The effect of project risk management practices on project success: a case study of Ethiopian orthodox Tewahido church Jimma diocese

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of project risk management practices: risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, risk prioritization and ranking, and risk response and monitoring on the success of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahid church projects in Jimma diocese. To do so explanatory research design was applied. This study adopted the case study of the EOC diocese which has implemented at 8 projects which constituted 253 workers targeted population. From this, 155 sample respondents were selected through stratified simple random sampling techniques. Both qualitative and quantitative (mixed) research approach was followed to develop data collecting instruments (self-administered structured questionnaires). Both primary and secondary data sources were used for the purpose of this study. The primary data was collected through survey method while secondary data from online sources. Both descriptive (percentages, means, standard deviation) and inferential(correlation and multiple linear regression) statistical analysis tools were applied to describe the effect of explanatory variables (risk identification, risk analysis, risk prioritization, risk response and monitoring) on the dependent variable (project success) and to explore the variation of it due to these explanatory variables. The finding of the study revealed that: risk identification, risk analysis, risk prioritization, and risk response and monitoring significantly affect project success; and hence, 91.5% variation of project success was found to be explained by these explanatory variables while the rest 8.5% of it can be explained by other factors (residual variables) not included in this study. Based on these findings, conclusions were made and possible ideas were recommended. Finally, directions were forwarded for future research probably conducted in the filed on problems related with skills to use the tools of risk management, and impact of awareness creation in risk management on project success.