ANALYSIS OF CONTRACTORS PERFORMANCE IN GAZA STRIP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The construction industry has acquired a poor reputation in performance issues. Project success is dependent on, amongst other factors, the performance of the contractors. The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate the main factors affecting the performance of construction projects in the Gaza strip. Sixty questionnaires were randomly distributed to contractors and 46 questionnaires were received (77% respondent rate). Sixty three factors were identified and categorized into ten groups. The level of importance of these factors were measured and ranked by their importance index from the contractors' perspectives. The most important factors were average delay arising from closures and materials shortage, availability of resources as planned through project duration, leadership skills of the project manager, escalation of material prices, availability of personnel with high experience and qualification and quality of equipments and raw materials in project. It is recommended that construction organizations have a clear mission and vision to formulate, implement and evaluate their performance.