Assessment of Knowledge Areas by Risk Severity Levels: Road Construction Contractors' View

Abstract

Risk management is a critical aspect of project management, as it helps to identify, assess, and mitigate risks that could potentially impact the success of a project. Project Risk Management is one of the ten areas outlined in the PMBOK® Guide. This study focuses on assessing Knowledge Areas based on risk severity levels and identifying which areas have the greatest impact on decision-making in road projects. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire for 164 experts from contracting companies working in the road construction and maintenance sector in five countries in the Middle East: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. The survey data was subjected to statistical analysis using the Relative Importance Index (RII) to identify and rank the areas' severity. The results indicate that all Knowledge Areas are within the high level in terms of risk severity. The Project Scope was the most voted, while the Project Communications was the least.