PROJECT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BY KIAMBU COUNTY GOVERNMENT, KENYA

Abstract

Projects are used by county governments to implement their development agendas. However, many projects experience high failure rates resulting in significant financial losses. Numerous projects stall, suffer time and cost overruns or fall short of community expectations. Effective management of project resources, specifically financial, human, physical and technology resources, is critical for enhancing the performance of development projects. This study investigated the influence of project resource management on the performance of development projects by Kiambu County Government, Kenya. The research was grounded in the Theory of Constraints, and Resource Based View Theory. An explanatory research design was adopted. The study was conducted at Kiambu County Government offices in Kiambu town focusing on 36 projects implemented by the Departments of Roads, Transport, Public Works and Utilities. A total of 60 employees directly involved in project implementation were surveyed. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and simple linear regression while qualitative data were examined through content analysis. The findings showed that project resource management significantly and positively influenced the performance of development projects. The study recommends that the county government ensures timely availability and efficient utilization of resources, adopts resource mobilization strategies and leverages technology to support project success.