ASSESSMENT ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF SELECTED PRIVATE PLASTIC INDUSTRIES IN SEBETA TOWN

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to assess project management practices of private plastic industries in Sebeta. The study adopted a descriptive research design. There are 158 private plastic industries in Sebeta town that are registered by Sebeta investment office. Due to the current pandemic covid 19 most of the industries were temporarily closed and others that were not closed were reluctant to cooperate because of this five private plastic industries were selected based on their willingness, accessibility, project type and some criteria’s. The study used a purposive sampling technique in order to get the right respondents who are capable of giving the relevant and accurate information based on the practical experience they have regarding the industry projects. The sample size was 50 respondents, 10 respondents in each selected industries. Data was collected using questionnaire, observations and interviews and they were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and reliability analysis. Based on the findings the study established that the selected industries have issues that need attention in project management practices which indicates a poor practice in project cost, time and risk management. The study concludes the selected industries practices project management to some degree though there are project management knowledge areas that are not practiced well enough which needs a high consideration. The study recommends that since project risk management, project time management, and project cost management are a core and vital project management practices they should be given the highest consideration and suggests ways how to improve these practices.