Investigating Claim And Dispute Management In Roads Construction Projects: A Case Of Ethiopian Roads Administration

Abstract

Claim is an assertion or demand made by one party against another in an effort to get elief/time or payment whereas dispute is a debate or disagreement between two or more persons about a specific claim. Several research efforts have been done towards ensuring management of claim and dispute. However, despite these efforts, claim and dispute being a challenge on road construction projects especially in Ethiopian Roads Administration. The main Objective of this research is Investigating Claim and Dispute Management in Roads Construction Projects in the Case of Ethiopian Roads Administration. For this study both qualitative and quantitative research methods had been used. The data collection instruments used for the study were mainly questionnaire and case study. In addition to questionnaire and case study; interview was conducted to supplement the result from case study and questionnaire. From the result of case study on six projects it is concluded that current practice of claim and dispute management in ERA is judgmental rather than amicable settlement. From the result of questionnaire, the challenges in claim and dispute management and the impacts of ineffective claim and dispute management had been ranked by the average mean value using statistical package for social science. As per the result from the respondent three critical challenges in claim and dispute management in Ethiopian Roads Administrations are Lack of Contemporary Records, Absence of Preventive Resolution Techniques Early on the Project and Client Involvement on Engineer? Determination; whereas the three critical impacts of ineffective claim and dispute managements are High Tender Price if the Contract is Terminated and Re-Bid, Extended or More Complex Award Process if the Contract is Terminated and Re-Bid and Impacts on the Project? Performance and the Project? Failure. Then frameworks had been developed for claim and dispute management. Finally, conclusion and recommendation had been made.