Essay on Impact of COVID-19 on Project Schedule in the Construction Industry

Published: 2021/12/28
Number of words: 2886

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions `in all the sectors of the world’s economy. The construction industry, just like any other industry has been immensely affected since no major works on projects have been going on due to the restrictions created as a result of the pandemic. Most project managers were rendered jobless, while most project stopped, therefore causing project delays. The pandemic made it difficult for project managers to access resources required for the project work and also resulted to the increase of the projects cost as a result of the increase in material costs. Despite the various impacts of Covid-19 in the construction industry, the paper endeavours to discuss the impacts of the pandemic on the projects’ schedules.

Literature Review

The impacts of Covid-19 in the schedule of construction projects have attracted the attention of many researchers. Therefore, this section of the paper brings to your attention some of the findings presented by various researchers.

The study by [1]aims at discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of construction projects. The methodology used included the qualitative and the explanatory approaches. The findings indicate that the pandemic had major impact on the schedules of the projects as it led to the delay of projects in the construction industry. Additionally, the literature also notes that the pandemic led to the disruption of cash flows, restrictions on travels which made it difficult to access the resources required. The findings are relevant to the research topic; therefore, it would be used as a point of reference.

Need an essay assistance?
Our professional writers are here to help you.
Place an order

The other literature aimed at discussing the impact of the pandemic on GEF project preparation and implementation. The methodology for collecting the data was the consultation between the secretariat and the agencies and the OFPs[2]. The findings indicate that the pandemic caused delays in the first disbursement and the related transfer of agency fees, the delay on the project preparation and the delay on the provision of input to PIR reporting and evaluation. The other delay experiences were that of launching the project. The findings of this literature have close similarity with [3]as both authors acknowledge that the pandemic disrupted projects by creating delays. therefore, it would be used a s a point of reference in the future.

The other literature aimed at identifying the implication of the pandemic on construction projects and the Risk management. The research methodology deployed in the research is review of literature. The findings indicate the following. The pandemic created disruptions in supply chain and changes in the workforce and the project scheduling[4]. The researchers note that delays were caused by disruption on workforce and the shortage of materials. The article is relevant to the research topic; therefore, it would be used as a point of reference in the future.

The other relevant study focused on exploring the early impacts of Covid-19 on the construction projects in USA. The research methodology adopted was the use of interviews. The researcher found that the Covid-19 pandemic brought significant delay on the construction project [5] The other impacts presented in the literature found that the project managers were unable to access materials as per the stipulated time and the productivity of the project workers also decreased immensely. The findings are relevant to the research topic therefore it would be used for future references.

The other study explored the impact of Covid-19 and the influence of the impacts among the stakeholders of constriction project. The study also used interview as the primary research methodology. The findings indicate that the pandemic led to the increase in project cost, which led to the loss of revenues among some stakeholders. Additionally, the pandemic led to the delays on the project, therefore disrupting the project schedule[6].

The other literature reviewed was on the impact of Covid-19 on construction projects. The research methodology used was the inductive approach. The main economic impact was the reduction on the financial support for the project[7]. Additionally, the findings indicate that the pandemic caused strain on key player of the project. The strains led to the delay in the delivery of the project. therefore, therefore, the findings of this literature were found to be relevant to the research topic.

The other study aimed at exploring the impact of Covid-19 in the construction industry of Ghana. The researcher adopted the structured interview as the primary research method. The findings indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic led to the reduction in work rates among the project workers, the delays in payments and also an increase in the cost of materials[8]. From the literature above, it is worth noting that the researcher does not indicate any form of disruptions on the activities, therefore, it is not relevant to the research topic, and a result, it would not be used as point of reference on this topic.

The literature was on the implication of the pandemic on the construction projects and the management of risk. The researcher employed research methodology as the primary method of data collection. The findings of this study indicate that the pandemic resulted to unpresented delays, disruptions, delays and uncertainty on construction projects.[9] This forced industries in adopting techniques that were sophisticated in addressing the reduction in the workforce as witnessed in the construction projects.

Discussion about the Selected Topic

The Coronavirus is an infectious disease which infected and caused the death of many people. Because of these deaths and spread, many stakeholders in various sectors brought to a standstill their operations therefore leading to a lot of disruptions. For instance, in the field of project management, the pandemic led to increase in prices of raw materials, as a results of lockdowns, that made transportation more difficult. The lockdown made it difficult for the project managers to access the materials which were required to successfully continue with their project management roles as a resulting interfering with project scheduling.

Reasons why the Topic is Important to Project Managers

Studying about the impact of COVID-19 on project schedule is important to project managers because it informs the project managers about the potential external challenges that they may experience when executing their roles. This report considers the coronavirus an external challenge, and it also explains how it interfered with the activities of the project. The research is also important to project managers because it informs the project managers of the challenges that they can face in their line of duty, and therefore it prepares them better on how they would be able to handle the impacts of these challenges so that they do not cause havoc to the activities of the project.

The Challenges Faced by the Project Manager

 Difficulty in Project Scheduling

Scheduling is a large part of project management role. A detailed project schedule is key for the success of any project, therefore demanding for a lot more thoughts. The project manager needs to align the resources with the schedule to enable the project management team to know exactly what the schedule involves and what has to be executed. However, because of the pandemic, managers have found it difficult to conduct proper scheduling as the pandemic has made it difficult to access the resources that are needed for proper alignment during the process of scheduling[10]

The solution to this challenge is that the project managers should ensure that they have the schedule done in advance, and this implies that there should be adequate sourcing before the project manager can commence the process of building the project schedule. This would enable the project managers to continue with their roles even during pandemics.

Reporting

Project management is a very functional role which is accompanied by a lot of reporting and this did not change during the pandemic. What changed was the direct that the project managers might adopt when reporting. Most reporting is now done virtually, which implies that reporting is more difficult because not everyone will be able to be present when they are required by the project manager[11]

The Solution

The pandemic has caused a shift in the working arrangement of set by the project managers. The process of reporting must be conducted more often and also done differently in some cases. Therefore, the project managers should report via video chats which has proven to be a common reporting trend that allows for timely reporting exercises.[12]

Budget Control

The pandemic has caused major disruptions in market prices of the raw materials required for the successful completion of projects. Market prices have gone up as a result of the difficulties faced in transportation and the acquisition of the raw materials therefore disrupting the initial budgets that had been set. The Solution is that project managers should make early purchases to prevent the negative effects that arise as a result of price fluctuation.

Future Considerations

The main future considerations to address the impacts of pandemics in project management and project schedule include the following.

Planning and Coordination

Planning and coordination efforts would help in the provision of leadership across all the departments of project management. One of the most important aspect is to integrate pandemic preparedness into project management framework.

Situation Monitoring and Assessment

The goal of situation monitoring and assessment is to aid in the collection interpretation and the dissemination of information on the risks of a looming pandemic before their actual occurrence, and once under way to monitor pandemic activity and characteristics. It would also help in assessing if the risk of the pandemic is increasing, the infectious agents and the capacity to interfere with the activities of the project’s activities.[13]

Worry about your grades?
See how we can help you with our essay writing service.
LEARN MORE

Communication

The goal of communication during the pandemic is to issue and exchange information that is relevant to the team, the stakeholders and the public to allow them to make information that is well informed and further take actions that is considered safe and effective for the continuity of the project.[14]

Conclusion

In Summary, the report vividly analyses the impact of Coronavirus on project schedule in the construction industry. A thorough literature review indicates that the pandemic caused major impacts on the project schedule, as it led to the delays in the construction projects, the pandemic also caused disruptions of cash flows restriction on travels that led to delays in the delivery of raw materials. The other finding is that the pandemic led to the disruptions in supply chain and project scheduling. The reasons for selecting the topic are that it prepares project managers on the external challenges that may arise as they execute their roles. The challenges faced by project managers during the coronavirus pandemic include the difficulty in scheduling projects, difficulty in reporting and difficulty in controlling the project budget. Future considerations to address such pandemics include planning and coordination, situations and monitoring and communication.

Bibliography

“Project Management Challenges Cause by Covid-19.” Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate. (n.p.).

Adhikari, Kushal, and Lochana Poudyal. “Future of Construction Industry: COVID-19 and Its Implications on Construction Projects and Risk Management – A Review.” 2021. doi:10.20944/preprints202104. 0383.vl.

Agyekum, Kofi, Augustine S. Kukah, and Judith Amudjie. “The impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry in Ghana: the case of some selected firms.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-11-2020-0476.

Al Amri, Tariq. “The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry: Oman’s Case.” European Journal of Business and Management Research 6, no. 2 (2021), 146-152. doi:10.24018/ejbmr.2021.6.2.806.

Alsharef, Abdullah, Siddharth Banerjee, S. M. Uddin, Alex Albert, and Edward Jaselskis. “Early Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the United States Construction Industry.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (2021), 1559. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041559.

Araya, Felipe, and Leonardo Sierra. “Influence between COVID-19 Impacts and Project Stakeholders in Chilean Construction Projects.” Sustainability 13, no. 18 (2021), 10082. doi:10.3390/su131810082.

Garvin, L. “Project Management Challenges Cause by Covid-19.” Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate.

Laina, Efstathia. “GEF 57th Council Meeting: Navigating the Path to Transformational Change.” Environmental Policy and Law 50, no. 4-5 (2021), 339-346. doi:10.3233/epl-200236.

Muhammad, Muhammad T. Shafiq, and Muneeb Afzal. “Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-12-2020-0481.

Recommended Actions Before, During and After a Pandemic – Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response – NCBI Bookshelf.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last modified 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143063/ (n.p.).

Sami Ur Rehman, Muhammad, Muhammad T. Shafiq, and Muneeb Afzal. “Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-12-2020-0481.

Wang, Zhimin, Zixiao Liu, and Junyan Liu. “Risk Identification and Responses of Tunnel Construction Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Advances in Civil Engineering 2020 (2020), 1-10. doi:10.1155/2020/6620539.

World Health Organization. ” Recommended Actions Before, During and After a Pandemic – Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response – NCBI Bookshelf.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last modified 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143063/.

Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate. (n.p.).

[1] Sami Ur Rehman, Muhammad, Muhammad T. Shafiq, and Muneeb Afzal. “Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-12-2020-0481.

[2] Laina, Efstathia. “GEF 57th Council Meeting: Navigating the Path to Transformational Change.” Environmental Policy and Law 50, no. 4-5 (2021), 339-346. doi:10.3233/epl-200236.

[3] Muhammad, Muhammad T. Shafiq, and Muneeb Afzal. “Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-12-2020-0481.

[4] Adhikari, Kushal, and Lochana Poudyal. “Future of Construction Industry: COVID-19 and Its Implications on Construction Projects and Risk Management – A Review.” 2021. doi:10.20944/preprints202104. 0383.v1.

[5] Alsharef, Abdullah, Siddharth Banerjee, S. M. Uddin, Alex Albert, and Edward Jaselskis. “Early Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the United States Construction Industry.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (2021), 1559. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041559.

[6] Araya, Felipe, and Leonardo Sierra. “Influence between COVID-19 Impacts and Project Stakeholders in Chilean Construction Projects.” Sustainability 13, no. 18 (2021), 10082. doi:10.3390/su131810082.

[7] Al Amri, Tariq. “The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Construction Industry: Oman’s Case.” European Journal of Business and Management Research 6, no. 2 (2021), 146-152. doi:10.24018/ejbmr.2021.6.2.806.

[8] Agyekum, Kofi, Augustine S. Kukah, and Judith Amudjie. “The impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry in Ghana: the case of some selected firms.” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print (2021). doi:10.1108/jedt-11-2020-0476.

[9] Wang, Zhimin, Zixiao Liu, and Junyan Liu. “Risk Identification and Responses of Tunnel Construction Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Advances in Civil Engineering 2020 (2020), 1-10. doi:10.1155/2020/6620539.

[10] Garvin, L. “Project Management Challenges Cause by Covid-19.” Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate.

[11] “Project Management Challenges Cause by Covid-19.” Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate. (n.p.).

[12] Your Trusted Irish Recruitment Partner for IT Jobs | GemPool. Last modified December 3, 2020. https://www.gempool.ie/insights/challenges-project-managers-are-facing-in-the-current-climate. (n.p.).

[13] World Health Organization. ” Recommended Actions Before, During and After a Pandemic – Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response – NCBI Bookshelf.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last modified 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143063/.

[14] Recommended Actions Before, During and After a Pandemic – Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response – NCBI Bookshelf.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last modified 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143063/ (n.p.).

Cite this page

Choose cite format:
APA
MLA
Harvard
Vancouver
Chicago
ASA
IEEE
AMA
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Copy
Online Chat Messenger Email
+44 800 520 0055