Author(s)

James Cofie Danku^*, Theophilus Adjei-Kumi, Bernard Kofi Baiden, Kofi Agyekum

Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, West Africa.

Construction causative nuisances, inconveniences, interferences and disruptions to the routine economic and social life patterns of adjacent or neighboring communities are referred to as social cost. This study explores the understanding and level of consideration of social cost by construction professionals in Ghana. Relevant literature sources are reviewed to define, rationalize and classify social cost. The study used the survey approach with a set of questionnaires addressed to construction contractors and professionals to gather the data. It was realized that not much consideration is given to social cost at the tender stage of the construction process. The five factors hindering social cost inclusion in tendering are “difficulty in allocating social costs”, “governmental interferences”, “lack of historical data”, “lack of appreciation of social costs” and “low stakeholder agitation”. The paper advocated for integration of social cost into the tendering process. The study will serve as a foundation to design a social cost assessment system at the pre-contract stage.

Social Cost, Construction Industry, Construction Professionals, Community, Ghana

Danku, J. , Adjei-Kumi, T. , Baiden, B. and Agyekum, K. (2020) An Exploratory Study into Social Cost Considerations in Ghanaian Construction Industry. Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research, 8, 14-29. doi: 10.4236/jbcpr.2020.81002.