The Impact of Project Management Practices on the Success of the Qosh Tepa Canal Project: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This paper examines how project management practices have affected the success of Phase One of a significant national infrastructure project in Afghanistan, the Qosh Tepa Canal. As the research is resource-driven, it is guided by the Resource-Based View (RBV), which explores the effects of the managerial capabilities, allocation of resources, and coordination of stakeholders on the execution of the project. The qualitative methodology was used, comprising a series of semi-structured interviews with project managers, engineers, policy makers, and local stakeholders and documentary analysis.

Results indicate that effective leadership, proper planning, coordinating team activities, consistency in monitoring and participation in the community played a crucial role in the achievement of Phase One goals. Nevertheless, the current issues of technical difficulties, environmental hazards, logistics, and institutional restraints were revealed as the continuous problems that might influence future stages.

The research will assist in comprehending the role of project management practices in influencing the infrastructure outcomes in weak contexts, which will be applicable to policy-makers, project managers, and development practitioners who are interested in enhancing implementation and sustainability of large scale projects in a complex setting.