Author(s): Yusuf Lukman, Sanjay Balkaran, Nonzwakazi Beauty Makiwane, Maxwell Sentiwe
The uniqueness of projects presents trends linked to unexpected disruptions that threaten progress and timely achievement. The recent declaration of complete or partial lockdown across the globe subsequent to the spike of Covid 19 crises from 2020 have restricted movement of goods and people, which in most cases led to complete shutdown or postponement of projects across various sectors. This empirical study evaluates the criteria for the success or failure of projects amid crises in selected projects in the Eastern Cape Province. Using the post positivist approach, the study gathered data from respondents using closed-ended and opened-ended questionnaires. The sample consists of respondents from various projects in the Eastern Cape Province. The data were analyzed using the MoonStat Software. The findings of this study revealed that the most prominent impacts of crises are the deferment of projects and demotivation of team members. The findings highlighted some of the motives that lead to project failure, including lack of involvement of experts in the project team, lack of considering contingency measures in the planning stage, change in plan by project owners, incorrect cost estimation and movement restrictions caused by crises. The study also sheds light on the contemporary planning and control techniques that will allow project managers to ensure project success. It also sheds light on the consequences of unexpected crises, which include time overrun and cost overrun in addition to financial implications. Finally, the study recommends that project managers can improve motivation among their teams through good supervision, providing training, and incentivising hard work.