relation: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4544/
title: The evaluation of megaprojects: understanding the nuances of success and failure
creator: Dommele, Maarten van
description: Megaprojects in infrastructure planning are lengthy, costly, and highly complex.   They are funded by taxpayer’s money and have a large societal impact. These projects   often exceed time and budget estimates, leading some to conclude that they are   unsuccessful; nevertheless, they still occur frequently. It seems that their success or   failure is more nuanced, which means that we need to gain a better understanding of   megaproject success. Therefore, this study examines five major highway projects in the   Netherlands by comparing ex-ante cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) and ex-post evaluations.   Since ex-post evaluations of megaprojects are rarely conducted, this study uses an   evaluation framework and in-depth interviews as a replacement. Results reveal that   despite time and budget setbacks in some cases, the examined megaprojects seem to   be successful in their expected outcomes. It appears that the effects on broad societal   themes are often missing in ex-ante CBAs, and these effects are difficult to evaluate in   ex-post situations. Project stakeholders are positive about broader forms of evaluation   that do not only use time, cost, and scope as criteria but also allow for consideration of   broader societal effects. Ideally, this would be a combination of narrative evaluation   supported by quantitative analyses. The insights from these types of evaluations should   not be used to punish but as a tool from which lessons can be drawn. The degree of   subjectivity in these evaluations is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of who  conducts them. Future research could explore how broader societal effects can be   measured in ex-post evaluations and how different forms of evaluations can complement   each other. A follow-up study directly building on this research could compare the results   of the studied cases with the perceptions of other types of stakeholders. This could be   done by conducting ex-post evaluations with, for example, stakeholders who were not   professionally involved in these megaprojects, such as local residents or users. Taking   this broader perspective will contribute to a more nuanced view of megaproject success.
date: 2024
type: Thesis
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: text
language: en
identifier: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4544/1/MSc-Thesis---Maarten-van-Dommele-s3337294.pdf
identifier:   Dommele, Maarten van  (2024) The evaluation of megaprojects: understanding the nuances of success and failure.  Master thesis.