The Link between compliance with project requirements and project success: evaluation from TASAF-III beneficiaries’ perspectives in Tanzania
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Date
2024-05
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
In fighting against transitional households’ income poverty, many of
the initiated community economic development (CED) projects have
faced a number of unanticipated outcomes. Non-compliance with the
stated project requirements is labelled the cause.
However,
substantial and fully complied projects have too shown the similar
mixed results of success and failure. Therefore, this study aimed to
examine the link between compliance with project requirements and
CED projects’ success: the evaluation of which was done from
TASAF-III beneficiaries’ perspectives in Tanzania. With specific
reference to TASAF-III supported CED projects, the study intended:
to determine the compliance drivers in CED projects in Tanzania; to
analyse the influence of compliance with project requirements on
CED projects’ performance outcomes in Tanzania; to assess the
effects of compliance with project requirements on CED projects’
satisfaction outcomes in Tanzania; and, to evaluate the impact of
compliance with project requirements on CED projects’ value
outcomes in Tanzania. The study was guided by the Theory of
Regulatory Compliance (TRC), with the premise that, being in full
(100%) compliance with all rules/requirements is not necessarily a
good policy for project success, as rules/requirements are not created
equal. The study adopted a cross-sectional design with multiple
cases—undertaken in twelve selected TASAF-III supported CED
projects in six regions of Tanzania, namely Tanga, Morogoro, Tabora,
Mbeya, Mwanza, and Kigoma. The three levels multistage sampling
method, coupled with stratified and simple random sampling, was
used to obtain the appropriate sample as poor households’ population
in Tanzania is widely distributed. Firstly, the six impact wave districts
from six regions in six geographical zones in Tanzania, were
identified using stratified sampling method. Secondly, the twelve most
representative TASAF-III projects were selected using the same
method. Thirdly, 480 households from 17 424 population of needy
households under impact wave districts were chosen at 2:3 ratio for
treatment (192) and control (288) subjects respectively—using simple
random sampling technique. Primary data were collected using the
research schedules. IBM SPSS v.16 and stata software were used for
data analysis. Ordinal regression model was used for testing the predictive validity of project compliance drivers to compliance
requirements. Based on the model results that the defined
compliance drivers in TASAF-III projects are negative significant
predictors of compliance with TASAF-III project requirements, it could
be concluded that, the observed non-compliance of TASAF-III with its
defined requirements is fuelled by increased adherence to non-
predictive compliance drivers. It is therefore recommended that plans
for the desired project ends should not discriminate-out the predictive
assumptions for positive compliance outcomes. Proportional Chi-test
was used to determine whether the defined TASAF-III project
requirements are self-drivers for involuntary compliance with the
same or not. Based on the test results that the defined TASAF-III
supported CED projects requirements are non-self-drivers of
individuals’ voluntary compliance—with McGregor’s theory “X” being
an option, it was concluded that, CED projects in Tanzania record
less of project success for more of resources committed as they
employ poorly defined project requirements that drive away
compliance than enhancing it. Project entities are therefore
recommended to define project requirements enticing stakeholders’
self-compliance. One sample t-test was used to determine whether
institutional ethical culture influence project compliance with
requirements or not. Based on the finding that about 80 percent of
TASAF-III projects compliance with requirements is influenced by 20
percent of its institutional ethical culture, it was concluded that
projects compliance driven failures in TASAF-III projects are mostly
fuelled by their unethical institutional cultures. Strategic audits of self-
imposed institutional ethical cultures are therefore recommended to
overcome the influence of detrimental individuals’ interests. Based on
binomial test results for population proportion that, about 80 percent
of TASAF-III project compliance culture results from 20 percent of its
institutional ethical culture, it was therefore concluded that CED
project’s compliance culture is moulded by its institutional ethical
cultural domains. Project practitioners’ enculturation is recommended
to reduce risks of hidden unethical cultural practices which may be
detrimental to project compliance outcomes. Moreover, the same
ordinal regression model was used to estimate the predictive validity
of project requirements to project outcomes. Based on the finding that
defined project requirements are significant negative predictors ofprojects performance outcomes, it was concluded that the employed
TASAF-III projects requirements are not selected based on projects’
environmental fit. Project entities are therefore recommended to
revamp their feasibility study mechanisms; and hence, design and
plan for environmental friendly project requirements with positive
performance outcomes. Nevertheless, considering the finding that the
defined project requirements are significant negative predictors of
projects satisfaction outcomes, it could be concluded that the
observed institutional failure on income poverty relief is more fuelled
by inapt selections of the right project requirements than on
compliance challenges. Participatory community needs assessment
results use for CED projects designs is highly recommended, as the
continued reliance on negatively perceived project requirements
reduces the success likelihood of projects satisfaction outcomes than
upturning the same. The propensity score matching model was used
to evaluate the impact of compliance with project requirements on
project value outcomes—assessed by project fitness for the purpose
on households’ delivery from transitional income poverty in Tanzania.
Based on the result that there is no significant difference in incomes
and spending between households participated in TASAF-III
supported projects and those who did not, it could be concluded that
compliance with TASAF-III supported projects has no significant
impact on poor households’ relief from transitional income poverty.
This is because TASAF implements projects which are more of
secteral priorities than those which are specific community felt needs.
The study recommends practical decentralized planning for
households’ desired projects as opposed to traditional approach—for
which districts departments’ and sectoral priorities determine the type
of TASAF-III project to be executed. The overall TASAF failure to
deliver households from income poverty, in the facet of negative
predictive project requirements at substantial compliance, warrants
the conclusion that compliance with project requirements does not
necessary result to project success—if requirements are inaptly
selected. Proper choice of projects requirements with positive
predictive outcomes is therefore recommended as the TRC is proven
true.
Description
Doctor of Philosophy
Keywords
Project Compliance, Project success, Income Poverty, TASAF Beneficiaries