Identifying and Prioritizing the Perceived Key Success Factors in the Success of Aid Agency Projects

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this study is to determine the key success factors in aid agency projects as well as the interrelationships and influences between their criteria in order to be able to determine the weights and recommend a set of key success factors to prioritize. This study also seeks to provide recommendations through several case studies to determine the efficiency of the key success factors. Design and Methodology – This paper analyzes the pair wise influence evaluation questionnaire as well as the strategy survey undertaken by several experts in the non-government aid agency sector. The methodology used was a combined DEMATEL-ANP approach in which the DEMATEL determines the influences and interrelationships of the criteria while the ANP determined the weights as well as evaluate the alternative strategies. Findings– In total, this study came up with 4 dimensions with three sets of criteria each through the support of related literature and expert interviews. These included Top Management Support (encompassing clear policies, selecting the right project team and coordination & human relations), Project Implementation (encompassing clear objectives & scope, project planning and control and project risk management), Stakeholder Client support (encompassing alignment with clients, effective consultation with clients and stakeholders and financial support/adequate II resources) and Goal Commitment of the Project Team (encompassing communication, monitoring & feedback, training and networking & teambuilding). Top Management Support topped the rank among the other dimensions while clear objectives and scope, selecting the right project team and financial support emerged as the top 3 among all the other criteria. Each of the situational cases provided for the alternative strategies also showed relative efficiency and consistency with the others as well as satisfying results in which to draw a good research conclusion. Academic Implications – Academic implications included filling the research gaps in which many aid-related literatures fail to provide conceptual sets of critical success factors (CSFs) and their interrelationships amongst each other with project success in international development. This was proven to be of utmost importance in evaluating the weights and alternative strategies which many studies failed to consider. Practical and Social Implications– Practical implications include a set of recommendations to aid agency project managers to undertake and prioritize in order to better ensure project success.This research hopes to serve as reliable study, source and recommendation for aid agencies which are undertaking various aid projects with severe constraints such as lack of resources, experience or knowledge. Originality, Value and Contribution – Few papers have attempted to compare and determine the relationship and degree of influence of the key success factors of aid agency projects. The study hopes to serve as a catalyst for more aid-related project management literature in the future.