Chapter 3: Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
In Chapter 3 , the researcher presents the research methodology that was used to conduct the study. Before, the context of the topic is provided.
3.1.1 Review of the Qatari construction industry and some of its on-going construction projects
In the recent decade, there has been a rise in construction of large scale projects in Qatar. Many of the construction projects in Qatar revolve around the improvement of the existing transport infrastructure and sports facilities. Therefore, there has been an influx of construction firms both from within and outside the Middle East who execute such major projects. The Qatari construction industry has experienced major entrants of some international construction firms. Initially, the Qatari government had concentrated too much on the development of its oil industry. However, recently, it has found the need to develop other sectors apart from its oil industry. It is expected that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Hence, the event is likely to breed a number of construction projects in preparation for the global event. Noteworthy, much of Qatari’s infrastructure such as transport is insufficient when compared to the international expectations. Similarly, Qatar is yet to reach the international standards in terms of luxurious hospitality ventures as well as residential properties.
Initially, the Qatari government had laid much emphasis on the oil industry at the expense of other economic sectors. Qatari’s vision 2030 has initiated the inception of many construction projects in the government’s efforts to achieve this vision and place itself strategically to host the FIFA 2020 World Cup. For Qatar to be able to host the upcoming FIFA World Cup, it has to gear up its infrastructure to meet the international standards. However, at the moment, much emphasis is laid on the transport industry, hospitality sector and sports venues such as stadiums to house these events.
In Qatar, the public works authority, popularly referred to as the Ashgal, has the task of ensuring that the country achieves Vision 2030 with significant success. Qatar National Vision stipulates that by 2030, the government should have improved its public facilities such as commercial premises, health sector, and education. In the transport industry, it is expected that by 2030, Qatar will have increased its number of highways and roads to increase connectivity within Qatar (Kilani 2014, p. 18). Apart from improving and maintaining the existing infrastructure for better utility, Ashgal will develop major infrastructural projects across the entire country. Currently, there are some major projects which are on-going in Qatar. The FIFA World Cup is so far the major sensation of the Qatari construction industry. There are many construction projects geared towards improving the state of Qatar so as to enable the country to house the FIFA 2022 World Cup. The following are some of the major on-going construction projects in Qatar:
a. Metro and Qatar Rail Project: this project was incepted back in 2013 and it is on-going to date. It is believed to be one of the biggest construction projects in the globe. The project is branded as being the largest in the globe considering its significant cost of construction. Currently, the project has consumed four contracts which cost billions of dollars and more are yet to come. It will be a state of the art railway line where there will be ninety-nine kilometres of underground railway and one hundred and thirty railway kilometres (Kilani 2014, p. 21). The proposed railway project is likely to transform Doha into being a modern day commercial hub linking it to others such as the West Bay, Lusail Estate, and Education City.
b. Hamad Airport: the construction of the Hamad International Airport is the other major on-going construction project in Qatar. The proposed airport will replace the previous New Doha International Airport. The project was incepted back in 2014 and it is currently on-going. It is expected that the proposed Hamad International Airport (HIA) can handle around 50 million visitors. It will have a Business Park, a passenger and a cargo terminal.
c. Qatari-Bahrain way: the Qatari Bahrain Friendship Bridge (as it is fondly referred to) will ease connectivity between Bahrain and Qatar. The project was incepted back in 2008 and scheduled to start in 2009. Unfortunately, the project was delayed until late 2010.It was estimated that the project would cost around 2.3 billion US Dollars.
d. Lusail Real Estate: the Lusail real estate development is the other big construction project that is underway in Qatari’s Doha. It is estimated that the entire project will be a complete real estate development complete with support facilities such as medical institutions, schools, gold courses, commercial premises, and residential estates among others.
e. Energy City: the energy city is the other on-going construction projects in Qatar. The energy city is a construction project geared towards improving the country’s energy revenues. It will also enhance trade for both oil and gas in the entire Middle East region.
f. Entertainment City: this is another on-going construction project that will be within Lusail City. The entertainment city will house a number of entertainment facilities such as game parks, eateries, Game Park, and an aqua park among many other entertainment facilities. The city will have all-rounded entertainment facilities even for the entire family.
g. Urjuan Project: this is another upcoming construction projects at Qatari’s Al Khor City. Just like many other on-going construction projects in Qatar, this one will also cost a fortune in terms of finances. It will cost 35 Billion US Dollars. The project can house more than sixty-three thousand people. The project will include residential premises, luxury hospitality ventures, a golf course and shopping malls among many other facilities.
h. Sporting Facilities: Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Therefore, there are many on-going sporting projects to improve the country’s infrastructure. Therefore, the Qatari government has embarked on various projects to build new stadiums, renovate and improve the already existing ones to ensure that they are ideal for the upcoming global sporting event. In line with this, a total of ten stadiums must be ready before 2022when the FIFA World Cup will take place (Kilani 2014, p. 23).These stadiums include Umm Slal Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Khor Stadium, Lusail Iconic Stadium, Al Rayyan Stadium, Doha Port Stadium, Al-Gharrafa Stadium, Al-Shamal Stadium, Education City Stadium, and Al-Wakrah Stadium.
3.1.2 Review of the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is the other country in the Middle East where the construction industry has also blossomed in the recent decade. This is attributed to the need to develop properties for commercial and residential purposes owing to the fact that its major Emirates such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become the region’s commercial hubs.
The United Arab Emirates invests a fortune to improve the infrastructure of various regions in the country. Development of its infrastructure has been one of its key concerns. Therefore, the construction industry is so far one of the largest single sectors in the United Arab Emirates (Mitra and Wee Kwan Tan, 2012). Unfortunately, it is one of the most fragmented sectors despite being complex. It has many stakeholders who take part in the major decision-making process in the industry. Currently, commercial construction projects have been bedevilled by many more claims than any other time in the history of the construction industry. Such issues have been blamed for the delay in delivery of projects.
More often than not, the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates is characterized by joint ventures among commercial construction firms. Some may be home-grown Emirati construction firms while others may be foreign construction organizations who influx to the United Arab Emirates seeking for contracts to complete some major construction projects. There are regulations in the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates which dictate that local Emirati firm’s partner with foreign firms in the construction of huge commercial construction firms. However, the local home-grown Emirati construction firms dominate the construction industry. In fact, they hold 51% of the entire share capital of the country’s construction industry. On the other hand, foreign construction companies take 49% of the share capital as revealed in the following pie chart:
Figure 1

Figure 2 Share of Foreign Companies
Therefore, it is evident that even foreign construction firms receive a fair share in the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates. Joint ventures in the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates are preferred as they pose a chain of advantages to both local and foreign construction firms. A foreign company which has demonstrated its might gains authority over major construction projects in the United Arab Emirates. On the other hand, local construction firms partner with these firms to share with them the market trends and collaborate with them to acquire major construction contracts.
The construction authorities in the United Arab Emirates classify construction firms into six categories. These include:
a. Suppliers of services and construction materials
b. Subcontractors
c. Real estate developers
d. Project managers
e. Designing and building contractors
f. Supervision and design consultants
Each of the groups has some registered firms for the construction industry.
The increased demand for commercial construction in Dubai has increased the cost of construction. Moreover, suppliers have increased the prices of many construction prices; thus, making construction an expensive affair. Dubai airport has been busy for the last two years. It is expected to become one of the busiest airports. It is expected to overtake Heathrow airport courtesy of the increased population of travellers who frequent the various tourist destinations in Dubai and other parts of the United Arab Emirates (Al-Hajj and Sayers 2014). There is a need to renovate major commercial and tourist centres in Dubai as the country has attracted the interests of major investors in many economic sectors. Many hotels and malls have gone through renovation in the recent years. Similarly, there has been an increased construction of new buildings to cater for the huge demand for commercial buildings. The first quarter of 2014 marked a major transition of the construction industry in Dubai. Notably, the rental rates for both residential and commercial buildings are exceptionally high in Dubai (Angerame and Billows 2002).
The construction industry is one of the major revenue generators in the United Arab Emirates as per the recent statistics. Noteworthy is the fact that Dubai is one of the largest commercial and residential emirates in the United Arab Emirates besides Abu Dhabi. Its commercial viability has made both rental and residential premises quite expensive (Salama, Gardiner, and Malikappurayil 2007). Its large population explains why there is an increasing need for both property developers and commercial construction firms. Moreover, the government has realized the need to refurbish the major sources of income in Dubai (Juma 2013). Hence, it has embarked on renovation of its major buildings and facilities that house commercial ventures and infrastructure projects. The researcher pays special attention to Dubai, which is a fast growing urban centre in the United Arab Emirates. The fact that there has been an increased demand for commercial construction services raises some serious concerns over the safety of commercial buildings should they fail to adhere to the specifications agreed on during the design stage (Nazlim 2012).
3.2 Research Design
The researcher adopted a mixed research design to conduct the study. First, there was a systematic literature review to determine the situation of the construction industry both in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The researcher sought for information from secondary sources of information and validated it from various entities in the construction industry in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The researcher also examined the laws and regulations of the construction industry in the two countries. Licensing laws were accessed and their impacts to the successful completion of construction projects both in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates assessed.
A mixed research design was preferred as this would eliminate some of the challenges that would emanate from a single research design. In addition, the researcher would validate statements using more than one research method. Hence, they were likely to obtain valid data for the proposed study. A mixed research design would also help the researcher handle some of the challenges that would emanate from intervening variables that were beyond their control. Unfortunately, the mixed research methodology is time intensive. The researcher countered this challenge through allocating more time for the study.
3.3 Benefits of Document Study
The study was conducted using document study which is normally called adopting secondary data sources. Robson (2011) stated that a document study involves the interpretation and analysis of data which has been generated from examining documents and records that are most relevant to the study topic in this case the factors limiting the successful completion of construction projects in the UAE and Qatar. In this study, the researcher used a wide range of documents to collect the data and information included as the study findings. Some of these documents that the researcher relied on include progress reports by non-governmental organizations, published reports by the government, journal articles, books, and reliable information from the internet (Saunders et al. 2011).
Using document study in this research was critical and beneficial at the same time. One of the reasons why it was beneficial is because it helped in time saving. The researcher would have consumed a lot of time if primary data was collected. Apart from time, significant resources could have been needed which could have made the study expensive (Ghauri 200). The advancement of technology has made it easier for researchers to access materials from online libraries. I was able to access credible secondary materials that were used in documenting the findings of the study. The other reason why this method was preferred was because of the ease in document accessibility. If the data was to be sourced from the target population, material resources would have been required making the study more complex. For example, I was able to access articles on the internet which provided a wide range of information without incurring major costs except internet charges. In addition to this, the use of secondary data analysis was critical because of the feasibility to incorporate both international and longitudinal comparative studies (Cheng and Phillips 2014, p. 371-375). Due to this, I was able to establish a unique pattern on the factors which hinders the successful and timely completion of construction projects in Qatar and the UAE. This also ensured that I made a holistic conclusion which would have been impossible if the study relied only on primary data (Cheng, and Phillips 2014, p. 371-375).
Nevertheless, the use of document study in the research was limited by various factors. First, there were many documents that I came across in the internet and some were irrelevant to the topic on reasons why construction projects in the UAE and Qatar are not completed on time. According to Johnston 2014; p. 619-626, one of the reasons behind this is because some of the articles that are found using secondary data sources are not tailored to address the objectives of the present study but the original objectives set by the authors. In addition, some information was inappropriate because the data provided by some documents data decades ago and was not relevant in the present because much has changed in Qatar and the UAE regarding the construction industry. Therefore, there was more quantity rather than having more quality documents. Another limitation was brought by the difficulty in sorting the authenticity, genuineness, validity, and reliability of the documents (Saunders et al. 2011). According to Saunders et al. (2011) some reports are written in a language that is biased and if a researcher is unable to notice this biasness it can negatively affect the study findings and eventually the conclusion and recommendations made. To ensure this was avoided, an exclusion and inclusion criteria for selecting the documents to use was generated.
3.4 Selection of Document
In general, I examined more than 50 documents before I narrowed down to a few articles and reports that have been used in the findings sections. In selecting these articles, I was guided by an inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were guided by factors such as; a document had to be written in the English language. Moreover, documents had to provide the most recent information which reflected the practices in the construction industry in both Qatar and the UAE. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria involved articles that were not written in the English language and those that provided outdated information and data. Moreover, articles that did not narrow down to construction industry in Qatar and the UAE were not considered for use. Apart from this, selecting the articles was based on the reliability and validness of the research instruments that were used by the authors. Reliability of the articles was determined to ensure that the study measures would yield results that were error free and at the same time consistent (Thanasegaran 2009, p. 35-40). Consequently, the researcher checked the validness of the articles by determining the extent research instruments achieved what they claimed to be measuring (Roberts, Priest, and Traynor 2006, p. 41-45).
3.5 Data Collection and Analysis
After the documents were selected, data was collected on a range of issues with more attention on the specific factors hindering the successful and timely completion of construction projects in the UAE and Qatar. The data which I collected was both quantitative and qualitative. The analyses of this data were done using content and discourse analysis. Frohmann (1992) stated that discourse analysis helps researchers to reveal the motivations that are hidden in a text. This means that it is a deconstructive reading helping the researcher understands which factors hinder successful completion of construction projects in these countries. Content analysis on the other hand provides a numerical description of these factors affecting timely completion of construction projects (Frohmann 1992).
3.6 Ethical Consideration
Ethical considerations were important to consider for this study because it helps in ensuring high credibility. I ensured that through the inclusion and exclusion criteria, documents that appeared to be biased were not used in reporting the findings (Grinyer 2009). I therefore relied on documents which provided updated information and those that were more reliable and valid compared to others. Importantly, I acknowledged the various sources that were used in reporting the study findings.