Empirical Study of Factors Influencing Schedule Delays of Public Construction Projects in Burkina Faso

A well-functioning construction industry is a prerequisite for the development process to take place. In this regard, the aim of this study is to identify the most frequent, severe, and important causes of schedule delays affecting public constructions projects in Burkina Faso to enhance the managerial capability of project managers. This research was conducted by questionnaire survey to solicit the causes of schedule delays from 140 Burkinabe experts (clients, contractors, and consultants). After analyzing their frequency, severity, and importance index using a quantitative statistical method, the top five most important delay factors were ranked as follows: financial capability of the contractor, financial difficulties of the owner, equipment availability of the contractor, slow payments for completed work, and poor subcontractor performance by the contractor. A comparison of the causes of schedule delays in 11 countries to validate the results of the study showed that financial capability of the contractor was not only the most encountered factor in delays for Burkina Faso's construction industry, but also appeared in many other Asian and African countries.