Critical Success Factors to Effective Claim Submission in the Ghanaian Construction Industry

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_17How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Claims management; communication; contract knowledge; construction industry; project success

Abstract

In Ghana’s construction industry, the persistent challenge of ineffective claim submissions has led to cost overruns, delayed project timelines, and prolonged disputes. This study investigates the critical success factors (CSFs) that contribute to effective claim submission practices, with the overarching goal of enhancing claims management and minimising conflict throughout the project lifecycle. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 120 professionals, including contractors, consultants, and client representatives. Structured questionnaires were used to assess variables such as documentation quality, contractual knowledge, stakeholder communication, and organisational competence. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, and instrument reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha. Five critical success factors were identified: (1) timely and accurate documentation, (2) comprehensive understanding of contract clauses, (3) effective communication between stakeholders, (4) organisational skills and capacity, and (5) client responsiveness. Of these, documentation and communication emerged as the most significant determinants of successful claims, underscoring the need for both technical rigour and collaborative alignment. Improving the claim submission process not only enhances contractual compliance and dispute resolution but also contributes to greater transparency and trust among project stakeholders. This, in turn, supports the advancement of a more efficient, collaborative, and sustainable construction industry in Ghana. The findings highlight the importance for construction firms to implement systematic documentation practices, invest in continuous contract management training, and streamline internal and external communication procedures. Embracing these strategies can reduce claims-related disputes and improve overall project performance.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - G. S. Kportufe
AU  - J. Agbevade
AU  - M. B. Arthur-Aidoo
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/31
TI  - Critical Success Factors to Effective Claim Submission in the Ghanaian Construction Industry
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering, Science, and Urban Sustainability (ICESUS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 275
EP  - 290
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_17
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_17
ID  - Kportufe2025
ER  -