Strategic Control And Foresight: Risk Identification And Monitoring As Levers Of Project Performance In Embu County, Kenya
Keywords:
Strategic Control, Risk Monitoring, Strategic Management, Risk Identification
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate how risk identification affected construction project performance and how risk monitoring affected construction project performance in Embu County, Kenya. A sample of 288 construction project professionals was used. Descriptive design was used. Findings from correlation analysis show that risk identification had a significant and a positive correlation on construction projects’ performance (r=0.798, p= 0.001<0.05), as well as risk monitoring (r=0.798, p= 0.001<0.05). Regression analysis indicated a statistically significant predictive impact on construction projects’ performance of Embu County - Risk monitoring (β = 0.389, p=0.000 < 0.05); Risk Identification (β = 0.243in Embu County, p= 0.0001 < 0.05). The Study recommended that as a risk monitoring strategy, project teams in Embu County should create digital dashboards and perform regular evaluations for monitoring risks which emerge during the projects’ lifespan. The study contributes to the strategic management and project risk literatures by empirically demonstrating the importance of risk identification and risk monitoring as dynamic capabilities of business environments that influence construction projects performance in developing environment. In contrast to earlier research, which tended to treat the issue of risk management in generic and broad forms, the study decomposes risk management process and gives a clear statistical indication of the variable effect of particular risk management strategies. Moreover, it provides a geographically specific knowledge and situates its findings on a unique context of Embu County thereby filling the gap between international theories of risk management and local realities of a project in the sub-Saharan Africa.
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Priya, R., & Kothai, M. (2014). “A study on risk management practices in construction projects”. International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science, 2(6), 44–50.
Raj, M., & Wadsamudrakar, N. K. (2018). Risk management in construction project. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 8(3), 162-167. https://doi.org/10.31033/ijemr.8.3.22
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2014). Research methods for business students (6th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Smith, J. (2023). Risk management in construction: Strategies for success. Routledge.
Suraj, G., Mohite, S., Nisarga, S., & Shaikh, M. (2023). A study on risk management strategies. REST Journal on Banking, Accounting and Business, 2(2), 118-126. https://doi.org/10.46632/jbab/2/2/18
Taherdoost, H. (2016). Validity and reliability of the research instrument; how to test the validation of a questionnaire/survey in a research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 5(3), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3205040
Walker, A. (2015). Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.
Wanyonyi, W. K. (2015). Influence of risk management strategies on project performance: “A survey of selected international development organizations based in Nairobi City, Kenya (Master's thesis). University of Nairobi, Nairobi”
Wuni, I. Y., & Shen, G. Q. (2020). Barriers to the adoption of green building technologies in developing countries: A case study of Ghana. Buildings, 10(9), 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings10090157
Zou, P. X. W., Zhao, J., & Zhang, G. (2021). Managing risks in public–private partnership projects: Case study in China. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Babbie, E. R. (2010). The Practice of Social Research (12th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Banerjee Chattapadhyay, D., Putta, J., & Rao P, R. M. (2021). Risk identification, assessments, and prediction for mega construction projects: A risk prediction paradigm based on cross analytical-machine learning model. Buildings, 11(4), 172. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11040172
Boehm, B. (2022). Risk management in software engineering: A comprehensive guide. New York, NY: Springer.
Chang, C. Y. (2018). “Identifying political risk management strategies in international construction projects using Delphi and AHP”. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3738095
Charbel, C., Helou, A., & Hamzeh, F. (2023). Modeling the interdependencies between the risk factors contributing to preconstruction delays in construction projects. Buildings, 13(5), 447. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13050447
Construction Industry Institute. (2016). Value of CII best practices report. Construction Industry Institute .Retrieved from: https://www.construction-institute.org/2016-value-of-cii-best-practices-report
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Daoud, A. O., el Hefnawy, M., & Wefki, H. (2023). Investigation of critical factors affecting cost overruns and delays in Egyptian mega construction projects. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 83, 326–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2023.10.052
Denny, M., & Myneni, K. K. (2025). Risk management framework for navigating the pre-construction phase of data s in Kerala. International Journal of Management and Humanities, 11(9), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijmh.G1806.11090525
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). “Agency theory: An assessment and review”. Academy of management review, 14(1), 57-74.
Ex-McKinsey & BCG Consultants. (n.d.). Risk management toolkit - Risk mitigation strategies: Toolkit including frameworks, tools & templates. Retrieved from:
https://www.domontconsulting.com/Risk-Management/Toolkit
Fikadu, G., & Kant, S. (2023). “Effects of project risk management practices on project performance: In case of selected projects in Ethiopia”. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research, 12(2), 1-32. https://doi.org/10.52797/ijmer.2023.12.02.06
Gajewska, E., & Ropel, M. (2011). Risk management practices in a construction project: A case study (Master's thesis). Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. Retrieved from:https://odr.chalmers.se/server/api/core/bitstreams/760d5d90-6d31-434c-8a22-ea20dc1468d1/content
Hillson, D. (2020). Practical project risk management: The ATOM methodology (3rd ed.). Vienna, Austria: Management Concepts.
Hillson, D., & Murray-Webster, R. (2017). Understanding and managing risk attitude. Routledge.
Ingle, P. V., & Mahesh, G. (2022). “Construction project performance areas for Indian construction projects”. International Journal of Construction Management, 22(8), 1443-1454. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2020.1811137
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976).Theory of the firm: “Managerial behavior, agency costs, and ownership structure”. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X
Jiang, Y., Zhang, X., & Liu, H. (2023). Risk monitoring in project management: Strategies for success. International Journal of Project Management, 41(2), 123-135
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Economic survey 2023. Nairobi: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.knbs.or.ke/reports/2023-economic-survey
Khadim, N., Thaheem, M. J., Ullah, F., & Mahmood, M. N. (2023). Quantifying the cost of quality in construction projects: An insight into the base of the iceberg. Quality & Quantity, 57(6), 5403-5429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-022-01574-8
McKinsey Global Institute. (2017). Reinventing construction: A route to higher productivity. McKinsey & Company: Retrieved from: MGI-Reinventing-Construction-Executive-summary.pdf (mckinsey.com)
Mwangi, J. (2022). Comparative study on project performance in Embu County versus national average. Journal of Construction Management, 15(3), 45-60.
National Construction Authority. (2023). Annual report 2023: Challenges and opportunities in the construction sector. Nairobi: National Construction Authority.
National Construction Authority. (2023). Report on Construction Projects in Embu County. Retrieved from https://www.nca.go.ke/publications
Nawi, M. N. M., Lee, A., Nor, K. M., & Zainun, N. Y. (2018). Managing construction project risks using risk management tools and techniques: A Malaysian contractor's perspective. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 23(1), 93–112.
Oxford Economics. (2020). Global construction 2030: A global forecast for the construction industry to 2030. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/recent-releases/global-construction-2030
Priya, R., & Kothai, M. (2014). “A study on risk management practices in construction projects”. International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science, 2(6), 44–50.
Raj, M., & Wadsamudrakar, N. K. (2018). Risk management in construction project. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 8(3), 162-167. https://doi.org/10.31033/ijemr.8.3.22
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2014). Research methods for business students (6th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Smith, J. (2023). Risk management in construction: Strategies for success. Routledge.
Suraj, G., Mohite, S., Nisarga, S., & Shaikh, M. (2023). A study on risk management strategies. REST Journal on Banking, Accounting and Business, 2(2), 118-126. https://doi.org/10.46632/jbab/2/2/18
Taherdoost, H. (2016). Validity and reliability of the research instrument; how to test the validation of a questionnaire/survey in a research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 5(3), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3205040
Walker, A. (2015). Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.
Wanyonyi, W. K. (2015). Influence of risk management strategies on project performance: “A survey of selected international development organizations based in Nairobi City, Kenya (Master's thesis). University of Nairobi, Nairobi”
Wuni, I. Y., & Shen, G. Q. (2020). Barriers to the adoption of green building technologies in developing countries: A case study of Ghana. Buildings, 10(9), 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings10090157
Zou, P. X. W., Zhao, J., & Zhang, G. (2021). Managing risks in public–private partnership projects: Case study in China. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Published
2026-01-28
How to Cite
Kitsao, B., Boniface Wambua Mbuvi, & Ajai Prakash. (2026). Strategic Control And Foresight: Risk Identification And Monitoring As Levers Of Project Performance In Embu County, Kenya. International Journal of Economics, Business and Innovation Research, 5(02), 14-37. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijebir.v5i02.2887
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