Focus Group Discussion

The Pakistan Infrastructure Implementation Capacity Assessment (PIICA) study was initiated in response to a specific request from the Government of Pakistan (GoP) to study the capacity of the local construction industry (client institutions, contractors and consultants) to deliver the planned infrastructure projects under the Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF). The objectives of the focus group discussions were to: (i) ensure active participation and ownership of stakeholders in the study; (ii) obtain concurrence on the framework for the study and the technical analyses to be carried out; and (iii) obtain feedback and comments on findings and develop consensus on the way forward. Focus group discussions helped identify the broad thematic areas and the issues which should be researched. The discussion provided a framework for preparation of a detailed questionnaire to be used for ascertaining stakeholders' perceptions about the industry and to solicit their comments and suggestions. The focus group also identified the need for carrying out separate technical analyses and emphasized that case studies of various projects should be prepared. The focus group discussions validated the results obtained from the perceptions surveys and the technical analyses and the stakeholders concurred with the complex issues and challenges faced by the construction industry. While valuable suggestions were provided in the focus group discussions which can remove a number of constraints faced by the industry, there were no solutions offered which could be implemented to provide increased capacity over the short-term as the systematic weaknesses in the business environment, the lack of adequately skilled human resource (HR), lack of client agencies capacity, lack of financing, and credit available to the industry and other constraints cannot be addressed within an immediate or short-term time frame clearly, besides taking measures to develop the local construction industry, innovative methods of procurement, and delivery mechanisms will need to be thought of in order to meet all of the MTDF infrastructure development goals.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Mir, Aized H., Malik, Ermeena, Durrani, Amer Z.
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2007-11
Subjects:	ACCOUNT, ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNTING, ACQUISITION, ADB, ADVERTISEMENTS, AUDITORS, AUDITS, AUTOMATION, AUTONOMY, AVAILABILITY OF CREDIT, BANK GUARANTEE, BANK GUARANTEES, BANKING INDUSTRY, BANKING SECTOR, BID, BIDS, BILLS, BOND, BONDS, BUDGETING, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTS, BUSINESS PROCESSES, CAPABILITIES, CAPABILITY, CAPACITY BUILDING, CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS, CASH FLOW, CERTIFICATE, CHECKS, COLLATERAL, COMMERCIAL BANK, COMMERCIAL BANKS, COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, COMPETITIVE BIDDING, COMPETITIVE PRICE, CONTRACTORS, CONTROL SYSTEM, CORPORATE TAX RATE, COST ESTIMATES, CREDIT LINES, CURRENCY, DEPOSIT, DEVELOPMENT BANK, DEVELOPMENT FINANCE, DISBURSEMENT, DISBURSEMENTS, DISPUTE RESOLUTION, DOMAIN, DOUBLE TAXATION, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, ELECTRICITY, EQUIPMENT, ESCROW, EXCHANGE COMMISSION, EXPENDITURE, EXPENDITURES, FINANCES, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINANCIAL STRENGTH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FORM OF COLLATERAL, FUTURE CONTRACTS, HOUSING, HUMAN RESOURCE, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, ICT, IMAGE, IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES, INCOME TAX, INFLATION, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT, INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT, INSURANCE, INTERNAL SYSTEM, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES, INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, INTERNATIONAL MARKET, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, INVESTING, ISLAMIC BANK, JOINT VENTURES, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, LENDER, LENDING PORTFOLIO, LETTER OF CREDIT, LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, LEVIES, LIABILITY, LOCAL CAPACITY, MANDATES, MATERIAL, MIDDLE EAST, MONITORING MECHANISM, NET PROFIT, NEW ENTRANTS, NEW TECHNOLOGY, OVERHEAD, PC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, PRIVATE SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR FIRMS, PROCUREMENT, PROCUREMENTS, PRODUCTIVITY, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, PRUDENTIAL REGULATIONS, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, PUBLIC SPENDING, QUALITY ASSURANCE, QUALITY OF EDUCATION, QUALITY OF SERVICES, QUALITY OF WORK, QUALITY STANDARDS, R&D, REGISTRATION PROCESS, REGISTRY, REGISTRY SYSTEM, REGULATORY AUTHORITY, REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, RESULT, RESULTS, RETENTION, RETURN, RETURNS, REVOLVING FUND, RISK MANAGEMENT, SITES, STANDARD CONTRACT, STANDARDIZATION, STATE BANK, STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN, SUPERVISION, TAX, TAX INCENTIVES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, TECHNICAL STAFF, TECHNICAL TRAINING, TELECOM, TELECOMMUNICATION, TIMELY PAYMENTS, TRANSPORT, TURNOVER, VERIFICATION, WITHHOLDING TAX, WITHHOLDING TAXES,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/11/9367845/focus-group-discussion https://hdl.handle.net/10986/19544
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