Socio-Economic Determinants of Construction Project Performance and Project Administration in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose: This study examines the direct effects of external socio-economic factors on project administration andproject performance (time, cost, and quality) within the UAE construction sector.Methodology: Data were collected from 384 construction stakeholders via a structured questionnaire andevaluated using multiple regression and correlation analyses.Results: Socio-economic factors significantly predicted project performance, explaining 41.7% of the variance inproject time, 48.0% in cost, and 54.6% in quality. Inflation and labour availability significantly influenced projecttime, while inflation, regulatory environment, and labour availability affected cost. Economic stability was the solepredictor of quality and showed the strongest correlation with project administration (r = 0.585–0.654).Novelty and contribution: This research fills a critical gap by empirically quantifying the direct, measurableimpact of macro-level external factors on internal administrative success and specific project performanceoutcomes in the UAE.Social and Practical Implications: Practitioners must integrate macroeconomic indicators into early planning,budgeting, and workforce management. Socially, addressing these factors secures industry employment stabilityand prevents costly infrastructure delays.