Managing Novel Risks in Construction Projects : A Zimbabwean Construction Industry Case Study of Risk Management during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Abstract: Risk management is quite a broad and essential part of project management in construction projects. Often, risk management focuses on perceived risks that can easily be predicted and managed. However, little attention is given to novel risks or risks that are not possible to predict and are unforeseen. Construction projects face these risks repeatedly, and decisions made when they occur are filled with so many discrepancies. The covid-19 virus is an example of a novel virus that no one perceived, which surprised the construction industry. This master thesis explores how organisations in the construction industry in Zimbabwe managed risk related to covid-19 in construction projects and what impact the pandemic had on current risk management practices. This study is an exploratory case study, and semi-structured interviews were utilised to collect data and answer the research questions. The study's findings highlight the major risks related to covid-19 that were faced in construction projects, the particular actions related to risk management that were taken to manage the risk and the impact of covid-19 on risk management frameworks for construction projects in Zimbabwe. Risks posed by the coronavirus to construction projects in Zimbabwe included operational risks, financial risks, productivity risks, supply chain risks, production delay risks and coronavirus infection risks. Mandatory guidelines and ISO procedures mainly influenced the actions taken to manage coronavirus related risks. Measures included introducing extra health safety measures on construction sites such as regular testing and screening and social distancing. Lastly, the impact on construction project risk management frameworks included changes to adapt to the new way of operating with covid-19. These changes include the increase in the budget allocation for novel risks and increased integration of technology in risk management. A small section of the study briefly discusses the Swedish context to capture insights into how the Swedish construction industry was affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Since Sweden did not go into lock down, it was interesting to reflect on how they were affected, and the actions taken to manage covid-19 related risks in that context.
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