Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Procurement Method Selection has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with timeliness of project delivery. This growing interest reflects the recognition that procurement method selection does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Cross River State.

Cross River State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While procurement method selection is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on timeliness of project delivery within Cross River State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to procurement method selection are helping or hindering timeliness of project delivery — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Procurement Method Selection on timeliness of project delivery in Cross River State.
2. To assess the extent to which procurement method selection influences timeliness of project delivery within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with procurement method selection in relation to timeliness of project delivery.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing procurement method selection in order to improve timeliness of project delivery.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of procurement method selection on timeliness of project delivery in Cross River State?
2. To what extent does procurement method selection influence timeliness of project delivery within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with procurement method selection in relation to timeliness of project delivery?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize procurement method selection in order to improve timeliness of project delivery?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around timeliness of project delivery. For managers and practitioners within Cross River State, the study provides practical insight into how procurement method selection can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on quantity surveying by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Cross River State, focusing specifically on how procurement method selection relates to timeliness of project delivery within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.