Master of Science (M.Sc.) Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Master of Science (M.Sc.) Theses and Dissertations by Author "OLALEKAN, Yunus Olaitan."

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    Assessment of the usage of software packages by quantity surveying firms in southwestern in Nigeria.
    (Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management. Obafemi Awolowo University., 2021) OLALEKAN, Yunus Olaitan.
    This study identified and examined the software packages used by Quantity Surveying firms in Southwestern Nigeria; evaluated the trend in the usage of software packages in the study area; assessed the drivers and barriers of usage of the software packages; and examined the impact of their usage on service delivery in the study area. These were with a view to enhancing service delivery. Quantitative survey research design was used to collect primary data for this study via structured closed ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered on quantity surveying firms in Lagos, Ondo and Oyo States which constituted the study population. Total enumeration was used for Ondo and Oyo States with six (6) and 15 (fifteen) quantity surveying firms, respectively. Out of the 127 quantity surveying firms in Lagos State, 64 (50%) were sampled using simple random sampling technique. Data were obtained on educational status, professional status, employment position, years of experience, age of firms, firm’s location, type of software used, level of usage of software packages, trend in the usage of software packages, drivers and barriers of the usage of software packages and impact of the usage of software packages on service delivery. The data collected were analysed using descriptive (frequency counts, percentages, and mean score) and inferential (regression analysis and Analysis of Variance) statistics. The results showed that AutoCAD with mean score (MS) of 2.8 in a 5-point Likert-like scale (0-4) was the most used software package by quantity surveying firms in the study area. The others were Microsoft Project (MS = 2.44), MasterBill (MS = 1.58), QSCAD (MS = 1.51) and Revit (MS = 1.37). The trend in the usage of software packages by the firms was most erratic (up and down patterns) in Ondo and Oyo States but relatively regular in Lagos State. It was also found that the five lead drivers of the usage of software packages were: changing trend in technology (MS = 3.56); flexibility of usage (MS = 3.22); corporate technology strategy (MS = 3.10); competition among QSFs (MS = 3.08); and competition among construction professionals (MS = 3.07). Similarly, the top five barriers to the usage of software packages were high cost of software packages (MS = 3.42); inadequate power supply (MS = 3.20); high cost of hardware (MS = 3.17); rate of virus attack (MS = 3.07); and inadequate job order to encourage software investment (MS = 2.92). The study also found that the usage of software packages has mostly impacted the preparation of bills of quantities with a mean score (MS) of 3.53, closely followed by project planning (MS = 3.51), estimating (MS = 3.47), cost planning (MS = 3.36) and cost analysis (MS = 3.24). The study concluded that the usage of software packages by quantity surveying firms in the study area was generally low and that high cost of software packages and inadequate power supply were mostly responsible for the low usage of software packages by quantity surveying firms in Southwestern Nigeria with consequent negative impact on service delivery.