Compliance within a Regulatory Framework in Implementing Public Road Construction Projects

Abstract

The construction industry faces a lack of compliance with policy that in Uganda public road construction projects affects the attainment of Government goals and disrupts infrastructure project delivery. For decades, public entities have been known for a lack of compliance that manifest in: poor performance, poor personnel management, poor resource utilization and unprofessionalism. In Uganda, this has resulted in several restructures aimed at improving service delivery. Despite this, compliance remains an issue. The purpose of this study is to establish factors affecting compliance within a public procurement regulatory framework in public road construction projects and foster economic development. A cross-sectional research design including a structured self-administered questionnaire survey and PLS-SEM data analysis by SmartPLS3 was conducted. The research reveals that three factors positively affect compliance with a regulatory framework that govern public road construction projects; sanctions on staff, inefficiency of the public procurement regulatory framework and contractors’ resistance to non-compliance. While a further three factors have little positive effect on compliance; familiarity, monitoring activities and professionalism. Hence, the research contributes to construction management by showing that sanctions, perceived inefficiency and contractors’ resistance significantly enhance compliance within a public procurement regulatory framework.

Strategic public procurement regulatory compliance model with mediating effect of ethical behavior

“…The study of Jaafar et al (2016) also found the strong influence of professionalism and compliance with public procurements in Malaysia. This is also consistent with the findings of Mrope (2017) among Tanzanian public institutions, as well as Kenya (Jones et al, 2015) and Uganda (Mwelu et al, 2018). However, an earlier study of Eyaa and Oluka (2011) reported insignificant effects of professionalism on compliance with public procurement.…”

“…The review above revealed consistent relationship between professionalism and compliance with public procurement regulations (Gelderman et al, 2006;Jaafar et al, 2016;Jones et al, 2015;Mrope, 2017;Mwelu et al, 2018;Omagbon, 2016;Sandada and Kambarami, 2016). As such, the literature established that whena consistent relationship has been identified between variables, there is a need to understand the mechanism that underpins such a consistent relationship.…”

“…Empirically, studies confirmed the influence of familiarity on compliance with public procurement laws and regulations (Eyaa and Oluka, 2011;Gelderman et al, 2006;Sandada and Kambarami, 2016;Mwelu et al, 2018). However, Jaafar et al (2016) and Hyacinth and Yibis (2017) found insignificant direct effects of familiarity on public procurement regulations.…”

Procurement planning as a strategic tool for public procurement effectiveness: Experience from selected public procuring entities in Dodoma city, Tanzania

“…There are other areas of procurement that require regulatory compliance in general, but compliance of procurement laws and regulations is an area of interest. Studies centred on the compliance of procurement laws and regulations including but not limited to Eyaa and Oluka (2011), Mwelu et al (2018, 2020), Osei-Tutu et al (2011), Pastory (2019), Sarawa and Mas’ud (2020). This is because procurement regulatory compliance enhances the performance of procurement in procuring entities (Athumani and Minja, 2017).…”

Green site practices and environmental performance: how project complexity moderates the relationship

“…There have been efforts made over time by construction organizations to ensure their activities are carried out in a manner that is not harmful to the natural environment. These efforts are mostly borne out of a desire to preserve the natural environment, or in a bid to meet the minimum acceptable standards of environmental performance, as spelt out in both local and international regulations (Mwelu et al, 2018). The efforts of these construction organizations have yielded mixed results.…”