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Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects
The proponents of the infrastructural megaprojects promise much but often fail to deliver. These projects are complex interactions of numerous stakeholders often providing technical solutions to many end-users. The extent to which megaprojects identify and adequately address risks to sustainability...
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Graduate School of Business (GSB)
2018
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| _version_ | 1867613189974261760 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Goslar, Anthony |
| author2 | Ryan, Thomas |
| author_browse | Goslar, Anthony Ryan, Thomas |
| author_facet | Ryan, Thomas Goslar, Anthony |
| author_sort | Goslar, Anthony |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The proponents of the infrastructural megaprojects promise much but often fail to deliver. These projects are complex interactions of numerous stakeholders often providing technical solutions to many end-users. The extent to which megaprojects identify and adequately address risks to sustainability is of concern to the societies employing the megaproject framework for investing in infrastructure. The goal of infrastructural engineering is to design and build infrastructure that supports society. Sustainability in megaprojects is concerned with the delivery of products and services that benefit society over the long-term. Failure to do so can result in social pushback such as protests seeking accountability and a refusal to pay. The result is a burden on society who do not reap the benefits promised to them by the project proponents. This paper seeks to establish the strategic risks which have an impact on sustainability in megaprojects. The research has emerged from interviews with professionals and documented sources. The study uses a qualitative research approach of grounded theory to investigate how megaprojects can better stay on track to deliver the infrastructure they promised for the benefit of society, both now and for future generations. A model was developed using a theory building process based on a concern variable and the seven core categories that emerged during data collection and analysis. The model likened the strategic risks to sustainability to those of the semi-generic archetype of Shifting the Burden. The model was then applied to the case of the Gauteng Freeway Improvements Project to test for practical adequacy. Recommendations for further research are to investigate government guarantees, risk allocation, and responsibility as they relate to sustainability. Of importance is the lack of resilience in megaprojects, which prevents stakeholders from adapting to a changing world. Building resilience in mega-projects would allow for better adaption in the face of uncertainty. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/28424 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:12.136Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publishDateRange | 2018 |
| publishDateSort | 2018 |
| publisher | Graduate School of Business (GSB) |
| publisherStr | Graduate School of Business (GSB) |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/28424 Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects Goslar, Anthony Ryan, Thomas finance commerce The proponents of the infrastructural megaprojects promise much but often fail to deliver. These projects are complex interactions of numerous stakeholders often providing technical solutions to many end-users. The extent to which megaprojects identify and adequately address risks to sustainability is of concern to the societies employing the megaproject framework for investing in infrastructure. The goal of infrastructural engineering is to design and build infrastructure that supports society. Sustainability in megaprojects is concerned with the delivery of products and services that benefit society over the long-term. Failure to do so can result in social pushback such as protests seeking accountability and a refusal to pay. The result is a burden on society who do not reap the benefits promised to them by the project proponents. This paper seeks to establish the strategic risks which have an impact on sustainability in megaprojects. The research has emerged from interviews with professionals and documented sources. The study uses a qualitative research approach of grounded theory to investigate how megaprojects can better stay on track to deliver the infrastructure they promised for the benefit of society, both now and for future generations. A model was developed using a theory building process based on a concern variable and the seven core categories that emerged during data collection and analysis. The model likened the strategic risks to sustainability to those of the semi-generic archetype of Shifting the Burden. The model was then applied to the case of the Gauteng Freeway Improvements Project to test for practical adequacy. Recommendations for further research are to investigate government guarantees, risk allocation, and responsibility as they relate to sustainability. Of importance is the lack of resilience in megaprojects, which prevents stakeholders from adapting to a changing world. Building resilience in mega-projects would allow for better adaption in the face of uncertainty. 2018-09-06T13:42:51Z 2018-09-06T13:42:51Z 2018 2018-08-24T09:54:49Z Master Thesis Masters MCom http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28424 eng application/pdf Graduate School of Business (GSB) Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | finance commerce Goslar, Anthony Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| title_full | Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| title_fullStr | Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| title_short | Strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| title_sort | strategic risks to sustainability in infrastructural megaprojects |
| topic | finance commerce |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28424 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT goslaranthony strategicriskstosustainabilityininfrastructuralmegaprojects |