Assessing the role and significance of project selection by the contractors in the Saudi construction industry

Abstract Introduction Construction companies hold great significance in Saudi Arabia due to new developments taking place in the region. A project automatically turns out better if it has been selected based on the level of expertise and resources available to the construction company and vice versa. Purpose The study aims to investigate the importance of project selection by the contractors within the Saudi construction industry. Methodology The study has employed a quantitative research design to conduct a survey through the administration of questionnaire. A total of 46 employees from construction companies were selected. A questionnaire was distributed among maintenance contractors, contractors, and construction contractors. Findings The findings have shown that mostly organizations were unclassified or classified under the fifth category (projects valuing AED10,000,000 or lesser) (34.8%). Most of the respondents (94.4%) agreed that consideration of the project selection is important. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between the level of importance given to the project selection and the organizational size of the respondents. Success factors play an important role in the project selection phase. Practical implications Careful project selection is the first step toward the success of the construction company, so it needs to be carried out carefully.