Title: Project Managers' Experience and Project Success of Hargeisa Water Agency, Somaliland
Authors: Shafie Ali Salad
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
Pages: 62-69
Publication Date: 2025/12/28
Abstract:
The study investigated the relationship between project manager's experience and project success of Hargeisa Water Agency (HWA) in Somaliland. The study was guided by the contingency theory. The study used an explanatory sequential research design. Two hundred and one participants were selected, including project stakeholders, project managers, project staff, Hargeisa Water Agency staff, and project beneficiaries through purposive and simple random sampling. Both primary and secondary data were used. Primary data was collected from the respondents through a self-administered questionnaire and a key informant interview guide. The validity of the instrument was tested using the content validity index. Cronbach's Alpha was employed to test the instrument's reliability. The study was carried out using a frequency distribution and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The study results indicate that the project manager's experience has a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.705; p = 0.000) with project success. The study concluded that a project manager's experience significantly influences project success. This indicates that the completion rate, adherence to budget, and general efficacy of water-related projects in the Hargeisa district are influenced by the project managers' years of experience and prior project involvement at the Hargeisa Water Agency. The study recommends that the agency should assign project managers to projects in accordance with their experience level to guarantee that more experienced managers take on complicated or high-risk projects. This makes it possible to use project managers' abilities and expertise to their fullest potential, raising the possibility of a project's successful completion.