Assessment of Project Planning Practices in Dire Dawa Administration: A comparative Study between Sample Selected Government and Non Government Construction Projects

The main objective of this study was to assess the project planning maturity level of government and Hararghe Catholic Secretariat construction projects in Dire Dawa Administration. The study applied a quantitative research approach via employing descriptive research design to quench the specific and general objectives of the study. Moreover, both primary and secondary data were gathered. The target respondents of this study were totally 312; as a result census survey method through cross-sectional method of inquiry was employed. Moreover, Descriptive statistical tools and independent sample T-test at 95% confidence level were employed as data analysis tools. The overall project planning maturity level at government large construction projects towards project scoping, project integration, project human resource planning, project procurement and project stakeholders planning is at maturity level 3. However, in project time management, project quality planning, project cost planning, project communication and project risk planning elements are not completely standardized and thus processes are not applied properly and effectively. Conversely, the majority of the ten dimensions of project planning in Hararghe Catholic Secretariat are practiced at the managed or level four statuses which indicated that the project planning dimensions are not only well standardized and institutionalized it is also well con-trolled and managed however continuous learning and improvement is still a requirement. So, government construction projects managers should give due attention on preparation of a well-defined project plan.