Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State

The concept of ‘Lock-In’, or the escalating cost of overcommitment on a project to a failing course of action, has unforeseeable implications in project management. This paper presents a case study on the occurrence and consequences of lock-in within the context of public sector housing projects in...

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Main Authors: Aaron Anil Chadee, Xsitaaz Twinkle Chadee, Abrahams Mwasha, Hector Hugh Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/11/5/198
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author Aaron Anil Chadee
Xsitaaz Twinkle Chadee
Abrahams Mwasha
Hector Hugh Martin
author_facet Aaron Anil Chadee
Xsitaaz Twinkle Chadee
Abrahams Mwasha
Hector Hugh Martin
author_sort Aaron Anil Chadee
collection DOAJ
description The concept of ‘Lock-In’, or the escalating cost of overcommitment on a project to a failing course of action, has unforeseeable implications in project management. This paper presents a case study on the occurrence and consequences of lock-in within the context of public sector housing projects in a small island developing state (SIDS). It demonstrates that cost overruns continue beyond the commissioning phase and throughout the project’s lifecycle, even though technical contingencies were implemented to deliver the intended project benefits. The findings unpack the implications of political expediency as a strategic tool mobilised to supersede proper technical decision-making prior to project execution. It concludes that project practitioners’ commitment to select and continue with a sub-optimal project can lead to the implementation of ineffective solutions to justify their actions, resulting in failed outcomes with negative social consequences. This research helps to advance project management knowledge in the us-er/operation phase, because previous scholarly work was limited to investigating lock-in from project conceptualisation to the commissioning phase.
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spelling doaj.art-65e0ce8379044893b3ae7a98a9b92dc02023-11-21T18:50:27ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092021-05-0111519810.3390/buildings11050198Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development StateAaron Anil Chadee0Xsitaaz Twinkle Chadee1Abrahams Mwasha2Hector Hugh Martin3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine 330110, Trinidad and TobagoDepartment of Physics, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine 330110, Trinidad and TobagoDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine 330110, Trinidad and TobagoSchool of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool 72046, UKThe concept of ‘Lock-In’, or the escalating cost of overcommitment on a project to a failing course of action, has unforeseeable implications in project management. This paper presents a case study on the occurrence and consequences of lock-in within the context of public sector housing projects in a small island developing state (SIDS). It demonstrates that cost overruns continue beyond the commissioning phase and throughout the project’s lifecycle, even though technical contingencies were implemented to deliver the intended project benefits. The findings unpack the implications of political expediency as a strategic tool mobilised to supersede proper technical decision-making prior to project execution. It concludes that project practitioners’ commitment to select and continue with a sub-optimal project can lead to the implementation of ineffective solutions to justify their actions, resulting in failed outcomes with negative social consequences. This research helps to advance project management knowledge in the us-er/operation phase, because previous scholarly work was limited to investigating lock-in from project conceptualisation to the commissioning phase.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/11/5/198cost overrunspolitical influencesroot causespublic housing programmessmall island developing states
spellingShingle Aaron Anil Chadee
Xsitaaz Twinkle Chadee
Abrahams Mwasha
Hector Hugh Martin
Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
Buildings
cost overruns
political influences
root causes
public housing programmes
small island developing states
title Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
title_full Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
title_fullStr Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
title_full_unstemmed Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
title_short Implications of ‘Lock-in’ on Public Sector Project Management in a Small Island Development State
title_sort implications of lock in on public sector project management in a small island development state
topic cost overruns
political influences
root causes
public housing programmes
small island developing states
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/11/5/198
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AT abrahamsmwasha implicationsoflockinonpublicsectorprojectmanagementinasmallislanddevelopmentstate
AT hectorhughmartin implicationsoflockinonpublicsectorprojectmanagementinasmallislanddevelopmentstate