Assessment of Inventory Management Factors Affecting Construction Project Delivery in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the assessment of inventory management factors affecting construction project delivery in Imo state, Nigeria. Adopting a descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised 800 construction professionals, including architects, estate surveyors and valuers, site engineers, materials purchasers, construction/project managers, and contractors. Using the Taro Yamane formula, a sample size of 267 respondents was determined through judgmental sampling, while 243 valid questionnaires representing a 91% response rate were retrieved and analyzed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with the aid of SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that theft and vandalization (β = - 0.177, p < 0.001), high carrying cost (β = -0.148, p = 0.020), insecurity (β = -0.169, p < 0.001), shortage of materials (β = -0.137, p = 0.020), and inability to determine the appropriate EOQ (β = -0.152, p = 0.002) had significant negative effects on construction project delivery. However, the use of traditional materials management methods (β = -0.010, p = 0.876) was not statistically significant. The regression model showed a strong relationship between inventory management factors and project delivery (R = 0.925), with the identified variables explaining approximately 85% of the variation in construction project delivery (R² = 0.850). The overall regression model was statistically significant (F = 8.895, p = 0.002), confirming the collective influence of inventory management practices on project delivery. The study concluded that effective inventory management is critical to achieving successful construction project delivery, with. Recommendation to strengthen site security to minimize theft and vandalization, adopting modern inventory management systems and Materials Requirement Planning (MRP), implementing Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) techniques, engaging inventory management professionals, and improving materials planning to reduce carrying costs, prevent material shortages, and enhance project performance.