.

Figure 3.1 Map of the study area

28
3.2., Research Design

To carry out this research Descriptive survey design was used. This method enables the
researcher to find out the prevailing condition of materials management practice in road
construction sites and to obtain a broad understanding of the issue. Because descriptive research
is concerned with describing a characteristic of a certain problem or situation to provide
information about the existing condition and also helps to provide a lot of information that helps
in identifying further about the issue.

To collect information from respondents, a questionnaire was prepared referred to a literature

review and distributed to the client, contractor, and consultants. Additionally, interviews were
used to collect additional data. It was carried out with a supervisor from the ERA and road
maintenance district of Nekemte town to obtain information about the current practice of face to
face encounters. Furthermore, direct site observation was administration to also make to observe
and identify how the workers involved in road construction projects are dealing with materials
management issues.

Mixed methods involving the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches were used.
Finally, the results of the questionnaires were analyzed using statistical techniques, and the
results were used to form the basis for recommendations.

3.3., Method of Data Collection

For this study, both primary and secondary data sources were gathered. The primary sources of
data were collected from respondents through a questionnaire, observation, and interview while
the secondary data were collected from reviewed literature and related documents.

3.3.1., Questionnaire

To collect information from the respondents, a questionnaire was designed based upon a review
of current literature review and research objectives and distributed particularly to project
managers, site engineers, office engineers, and formans. Almost all the questionnaires have
closed-ended questions since the study was assessed for the first time to ensure consistency of
respondent feedback. Because it is not entirely possible to design all questions as closed-ended,

29
some questions were left open-ended, to obtain numerical data or to request some written
comments. Both close and open-ended questions were included in the questionnaire. The close-
ended questions had many choices of possible answers and the respondents selected whatever
they feel was most appropriate. Open-ended questions were incorporated with closed-ended
questions in places where the response options were relatively wide and not included in the
questionnaire to specify their answers in specified data measurement of the rating scale as
suggested by (Krosnick &Presser, 2010).

3.3.2., Site Observation

Site observation was also used as another source of data. This method of data collection system
was designed to conduct a detailed observation of the site by preparing a checklist on the
common construction materials management practices and keeping a site diary through the
research period by direct observation. This helped in attaining actual information in its natural
setting i.e. to observe how the workers and the concerning parties are taking the materials
management issue on the construction sites.

3.3.3., Interview

If a questinnaire survey might not easily allow the researcher to investigate some themes
highlighted in response to a certain question on the survey interviews were employed to
supplement the information required. In this research, face to face interview was conducted to
get data related to materials management practice from the practitioners and professionals
(project managers, site engineers, and foremen) to support the questionnaire in addition to
problems obtained in the literature review. Moreover, an interview was employed by questioning
a respondent to obtain responses aimed to supplement information required during the study
concerning materials management practice in road construction projects. The interviews focused
on various aspects of major materials management problems that affect the progress of
construction in western Oromia projects. In summary, in each interview, the interviewees were
asked a subset of the following questions:

 Do you establish strategy and procedures for materials management practice preparation
and controlling”?

30
  Who is involved in the materials management practice and when do you revise your
materials management plan?

 What do you recommend to increase effective materials management in road construction

projects?

3.4., Questionnaires Design

The research instrument which was used in this research is a questionnaire that is designed in
such a way that it ensures to addresses the objectives of the study categorized by different parts.
The questionnaire is a set of common questions laid out in a standard and logical form to record
individual respondents' attitudes and behavior. Questionnaires are a very convenient way of
collecting useful comparable data from a large number of individuals (Mathers et al., 2009). The
questionnaire was designed to gather user opinions from contractors, consultants, and clients
concerning materials management practices on a road construction project.

The questions were prepared to be simple and understandable for the respondents to get accurate
responses. The questionnaire consists of structured questionnaires comprising a mixture of
closed ended and open ended questions. A closed ended question is one where the possible
answers are defined in advance and so the respondent is limited to one of the pre-coded
responses given. These types of questions are selected because they are easy for the respondents
to answer and also for the researcher to analyze. Open-ended questions, on the other hand, are
questions that invite free-ranging responses. These questions helped in obtaining a deep
understanding of the respondent’s view and also well-detailed responses although they are
difficult to capture precisely (the respondent may give a long-winded answer) and are time-
consuming to analyze they were used only in a few places where the responses thought to be
relatively wide. A five ordinal measures Likert scale is used to construct the questions. The
Likert scale is one of the most commonly used scales. Respondents were presented with one or
more attitudinal statements and asked to score each statement on a multi-point scale (Mathers et
al., 2009). Thus, in this research, the response of the questionnaire data was prepared based on
the scale of five-point rating scale measurement of the agreement towards each statement from 1
to 5, where 1 stand for (Very low), 2 ( Low), 3 (Medium), 4 (High) and 5 (Very high). The
reason for adopting this simple scale is to provide simplicity for the respondent to answer and to

31
make an evaluation of collected data easier to evaluate; and to rank major integration problems
as the objective of this research.

The questionnaire was designed to meet the objectives and was extracted from materials
management, good practices, and related literature. The first part of the questionnaire is targeted
to gather general information about the respondents and companies' profile questions in this part
were used to collect information such as job position, educational background, and work
experience. The second part contains questions related to reasons for factors affecting materials
management practice on the construction site, the third part was focused on general materials
management practice challenges and the level of implementation of materials management in
road projects. The fourth part asked about components of materials management
implementations and their impact and the fifth part asked about the possible measures for
effective managing materials in a road construction project.

3.5., Research Population and Sampling

3.5.1., Population

Population refers to all the members who meet the particular criterion specified for a research
investigation (Mohsin, 2016). The population of the study consists of contractors, consultants,
and clients in road construction projects in western Oromia. The main participants were site
engineers, office engineers, project managers, and supervisors from the project sites.

3.5.2., Sampling Technique

To get sufficient information on the current materials management implementation on

construction sites and to reach a reasonable and substantiate conclusion, taking enough sample
size is critical. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to select a
representative sample from the population for the questionnaire. Usually, purposive sampling is
used in qualitative studies where, the participants are purposely selected based on specific
purposes associated with answering a research study question (Etikan et al., 2016)

32
3.5.3., Sample Size

In addition to the purpose of the study and population size, three criteria usually will need to be
specified to determine the appropriate sample size: the level of precision, the level of confidence
or risk, and the degree of variability in the attributes being measured. (Yamane, 1967) provides
a simplified formula to calculate sample sizes. A 95% confidence level and P = 0.05 are assumed
for the Equation 3.1.

𝐍
𝐧 = 𝟏+𝐍(𝐞)𝟐……………………………. [Equation 3.1]

Where: n is the sample size,

N is the population size, = 60

e is the level of precision ±5% = 0.05

When this formula is applied to the above sample,

60
n=
1 + 60(0.05)2

n = 52.17 which is approximately 52 samples. Therefore 52 self-administered questioners were

distributed for the purpose of the study.

3.6., Data Analysis Techniques

Descriptive statistics involving frequency distribution and Relative importance index were used
to analyze the responses obtained from the collected questioners. Statistical Microsoft families
excel was used to process and analyze the data. Tables and figures were used to display the
results and RII was used to rank the ratings given by the respondents. The study adopted the
relative importance index (RII) method to ordinals arrange variables in terms of importance and
agreement and it was calculated as follows (Johnson & LeBreton, 2014). The five-point testing
scale of 1 (Very low), 2 ( Low), 3 (Medium), 4 (High), and 5 (Very high) were adopted and
transformed into a relative importance index (RII) for each integration problem as follows:

𝑊
Relative Importance Index RII=∑ 𝐴∗𝑁………………………………………… [Equation.3.2]

33
Where: W = is the weighting given to each factor of materials management practice by the
respondents and ranges from 1 to 5, (where “1” is “Very low” and “5” is “ Very high”)

A =is the highest weight (i.e. 5 in this case), and

N= is the total number of respondents

The RII value had a range from 0 to 1 (0 not inclusive), the higher the value of RII, the more
significant the materials management practice; similar to cause and effect. The RII was used to
rank the different materials management practices challenges, material implementation
procedures and the improvement parameter of materials management, effective measures of
materials management, and the factors that affect them. These rankings made it possible to cross-
compare the importance of the major materials management practice as perceived by groups of
respondents. The data were first shown in tables and figures and followed by interpretations of
the objectives of the study.

3.7., Validity of data

Validity is the degree to which the test object pattern represents the content it is intended to
measure. The validity takes into account whether consistent and valuable conclusions can be
drawn from the instrument responses. To guarantee the validity of the data acquired and to give
added depth the questionnaire has been initially piloted by a few numbers project managers to
ensure consistency, clarity, and relevancy, and cross-checking was done. Each piece of data
gathered from official sources was double-checked with data from other secondary sources. It
was kept in mind to gather the latest data, as this will help to draw a picture of the current
scenario. The main reason for cross-checking is to nullify errors from data and to have complete
confidence in the data. This will help in concluding a result that will be more meaningful and
reliable.

34
3.8., Pilot study

It is normal practice that the survey tool should be piloted to measure its validity and reliability
which test the collected data. A pilot study was conducted with project managers in contracting
companies, some engineers who are working on road construction projects, and colleagues, to
test whether the questions are understandable, easy to answer, unambiguous, cover most of the
required questions, etc. Valuable comments were obtained to improve the quality of the
questionnaire. After a modification, the questionnaires were developed.

3.9., Reliability of data

Any research based on measurement must be concerned with reliability. Reliability is concerned
with the ability of an instrument to measure consistently whether the test designer was correct in
expecting a certain collection of items to yield interpretable statements about individual
differences. Before analyzing the questionnaires, returned questionnaires were checked for their
reliability and the valid responses were analyzed.

3.10., Ethical Considerations

The researcher assures the ethical duty of the research by adhering to the following ethical
standards of doing research Informed consent, Voluntary participation, Confidentiality, and
anonymity of respondents. During data collection, each respondent was informed about the
purpose and scope of the research. Any one who was not willing to participate was excluded
from the study.

35
CHAPTER FOUR

4., RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

4.1., General Information
4.1.1., Questionnaire Response Rate

This section presents the response rate of the Questionnaires which were distributed to the
respondents. Each questionnaire is targeted to respond to the problems in the statement of
problems and objectives of this thesis. A total of 52 self-administered questionnaires were
distributed among these 31 were distributed to contractors 11 to consultants and 10 Clients for
which 43 were properly filled and returned. The following table presents the response rate of the
distributed questionnaire.

Table 4: 1 Respondents' response rate

Participants questionnaire Returned Response Rate

Questionnaire
distributed

No %
Contractor 31 29 67.44% 93.55%

Consultant 11 8 18.6% 72.73%

Client 10 6 13.95% 60%

Total 52 43 100% 82.7%

Among 52 questionnaires distributed to contractors, consultants, and clients, 43 were properly

filled and returned with an 82.7% return rate. Based on the response rate 29(93.55%) for a
contractor, 8(72.73%) for a consultant, and 6(60%) for the client were collected. when we see the
total percentage of the questionnaire returned separately 29(67.44%), 8(18.6%), and 6(13.95%)
questionnaires were returned by contractor, consultant, and client respectively. The following
figure (4.1) shows the percentage of the response rate by respondents.

36
 Response rate

14%
Contractor
19% consultant
client
67%

Figure 4: 1 Percentage of the return rate

4.1.2., Job Title of Respondent
Table 4: 2 Respondents’ job position

Job title Frequency Percent

Projects manager 10 23.26

Foreman 6 13.95

Site engineer 17 39.53

Others 10 23.26

Total 43 100.0

As it is illustrated in Table 4.2 above, the respondents for the questionnaire were mainly Project
Managers (23.26%), Foreman’s (13.95%), site engineers, and other like office engineers
(23.26%) of the selected construction firms. The profile of the respondents on the job title shows
that there were no material officers on the site. Therefore, the following analysis and discussion
of the study are performed based on the responses received on the questionnaire from these
professionals.

4.1.3., Educational Level of Respondents

The respondents’ Educational level is shown in Figure 4.2. 21 % of respondents have MSc and
65 percent have BSc .and the remaining 14 % have a diploma. This indicates the respondents

37
have a good educational background to understand and answer the presented questions. The
respondents' educational level was illustrated in the figure below in terms of percent and
frequency.

65

28 Frequency
21
14 Percent
6 9

Diploma MSc. BSc.

Figure 4: 2 Educational levels of respondents

4.1.4., Respondents' Years of Experience

As the experience of the respondents has a great effect on the way of this construction industry
the same is true for this questionnaire response. The table below shows the respondents’ years of
experience in the construction industry.
Table 4: 3 Respondents’ years of experience

Years of experience Frequency Percent

Less than 5 10 23.3

5-10 years 21 48.8

10-15 years 11 25.6

Greater than 15 years 1 2.3

Total 43 100

From the collected data the respondents' profile shows that out of 43 respondents 23.3% of the
respondents have five or less than five years‟ experience. 48.8% of the respondents have five to
ten years‟ experience and 25.6% of them have ten to fifty years while the remaining 2.3% of the
respondents have more than fifty years of experience in the construction firm. The overall profile

38
suggests that most of the respondents have adequate experience in construction firms. This
indicates that the respondents could provide the required information for all items included in the
questionnaire.

4.2., Responses of Construction Stakeholders

In the structured part of the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to rate the degree of
contribution of the variables drawn from the literature review. For this, the respondents were also
asked to add these variables or factors that contributed to the problem and challenges of
materials management, factor effects, the impact of the problem and challenges of materials
management Practice, and how to improve the problem and the possible effective measurement
for materials management as well as recommendations that they perceived as being necessary.
The responses were analyzed using the Microsoft Excel software package and ranked with the
Relative importance index.

4.2.1., Problems and challenges of project materials management Practice preparation

Problems and challenges relating to construction materials management Practice preparation are
derived from the literature were included and distributed in the questionnaire and the respondents
provided the level of occurrence together with additional problem areas arising in their projects.
The results are presented in Table 4.4.
The frequency of the problem and challenges of materials management Practice preparation were
identified by using a 5-point Likert scale, namely Very low = 1; Low = 2; Medium = 3, High =
4; and Very high = 5. The problem and challenges were ranked by comparing their relative
importance index.

39
 Table 4: 4 Problems and challenges of materials management practices in road projects

Problem and challenges of materials

Degree of Occurrence
No management practice preparation in RII Rank
Very Very
road projects High Medium low
high low
Using lack of skill and knowledge in
1 21 11 8 2 1 0.84 2nd
materials management
Lack of concern for materials
2 24 11 7 1 0 0.85 1st
management development
Poor knowledge of project materials
management(limited knowledge in
3 18 11 8 3 3 0.75 9th
project practices, monitoring and
evaluation method)
Continuous WBS readjustments to
4 incorporate strategy changes on 20 8 8 5 2 0.77 7th
material usage
Inadequately defined scope in the
5 24 8 8 2 1 0.83 3rd
beginning of construction
Poor communication and
6 coordination problems with involving 22 9 8 2 2 0.79 6th
parties
7 Poor leadership practice for materials 22 12 5 2 1 0.82 4th
Poor understanding about
8 20 7 9 4 3 0.74 10th
construction works program
Low level of project management
9 18 12 8 2 3 0.76 8th
knowledge
10 Incomplete Work information 21 10 7 4 1 0.81 5th

In this study, the analysis for frequency of occurrence of problems and challenges of materials
management practice preparation are analyzed based on the respondents’ answers from the
questionnaires. The frequency of occurrence of the factors is calculated using RII and ranked as
shown in Table 4.4 above.
According to the results of the questionnaire responses, the top five ranked frequently occurring
problems and challenges of construction materials management Practice preparation are found to
be:

40
  Lack of concern for materials management development
 Using lack of skill and knowledge in materials management
 Inadequately defined scope at the beginning of work
 Poor leadership practice for materials
 Incomplete Work information

3 Rank
RII
2

0
lack of materials lack of impropper inadequate scope poor materials mis information
management materials of work management and incomplete
guideline management plan information

Figure 4: 3 challenges of construction materials management practices

Lack of concern for materials management development has been ranked as the first problem and
challenge of materials management practice preparation with a Relative importance index of
0.85. If this guidance to develop materials management practice at the initial stage to provide
materials management, accurate and updated project materials management Practices is very
important to achieve the project goal, While lack of skill and knowledge in materials
management has been ranked second with Relative importance index of 0.84. Project materials
management and effort estimating is an activity that occurs throughout the life of a project and to
arrange the realistic materials management and efforts using information from various sources,
such as historical data/past similar projects, materials management activities, resource
requirements, and availability, etc. to compile as accurate as possible with the information
available at the materials management of the arrange, thirdly Inadequately defined scope, at the

41
beginning of work, has been ranked on the third with Relative importance index of 0.83. The
scope practices process is the very first thing you do to manage your scope. The defined scope is
concerned with the definition of all the work needed to successfully meet the project objectives.
The whole idea is that when you start the project, you need to have a clear picture of all the work
that needs to happen on your project, and as the project progresses, you need to keep that scope
up to date and written down in the project’s scope management plan.

Poor leadership practice for materials has been ranked fourth based on respondents’ responses
with a Relative importance index of 0.82. Poor materials management Practice of a project
results in project materials management changes at the end of the practices phase or the
execution phase. In fact, by going from the practices phase to the execution phase consequences
of project material dosage changes are harsh. On the one hand, change in the project materials
management in the later phases increases the possibility of project delay (Bryan, 2018) and
Incomplete Work information has been ranked fifth with a Relative importance index of 0.81.
Incomplete Work information will lead to challenges to project materials management Practice
due to they couldn’t know which type of work execute by what type of materials, types of
equipment, and workmanship.

4.2.2., Factors Affecting materials management practices on road construction projects

The respondents were asked to rate with a Likert scale for factors affecting materials
management Practice on road construction projects. These factors are attributed to the dual
stakeholders such as contractors, consultants, and clients. Accordingly, these factors were
evaluated for their degree of occurrence. Thus, the RII values in Table 4.5 show factors that
affect materials management practices on road construction projects.

42
 Table 4: 5 factors affecting materials management practices in road projects

Degree of Occurrence
Factors Affecting materials
No Very Very RII Rank
management practices High Medium
High Low Low
Contractor related
Poor site management and 0.80 7th
1 19 10 7 4 3
communication on material
Poor Project monitoring and 0.86 2nd
2 23 8 9 2 1
evaluation process
Poor commitment of all parties to the 0.77 9th
3 21 10 9 2 1
project materials management
Non- performance of subcontractors 0.82 5th
4 20 10 9 3 1
and nominated suppliers
5 Lack of materials management 23 10 9 3 1 0.87 1st
Poor project materials management 0.81 6th
6 19 11 9 3 1
Practice
0.77 9th
7 Thief vandalism on site 18 12 10 2 1
Poor Resource Management 0.84 3rd
8 (Manpower, material, Equipment 21 10 9 2 1
supply)
9 Weathers condition of job site 20 7 9 5 2 0.78 8th
10 Low qualification & experience of 0.83 4th
21 9 9 3 1
staffs
Consultant related
1 Incompleteness of Work information 0.83 3rd
/poor Work/ 18 12 9 3 1

2 Incompetent supervision /late 0.86 2nd

21 10 9 2 1
decision, lack of experience/
3 Late preparation of materials 0.87 1st
management plan 20 14 7 2 0

4 Disagreement on the materials 0.76 6th

20 9 9 2 1
specification
5 Late revising the materials 0.77 5th
19 10 9 4 1
management
6 Less coordination with Contractors 17 13 9 2 2 0.75 7th

43
7 neglecting of materials checklist 0.80 4th
for approval of test result 18 12 10 1 2
&inspection
Owner /Client related 20 10 10 2 1
1 Exposure to unsafe site conditions 21 8 9 4 1 0.84 2nd
2 Lack of communication between 0.82 3rd
21 10 8 2 2
parties
3 Changes in initial Work (Work 0.78 5th
21 11 7 2 2
change)
4 Late decision-making process 22 9 9 2 1 0.87 1st
5 Less Information about work 21 10 9 2 1 0.80 4th

4.2.2.1., Contractor - Related Factors

As the result in Table 4.5 shows, the respondents ranked Contractor, Client, and Consultant
related factors in terms of their magnitude of impact. Accordingly, Contractor related factors are
lack of materials management; Poor Project monitoring and evaluation process, poor employee
management, low qualification and limited experience of staff, and the non-performance of
subcontractors and nominated suppliers were ranked from 1st to 5threspectively. These factors
have an impact on project materials management Practice controlling process and are the reason
for materials management implementation. Moreover, the result from interviews indicated that
the limited knowledge of professionals to utilize management software has impacted the
materials management evaluation of project performance.

Lack of materials management has been ranked in the first position as a factor that causes
materials management practice due to Contractor with a Relative importance index of 0.87. The
Table description for this consensus is that materials management is a very necessary resource
for the Contractor to construct the project within the specified materials management level. Any
shortage of materials due to lack of management by the Contractor will cause many problems
such as slow progress and work decline in productivity. Also, the Contractor will be not able to
purchase the needed materials for work. If materials resources are not available at the time
needed, the project Contractor will suffer from the problem of materials management practices.
The poor Project monitoring and evaluation process has been ranked in the second position with
a Relative importance index of 0.86. Poor project monitoring causes many constraints on the

44
projects, such as poor a following up of progress, incorrect materials distribution of works, un
commitment of employees at the site, poor management of the project, etc. These problems
above contribute to causing project materials management practices.

Poor employee management has been ranked in the third position with a Relative importance
index of 0.84. Poor management can affect the company's budget, employee turnover, and
overall profits. Finally, a decrease in productivity and morale are signs employees may be
struggling with the leadership being given. If employees have an effective leader their task
performance will continue to soar. Low qualification and limited experience of staff have been
ranked in the fourth position with a Relative importance index of 0.83. Availability of competent
staff with high experience and qualification in project leads to the implementation of the project

with cost, materials, and professional quality. Non- performance of subcontractors and
nominated suppliers has been ranked in the fifth position with a Relative importance index of
0.82.
Non-performing subcontractors can cause plenty of headaches and give you grey hairs. Unless
addressed quickly, they can wreak. Non-performing subcontractors disrupt workflow, create
delays, and inflate labor costs.

3 Rank
RII
2

0
lack of poor poor low non
materias materials employee qualification performance
management monitoring management of materialist of conractor

Figure 4: 4 Contractor - Related Factors

45
4.2.2.2., Consultant and Client Related Factors

Consultant-related factors are late approval of shop drawings and samples, Incompetent
supervision /late decision, lack of experience, Incompleteness of Work information /poor Work/,
Taking long materials management for approval of test result &inspection and Late revising the
materials checklist requirement which ranked from 1st to 5threspectively.

Client–related factors are late decision-making process, exposure to workplaces, and Lack of
communication between parties were ranked from 1stto3rdrespectively. However,
client/consultant-related factors have also an impact on Contractors’ materials management
practices late approval of the materials management plan has been ranked in the first position as
the factor cause of project materials management Practice due to consultants with a Relative
importance index of 0.87. A materials management plan is a set of requirements prepared by
the Contractor, subcontractor, or consultants to accomplish the given project safe wise
Certifications and approvals are performed or provided by the consultant to the Contractor. Late
approval causes the materials management plan of the project to fail without implementation.
Incompetent supervision /late decision, lack of experience/ has been ranked in the second
position with a Relative importance index of 0.86. An incompetent project supervisor is a poor
communicator, is indecisive and cannot inspire a shared vision, makes poor decisions, lacks team
road skills, lacks integrity, lacks empathy, is incapable of delegating, and lacks problem-solving
skills. That generally makes it difficult to deliver project objectives with the expected materials
management level.

The incompleteness of Work information /poor Work/ has been ranked in the third position with
an RII of 0.83. Incomplete Work information in the document has a great cause on the project
materials management practices. This factor will lead to challenges to project doers due to they
couldn’t know which type of work to execute first and next it affects the construction materials
management Practice of the project.
The late decision-making process is factor-related by the client and has been ranked in the first
position with a Relative importance index of 0.87. Difficulties in decision-making are not caused
by project participants, because the project belongs to the owner. Therefore, they have full
responsibility to ease the process of decision-making. It is obvious that the perception of these

46
project participants towards the project owner is similar and the project owner usually has a
negative influence on project materials management if the decision-making is not done well the
materials management problem rises.

Exposure to workplaces has been ranked in the second position with a Relative importance index
of 0.84. Exposure to the workplace directly causes exposure to materials. Any work which is
needed by the Contractor to on safe, assures the Contractor to execute the project within the time
requirement. Lack of communication between parties has been ranked in the third position as the
factor related by the client with a Relative importance index of 0.82. Lack of communication in
construction is a problem and has a negative point. impact on a project by creating confusion for
everyone from major stakeholders to construction professionals and workers in the field.
Inconsistent reporting, incomplete reporting, unclear reporting and missed reporting all of these
can lead to mistakes that cause projects at risk. Clear, concise messages help to avoid confusion.
Keep messages short and simple for the decision-makers.

6
5
4
3
2
1
0 RII
late discision lack of experience incomplete poor inspection late review of
making information materials check Rank
list requirement

Figure 4: 5 Consultant and Client-Related Factors

47
4.2.3., The Impacts of materials management Practice and Challenges on Road Projects

The desire to finish a project as expected time, under the planned budget, and with the highest
quality is a common goal for all induced parties, including the Owner, Contractor, and
Consultant. Problem and challenges of materials management Practice usually result in losses of
one form or another for everyone. Thus, the Relative importance index values in Table 4.6 show
the impacts and problems of materials management Practice on road construction projects.

Table 4: 6 Impacts of materials management Practice problems and challenges on road projects
No Impacts of materials Degree of Occurrence
management Practice problems RII Rank
and challenges on road projects
Very High Medi Low Very
high um low
1 Cost overhead 20 22 1 0 0 0.84 2nd
2 Poor quality 22 21 0 0 0 0.86 1st
3 Affects project progress 20 18 2 3 0 0.81 4th
4 Much reduction in profit for the 18 12 10 1 2 0.78 5th
Contractor due to cost overrun
5 Dispute between parties 19 20 3 1 0 0.82 3rd

As the responses found from the questionnaire, Table 4.6 above shows that poor quality of the
materials was the first major impact of problem and challenge of materials management Practice
on projects with a Relative importance index of 0.86, while cost overrun ranked second with a
Relative importance index of 0.84. Poor quality and cost overrun affect the two components of
the project namely budget and quality practices. Disputes between parties involved ranked third
with a Relative importance index value of 0.82. Affects project progress and many reductions in
profit for the Contractor were ranked fourth and fifth with Relative importance index values of
0.81 and 0.78 respectively.
Poor quality is the major impact of road construction projects due to different problems and
challenges of materials management Practice like materials management problems, material
wastage by clients, poorly defined project scope, quality of materials used, under-estimation of
project materials management by consultants, poor inspection/supervision of projects by
consultants.

48
Cost overrun is the second major impact of road projects due to problems and challenges of
materials management practices. When proper construction materials management practice
increases the project cost decreases. It is also the “quality factor” in a project that determines
the project cost. In the construction industry, all projects are quality-bound, and poor
management attracts penalties while quality completion can earn rewards as quality and time
are directly related to costs.
Dispute between parties/employees is the third most impact of road projects due to different
problems and challenges of materials management practice, due to lack of effective
communication between parties, exposure of workplace, Errors, and omission in Work will
happen. Delay in project progress is the fourth most impact of road projects due to different
problems and challenges of materials management practice inability to timely procure and
maintain a suitable inventory system seems to be the most important cause of delay in
construction work, Much reduction in profit for the Contractor due to cost overrun is the fifth
most impact, Loss of profit is usually the expression used to describe the damage suffered when
the Contractor is kept on the project longer than anticipated, thereby losing the opportunity to
earn a profit on another project.

4.2.4., Materials Management components and Its Implementation

According to the results presented in Table 4.7, five parameters that are ranked from 1st to 5th
were selected as the main parameters for the materials management components and their
implementation is as follows.
Based on the respondents' responses result from the questionnaire; the table below shows that
having a good material schedule was the first major component of materials management
implementation on projects with a Relative Importance Index (RII) of 0.95 while implementing
good inspection ranked second with a Relative importance index of 0.77. Inspection is one of the
components of road project materials management. Good materials estimation ranked third with
a Relative importance index of 0.59. Applying proper inventory mechanism and proper material
waste management were ranked fourth and fifth with RII values of 0.57 and 0.46 respectively.

49
Table 4: 7 The degree of construction materials management implementation on road projects

No. Components Range

RII Rank
Very High Medium Low Very
high Low
1 Is there proper Inventory 7 10 16 4 6 0.57 4th
control, storage, and
warehousing
2 Has good Receiving and 9 11 17 3 3 0.77 2nd
inspection mechanism
3 Has good Material estimation, 9 10 15 5 4 0.59 3rd
budgeting, practices, and
programming system
4 The company has a proper 6 9 14 9 5 0.46 5th
Waste management system
5 Good scheduling and 10 10 17 4 2 0.95 1st
procurement process

Material management is a planned procedure that includes, the purchasing, delivery, handling,
and minimization of waste to ensure that requirements are met a detailed material schedule and
coordination of the requisition and order of material are important in assuring material
availability.
While time is a core aspect of project management, most contractors lack proper quality
inspection procedures to ensure the quality of the material used. Sometimes the material used is
weak ending up causing further damage to the projects. Accordingly, the storage of materials on-
site also affects the quality of materials to be used in project construction. An efficient site layout
has an effect on productivity performance. Easy site access affects productivity and performance.

From this result, I can conclude that; the appropriate storage of materials on-site directly affects
productivity and project performance. Degree of construction materials management
implementation using bar chart as indicated below.

50
 6

3
RII
2
Rank

0
having good having good having good proper proper
materials materials materials cost inventory material waste
schedule inspection estimation mechanism management

Figure 4: 6 Degree in construction materials management implementation

Referring to the above graph I conclude that in any road construction project; to have proper
construction materials management implementation, someone must consider materials
Scheduling, Inspection, Cost estimation, Inventory mechanism, and waste management in detail
as per their Relative Importance Index and Rank respectively.

4.2.5., Materials management Practice Improvement parameters

The respondents marked different improvement parameters that need to be considered in the
preparation of materials management, problems and challenges of materials management
Practice based on the degree of occurrence. The result is summarized in Table 4.8 below.

51
Table 4: 8 Materials management Practice Improvement parameters

No Parameters for improvement of Degree of Occurrence

materials management RII RAN
Very High Medium Low Very K
High Low

1 Creating a well-planned project 28 10 2 3 0 0.90 1st

materials management Practice

2 Establishing the materials 19 15 6 3 0 0.90 1st

management department
3 Assigning competent Project 17 13 10 2 1 0.84 4th
Manager & team

4 Adopting materials management 22 12 7 2 0 0.89 2nd

Practice
5 Completing Work details 19 11 10 2 1 0.87 3rd
preparation
6 Understanding stakeholders 22 10 5 3 3 0.84 4th
needs

7 Providing Training on project 20 11 6 6 0 0.84 4th

materials management
8 prepare appropriate Work 25 10 5 2 1 0.89 2nd
Environment

9 Effective communication 16 14 5 6 2 0.87 3rd

between parties

10 Establishing coordination system 15 14 10 2 2 0.81 6th

between the parties
11 Preparing detailed specification 22 17 2 1 1 0.82 5th
for individual action

12 Using guidelines to prepare, 19 17 4 2 1 0.79 7th

manage, track, and report
material progress
13 Developing an evaluation 17 16 5 3 2 0.78 8th
method for scope in change that
gives the extent to project failure

52
14 Ensuring good top management 16 14 10 2 1 0.81 6th
support
15 Ability to implement project 19 11 10 2 1 0.76 9th
materials management correctly
16 Conducting close monitoring 15 10 10 5 3 0.75 10th
17 Adopting a system of problem 19 14 7 2 1 0.80 7th
analysis and exposure analysis
all through the project life
18 Providing training to unskilled 25 10 5 2 1 0.82 5th
workers based on their scope of
work.

According to the results presented in Table 4.8, eighteen parameters that are ranked from 1st to
5th were selected as the main parameters for the improvement of materials management Practice
problems and challenges are as follows.

Based on the result, creating a well-planned project materials management practice and
establishing the materials management department is the most agreed improving parameters of
materials management among a respondent with a relative importance index of 0.90. This
indicates that creating organized materials management practice and establishing a material
management department is a primary activity to have increased profit in the construction
industry.

While adopting materials management practice and applying an appropriate work environment,
in any project is considered as the secondary improving parameters of good materials
management practice with a relative importance index of 0.89. Therefore developing a safe
working environment and adopting materials management practices is essential for implementing
works according to its scheduling and for minimizing wastage of materials during any
construction period. Thirdly completing work details preparation and effective communication
between parties were taken as governing parameters for improving materials management
practice. It is obviously known that the preparation of work details of any project is an important
indicator to estimate material type, quantity, and quality. Similarly, effective communication
among stakeholders is also part of soft skills for improving materials management practice.

On the fourth level, assigning a competent project manager & team, understanding stakeholders'
needs fully, and providing training on project management, was considered as improving

53
parameters. It is a sky clear cut that assigning competent staff was very important for any project.
Preparing detailed specifications for individual action and providing training to unskilled
workers based on their scope of work can improve materials management.

4.2.6., Possible measures for effective materials management in road construction

While material management is a core aspect of project management, most contractors lack
proper management procedures to ensure the quality of the material used. From this result, I can
conclude that appropriate training for all staff is mandatory to enhance the performance of
construction materials management. As the responses found from the questionnaire, the table
below shows that providing training for an employee is the first factor to create effective
materials management in road construction projects.
Table 4: 9 Measures for effective materials management in road project

No Measures for effective materials management Range RII RAN

in road project 5 4 3 2 1 K

1 Provide training for employee 24 11 5 3 0 0.88 1st

2 Use proper materials planning 21 12 7 3 0 0.85 4th

3 Use proper material handling 21 11 7 4 0 0.86 3rd
4 Proper materials usage 23 12 6 2 0 0.87 2nd
5 Have inventory control mechanism 20 9 8 5 1 0.84 5th
6 Have good management, supervision and 17 9 10 6 1 0.83 6th
administration
7 Materials schedule for contract on hand 17 8 9 7 2 0.82 7th
Based on the findings from the question raised in this research, the following conclusions are
drawn. The study shows that effective material management practice brings positive results in
achieving early many construction project completions. Providing employee training was the
first major factor of materials management effective measurement on road projects with a
Relative importance index of 0.88, while Proper materials usage ranked second with a Relative
importance index of 0.87. Effective utilization of materials is one of the measures to be taken in
the management of materials in a road project. proper material handling ranked third with a

54
Relative importance index value of 0.86. Applying proper materials planning, inventory control
mechanism, Having good management, and Materials schedule for contract on hand was ranked
fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh in RII values of 0.85, 0.84, 0.83, and 0.82 respectively.
An effective materials management process ensures that the right kinds of materials are at the
right place whenever needed. Materials management is concerned with planning, directing, and
controlling the kind, amount, location, movement, and timing of various flows of materials used
in and produced by the process.

0.88
0.87
0.86
0.85
0.84
0.83
0.82
0.81
0.8
RANK
0.79
RII

Figure 4: 7 possible measures for effective materials management in road project

55
According to the respondent’s response result; measures for effective materials management in a
road construction project from the shortlisted parameters are:-
 Providing training for employee
 Proper materials usage
 Use proper material handling
 Use proper materials planning and
 Having inventory control mechanisms are the most probable possible five effective
material management systems or measures.
For effective materials management, measures shown by the study include Providing training for
employees and Proper materials usage it shows that the administration of sites was the best in
respect to conditions for achieving good materials management practice and to increasing profits
for the construction sectors.

4.3., Interview Response

The research has interviewed the respondents “do you establish strategy and procedures for
materials management practice preparation and controlling”? The result found from interviews is
such that the necessary information and guideline are mostly not prepared, but it is through
discussion with project managers that decisions are made on which method are to be used and
how to proceed with the Work Environment.
However, according to the standard (PMBOK, 2013) plan materials management includes
establishing the policies, procedures, and documentation for practices, developing, managing,
executing, and controlling the project materials management, which is a baseline for both
construction work preparation & control processes.
Out of the total respondents, 60 % of respondents have not established the strategy and
procedures and 40% of them established the strategy and procedures for materials management
practice preparation. Figure 4.7 below shows the result.

56
 YES
40%
NO
60%

Figure 4: 8 strategy and procedures for materials management practice preparation

Also, the respondents have interviewed the question, “who is involved in the materials
management practice preparation on top of Project manager, material planner, or material
engineer”? For this question from the total respondents, (58 %) of them said project manager,
(and 42%) of them answered a material engineer. The finding reveals that most organizations
have no material engineer. The preparation of the project guideline for material engineer
development is very necessary for the entire construction project material engineer practices.

To find out the preparation of a guideline for the material engineer the sampled respondents were
questioned about this issue. “Do you prepare project guidelines for construction material
management development”? The findings show that out of the total, (74 %) prepared a project
guideline for construction material management development, and (26%) did not prepare a
guideline for construction material management development. Table 4.10 below shows the
result.

Table 4: 10 Response result of project guideline for construction material management

Do you have a project guideline for safe Percent of the respondent (%)
development?
Yes 74.
No 26
Total 100

57
The respondents were interviewed to point out the problems that will occur in the construction
material management practice preparation, what are the Problems for preparation of construction
material management? And the respondent’s response was most common with what has been
tabulated above in Table 4.6.

The respondents have been interviewed about which method of construction material
management techniques uses for their project? And to the results from the interview accordingly,
92% of project construction material management is prepared using default site conditions. The
interview result showed that all induced have a predetermined project completion set of
standards that force them to select the best construction material management. 8% of project
material management is prepared using use the right tools, considering the repetitive nature of
the project's work process.

According to the data obtained through the interview, when do you revise your material
management plan? Who is responsible? The result was that 77 % of the project's work material
management documents were circulated to construction engineers, 15% to foreman, and 8% to
project coordinators. The result obtained from the interview confirms that construction engineers
were the focal persons responsible for the execution of activities based on the material
management plan. During the period of material management plan revision, 77% of projects
perform material management revision quarterly and 23% as required.

The interview result also confirmed that the main challenge to keep up revision of material
management plan periodically is a lack of professional skill to fully utilize the material
management according to the result from interviews; do you have a regular meeting on material
consumption progress evaluation? 69% of projects evaluate status on a random basis and 31%
every quarter as indicated in Figure 4.7 below.

58
 Meeting on Progress Evaluation

quarterly
basis
31%
randomly
basis
69%

Figure 4: 9 project progress evaluations

The result obtained from the interview pointed out that data collected for workplace certificate
preparation will be used for status evaluation as reliable data.

59
CHAPTER FIVE

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the data analyzed and the findings of the study this chapter aims to see 'what was
asked?', 'what were the Objectives?' and 'what are the findings?', and draw conclusions from their
relationships. Accordingly, general conclusions and recommendations are also forwarded to
minimize the problems of construction materials management to improve the performance of the
western Oromia road construction project along with implications of the major findings are
presented. The area for this research is also highlighted at the end of this Chapter.

5.1., Conclusion
The road construction sector is one of the major absorbers of the country’s budget. In this regard,
the budget for construction materials consumes about 40 to 50 percent of the total road
construction project cost. This study is focused on the assessment of problem and challenges of
construction materials management Practice on road projects in western Oromia and it also
identifies the factor that affects construction materials management practices, major impacts, and
how to improve those problems and challenges. The overall results imply that the more
significant factors should be prioritized to improve the project construction materials
management Practice. The effectiveness of current construction materials management Practice
can be improved if project managers and planners consider the impact of the different factors.
The efficient mitigation of the assessed problem and challenges can help to overcome the
shortcomings of current construction materials management Practice. Construction materials
management Practice practices in west Oromia construction projects, not only in west Oromia
but also in Ethiopia is less.

Problems and challenges

The major problems and challenges in construction materials management Practice are found to
be a lack of concern for construction materials management Practice development, poor project
construction materials management practices, and inadequately defined scope at the beginning of
projects. This problem related to technical issues includes using construction materials

60
 management Practice, over-committed resources, and lack of knowledge. This is directly related
to the professionals’ expertise involved in the task.

 Contractor’s related factors: are lack of construction materials management Practice

management, Poor Project monitoring and evaluation process, poor resource management, low
qualification and limited experience of staff, and non-performance of subcontractors and
nominated suppliers,
 Consultant and client-related factors: neglecting construction materials management Practice
requirement and supply, Incompetent supervision /late decision, lack of experience,
Incompleteness of Work information /poor Work/, neglecting construction materials
management Practice revising and Lack of communication between parties are client-related
factors.

Major impacts

The impacts of problems and challenges of construction materials management Practice on road
projects are poor quality construction materials, cost overrun, and Dispute between parties.

Improvement parameters
For effective materials management, the improvement parameters that help to minimize the
problems and challenges related to construction materials management Practice preparation are:-
 Creating a well-planned project, construction materials management Practice, Adopting
construction materials management department, Developing the best Management
methodologies, preparing an appropriate Work Environment,
 Other parameters include Completing Work details and Effective communication between
parties, Assigning competent Project Manager & team, Understanding stakeholder's skills,
 Providing Training on project construction materials management Practice, preparing a detailed
specification for individual action, and providing training to unskilled workers based on their
scope of work,

61
5.2., Recommendations

After a detailed investigation of construction materials management practices and their causes
and effects, the possible recommendations can be forwarded to stakeholders in road construction
in western Oromia. The recommendation is meant to reduce construction materials management
challenges in western Oromia on road construction projects. Taking into account the following
recommendations are forwarded:

 Create procedures, guidelines, and strategies before developing project construction materials
management Practice for a specific project at the organization level and enhance the
efficiency of construction materials management Practice preparation and performance
evaluation;
 Develop construction materials management Practice at the initial stage that provides a
provision to overview the upcoming problem as well as contribute to minimizing frequent
construction materials management Practice problems.
 Assign expert, look at historical information and maximum activity on construction materials
management Practice from prior similar projects during work execution.
 Formulate the Work checking procedure by client/ consultant before floating Contractor’s
bid to minimize problems related to Work;
 Assign skilled project managers and project teams in order to minimize the weak project
construction materials management Practice implementation and provide training for
employee.
 Contractors should assign qualified staff and workforce in construction projects to overcome
poor project monitoring and materials schedule for contract on hand.
 The contractor should conduct continuous/intensive training on the application of
construction materials management Practices to minimize wastage.
 The client recommended making effective communication and coordination between the
stakeholders also have to be improved to minimize time and cost overrun.
 Create close collaboration between academic institutions and consulting firms to provide
training on project management and the application of construction materials management
Practice.

62
5.3., Recommendation for future research

More studies need to be undertaken in the areas of project construction materials management
Practice as an emerging new area of specialization. Construction materials management practices
have many different aspects. As a result, poor construction materials management Practice as an
exposure factor can have different aspects as well. In this thesis, only the construction materials
management Practice aspect of road construction project practices is considered. It is clear that
concepts like cost, resource, and risk if not material are managed properly can result in exposures
well. A suggestion for this study is to do similar research on these concepts of Roads
construction project practices.

63
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APPENDIX

Appendix A: Questionnaire

WOLLEGA UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND

MANAGEMENT

Research Questionnaire

Dear Participant:

Now I am researching materials management practice in road construction projects in western

Oromia for my MSc degree in construction technology and management. In this regard, this
questionnaire is created to collect the necessary information from relevant construction
companies. Accordingly, your organization was chosen with complete trust that actual data
would be obtained to reflect the thesis' quality. Therefore, your participation is critical, and I
appreciate your aid in advance. I want to reassure you that the information you supply will be
kept and used only for the research mentioned above. Finally, I would like to thank you for your
valuable time and cooperation.
Sincerely yours;
Helen Tesema
Mobile phone number: 0924081157
Email: htesema150@gmail.com

68
QUESTIONNAIRE
Part one:personal information of the respondents

1. Name and Type of your organization (optional) ___________________

2. Your position on the site
Projects manager Forman Site Engineer
If other, please specify_______________________________
3. Educational Background
(MSC) Graduate (BSC)Undergraduate
Diploma If other, please specify_______________________________
4. Years of experience in the construction industry
< 5 years 5 - 10 years 10 – 15 years > 15 years
Part two: Factors affecting materials management in road construction projects

1. Below are some factors affecting materials management in road construction projects, To what
extent do you agree with each of the following factors regarding materials management on road
construction projects? Please indicate your answers (thick in the appropriate box), using the
following 5-point scale.

Where: 1 = Very low 2 = Low 3 = Medium 4 = High 5 = Very high

Factors Affecting materials range

No
management practices 5 4 3 2 1
Contractor related
Poor site management and
1
communication
Poor Project monitoring and
2
evaluation process
A poor commitment of all parties to
3
the project
Non- performance of subcontractors
4
and nominated suppliers
5 Lack of materials management
Poor project materials management
6
Practice

69
 Using lack of skill and knowledge in
7
materials management
Poor Resource Management
8 (Manpower, material, Equipment
supply)
9 Weathers condition of job site
10 Low qualification & experience of
staff
Consultant related
1 The incompleteness of Work
information /poor Work/

2 Incompetent supervision /late

decision, lack of experience/
3 Late preparation of materials
management plan
4 Disagreement on the valuation of
works done
5 Late revising the materials
management
6 Less coordination with Contractors
7 neglecting of materials checklist
for approval of test results &
inspection
Owner /Client related
1 Exposure to unsafe site conditions
2 Lack of communication between
parties
3 Changes in initial Work (Work
change)
4 Late decision-making process
5 Less Information about work

70
Part three: Questions Relating to Materials Management Practice Challenges on Road
Construction Projects

2. Please specify the extent of your agreement with the following statements by ticking [√] on
the scale that nearly reflects your opinion. Using the following codes.

1. Very Low 2. Low 3. Medium 4. High 5. Very high

Problem and challenges of Range

No materials management practice
preparation in road projects 5 4 3 2 1
Using lack of skill and knowledge in
1
materials management
Lack of concern for material
2
management development
Poor knowledge of project materials
management (limited knowledge of
3
project practices, monitoring, and
evaluation method)
Continuous WBS readjustments to
4 incorporate strategy changes on
material usage
Inadequately defined scope at the
5
beginning of the construction
Poor communication and
6 coordination problems with involving
parties
7 Poor leadership practice for materials
Poor understanding of the
8
construction works program
Low level of project management
9
knowledge
10 Incomplete Work information

3. What do you think is the major problem with implementing effective materials management
practices in the workplace?

71
4. Impact of construction materials management problems on road construction performance?
No. Description 5 4 3 2 1
1 Cost overrun
2 Poor quality
3 Affects project progress
4 Much reduction in profit
5 Dispute between parties

Part four: construction materials management implementation

Please specify the extent of your agreement with the following statements by ticking [√] on the
scale that nearly reflects your opinion. Using the following codes.
1. Very Low 2. Low 3. Medium 4. High 5. Very high

5. To what extent do you evaluate the following components of materials management

implementation in road construction projects?

No. Components Range

5 4 3 2 1

1 Is there proper Inventory control, storage, and

warehousing
2 Has good Receiving and inspection mechanism
3 Has good Material estimation, budgeting,
practices, and programming system
4 The company has a proper Waste management
system
5 Good scheduling and procurement process

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6. Below are potential influences of construction materials practice challenges improvement
parameters. From your experience, please tick the appropriate cell by indicating how important
each parameter is for the improvement of effective materials management practice for road
Construction Projects.
1. Very Low 2. Low 3. Medium 4. High 5. Very high

No Parameters for improvement of range

materials management
5 4 3 2 1

1 Creating a well-planned project

materials management practice
2 Establishing the materials
management department
3 Assigning a competent Project
Manager & team

4 Adopting materials management

Practice
5 Completing Work details
preparation
6 Understanding stakeholders
needs

7 Providing Training on project

materials management
8 prepare an appropriate Work
Environment

9 Effective communication
between parties

10 Establishing a coordination
system between the parties
11 Preparing detailed specifications
for individual action

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 12 Using guidelines to prepare,
manage, track, and report
material progress
13 Developing an evaluation
method for scope in change that
gives the extent to project failure
14 Ensuring good top management
support
15 Ability to implement project
materials management correctly
16 Conducting close monitoring
17 Adopting a system of problem
analysis and exposure analysis
all through the project life
18 Providing training to unskilled
workers based on their scope of
work.

Part five: Question relating to the measurement for effective materials management
Practice on road construction
Please specify the extent of your agreement with the following statements by ticking [√] on the
scale that nearly reflects your opinion. Using the following codes.
1. Very Low 2. Low 3. Medium 4. High 5. Very high

s/no Measures for effective materials management in Range

road project 5 4 3 2 1

1 Provide training for employee

2 Use proper materials planning

3 Use proper material handling
4 Proper materials usage
5 Have an inventory control mechanism
6 Have good management, supervision, and
administration
7 Materials schedule for contract on hand

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If other possible measurement for effective material management please specify.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

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