STAKEHOLDERS’ RELATIONSHIPS AND PERFORMANCE OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN TANZANIA: A CASE OF TANROADS IN DAR ES SALAAM

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined the impact of project stakeholder relationships on the performance of construction projects in Tanzania, specifically focusing on TANROADS in the Dar es Salaam region. The specific objectives were to assess the effect of project stakeholders' communication on road construction project performance, to analyze the impact of stakeholders' trust, and to evaluate the role of stakeholders' commitment on project outcomes. The study was grounded in social exchange theory and employed a cross-sectional research design. The target population consisted of 286 individuals from selected departments at TANROADS in Dar es Salaam, with a sample size of 167 determined through simple random sampling. Primary data was gathered via questionnaires, while secondary data was collected through document reviews. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), factor analysis (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity), correlation analysis (Pearson correlations), and regression analysis, utilizing IBM SPSS software. Results for the first objective indicated that effective communication among project stakeholders has a significant and positive effect on road construction project performance, with a significance level of 0.000 (P < 0.05). Findings related to the second objective demonstrated that stakeholder trust also positively influences project performance, with a significance value of 0.001 (P < 0.05). For the third objective, it was found that stakeholder commitment significantly enhances project outcomes, with a significance value of 0.004 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the study found that stakeholder communication, trust, and commitment all have a significant positive impact on the performance of road construction projects, with significance levels below 0.05 (P < 0.05). The study recommends that TANROADS in Dar es Salaam, policymakers, project professionals, and other stakeholders apply the insights, knowledge, and findings from this research to strengthen stakeholder relationships, thereby enhancing project performance in the public sector road construction domain.