CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 2022 · Vol. 2022, Issue 1

Mode of executing infrastructure projects and employment opportunities

Edoghogho Ogbeifun, Fwangshak Mije and Jar-Harm C Pretorius

Keywords: Employment opportunities, multiple contractors, procurement instrument, segmentation, single contractor.

Abstract

The triple problems of unemployment, underemployment and the lack of skills development in developing economies can be addressed significantly through infrastructure development. It facilitates the blend of educational training and workplace experience for skills development. Therefore, it requires crafting a suitable flow of procurement instruments to achieve these objectives. This research evaluated three executed infrastructure projects, Projects 1, 2 & 3, with the objective of identifying the most suitable mode of execution that provided the highest employment opportunities. The case study strategy of qualitative research was considered most suitable. The data was obtained predominantly from project operation documents, such as minutes of meetings, companies’ organisational structures, documents from the websites of organisations, and published articles. At the time of this research, all the projects examined had been concluded. It was not possible to interact with the project personnel and the research relied solely on available project operation documents. The research revealed that the concept of a single contractor was used in the execution of Project 1, while Projects 2 & 3 were executed via the multiple contractor approach. The employment opportunities at all levels were higher in Projects 2 & 3 compared to what was achieved in Project 1. Therefore, adopting the concept of segmentation of a capital infrastructure project holds the potential of creating more employment opportunities. In doing so it will ameliorate the triple problems of unemployment, underemployment, and the lack of skills development. Thus, in the developing economies, the concept of segmentation of capital infrastructure projects should be considered for the execution of all infrastructure types.