Fast-track projects with cost and schedule overruns: A supply chain management perspective

The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to explore how supply chain managers deal with cost and schedule overruns within fast-track projects in the United States to mitigate risks. In addition, it was equally important to understand the challenges and complexity faced by supply chain leaders in completing non-traditional fast-track projects with uncertainties. Dealing with risks of uncertainty that influence the project objectives, supply chain, and procurement, implement strategies and policies to hedge against supply chain risk. By demonstrating the need to integrate across different businesses with high demand and ever-changing markets. The supply chain involves a massive effort by the supply chain manager to coordinate an integrated flow across entities to collectively acquire supplies and materials to deliver on time and budget. Therefore, considering market uncertainties, the supply chain network is significant in risk planning, designing, and scheduling to how supply chain management can mitigate further risk to fast-track projects. The conceptual framework for the study was Grant’s knowledge integration theory with agility and flexibility. The research question “How can supply chain managers in the construction industry prevent fast-track projects from cost and schedule overruns to mitigate project risk within the United States?” The population sample included nine one-on-one, semistructured interviews with project manager professionals who work in fast-track projects within the construction industry in the United States. The disqualification of one participant was due to language barrier. The data collection was analyzed by using NVivo 12 and Microsoft Excel, and four themes emerged during the data analysis process. The themes focused on processes and strategies to prevent cost and schedule overruns and mitigate risk from a supply chain perspective and knowledge integration using agility and flexibility to meet project goals. The findings identified that not all projects are alike and having the knowledge of planning and process to how fast-track projects work is critical to every role. In addition to maintaining good relationships across all project teams, internal and external parties are deemed critical to the project's success. The findings reviewed the different types of risk from each participant within their role and those that crossed over into the supply chain function. Identified risks the supply chain and procurement factors that impact the project. The finding indicated that strategic decision-making is improved when each discipline collaborates and expands project knowledge to mitigate risk and improve cost and schedule performance for success.