Causes of construction change orders in Qatar: Contractors' perspective

Abstract

The construction industry involves complex processes which are prone to various changes and variations. However, it may be argued that the application of change orders within construction projects in the State of Qatar has become the rule rather than the exception. Therefore, the objective of this research is to identify, explore, and rank the relative importance of the preeminent causes instigating changes to construction contracts in the state. To achieve this objective, a structured questionnaire survey comprising 35 determinants, was distributed to a statistically representative sample of contractors. Using the relative importance index technique, the critical causes related to the client, consultant, contractor and exogenous groups are identified. The findings can provide industry practitioners and policy makers with guidance to mitigate, control, or effectively manage the primary causes of variations determined, which can further assist in meliorating the performance of the construction industry in a climate on the brink of witnessing an unprecedented boom in demand for expeditious delivery and restrained cost of constructed enterprises. 2016 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.