Project management : a requirement for Zimbabwean indigenous contractors

Abstract

Project management is a fairly new profession in the Zimbabwean construction industry. The information revolution brought about by the Internet has resulted in clients becoming more critical of the way construction projects are being procured right from inception through implementation to maintenance. This has brought the limelight on the Zimbabwean Indigenous contractors who despite a great deal of assistance from government in the form of affirmative legislation have failed to deliver construction projects timeously to specification and within budget. The Zimbabwean construction industry is greatly fragmented. There exists professional practices and foreign owned construction companies who are increasingly embracing project management as a tool for project delivery. The new generally small to medium sized construction companies owned by the local business people have still not grasped project management. This paper explores the emergence of indigenous contractors and what can be done to improve their operations.