of Urban Productive Safety Net Program
in Lemi-Kura Sub-City, Addis Ababa:
Implications for Policy Recommendation
FEATURED PAPER
By Teshome Tamirat, PhD and Misgina Asmelash, PhD
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ABSTRACT
Project performance is impacted by various external factors that significantly determine the success rate of outcome indicators. Our study investigates the impact of different external factors on project performance of outcome indicators to meet the goal. We used descriptive and explanatory research design that draws on data collected from 121 project staff using simple random and cluster sampling methods respectively. Our results indicated that level of education of project staff scored a high mean of 3.9256 which positively impacted the project outcomes aligning with findings that higher education does correlate with improved performance. Additionally, working experience of project staff shows a mean of 1.5950 with significant results (p=0.000) further demonstrating that work experience is crucial for enhancing project performance. Results also indicated that policy and legal framework score a mean of 1.5 indicating that staff perceives the legal factor as less impactful compared to technology, donor and socio-economic aspects. This highlights an urgent need for improved policy implementation aligned with safety-net program. In terms of technology and infrastructure, a significant mean score of 2.5 reveals that staff view these elements as vital for success indicating organizations should prioritize investments in technology infrastructure for data management. Socio-economic and cultural factors indicate a moderate mean of 2.0, showing their impact on performance and emphasizing the importance of community engagement in project strategies. Our findings underscore the necessity for organizations to address disparities in resource access and enhance stakeholder involvement to improve project outcomes. Although the correlation between policy frameworks and donor contributions exists, technology and infrastructure emerge as the most significant factors impacting performance. The regression model reveals that while policy frameworks and donor contributions play roles in project performance, technological advancements are crucial for the impact on project performance. Our findings underscore the need for a multi-faceted approach to development that not only prioritizes technology upgrades and training but also addresses contextual challenges related to policy implementation and technology infrastructure for success of a project. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on effective strategies for enhancing project outcomes in Ethiopia and similar contexts across Africa.
Key-Words: Donor, Evaluation, Technology, Outcome, Policy.
- INTRODUCTION
Government of Ethiopia recognized the contribution of social protection projects and promoted urban safety net program to improve the wellbeing of its citizens for the last two decades (MoARD, 2019[1]). Project performance is attributed by collective functions of various internal and external factors that interplay in a system to achieve the expected goals (Kabeyi, 2019[2]). External factors including government policy and legal framework contribute to the better achievements of outcome performance (Kamau & Bin, 2015[3]).
The implementation of government policy and corresponding legal frame work has impact on the performance of urban projects to ensure food security (Melese, 2018[4]). The World Bank report in (2018[5]) underscores the importance of involving key stakeholders at every stage of monitoring and evaluation process to ensure project success. Furthermore, Ermias (2017[6]) highlighted the impact of external factors of donor funding, which is critical for maintaining project performance.
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How to cite this work: Tamirat, T. and Asmelash, M. (2025). Impacts of External Factors on Performance of Urban Productive Safety Net Program in Lemi-Kura Sub-City, Addis Ababa: Implication for Policy Recommendation, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/PMWJ151.pdf
About the Authors
Dr. Teshome Tamirat
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Dr. Teshome Tamirat, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, holds a PhD in Forest Ecology and an MA in Project Management. He currently serves as the Department Head for Forestry at the Ethiopian Forestry Development and conducts research across various fields, including agriculture, forestry, and project management. Additionally, he acts as the National Focal Point for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, focusing on the implementation of the national drought management plan, combating land degradation and related project design and execution. He can be contacted at Tesh4040@gmail.com
Dr. Misgina Asmelash
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Dr. Misgina Asmelash is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia working at Addis Ababa Civil service University as Lecturer and researcher, specialized in project risk management. PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management; M.Sc. in Rural Development; and BA in Cooperatives Business Management PhD Student at Nanjing Agricultural University. He can be contacted at Misgie2008@yahoo.com
[1] MoARD, (2019). Government of Ethiopia recognized the contribution of social protection projects and promoted urban safety net program to improve the wellbeing of its citizens for the last two decades
[2] Kabeyi, M. (2019). Project performance is attributed by collective functions of various internal and external factors that interplay in a system to achieve the expected goals.
[3] Kamau, C. G., & Bin, H. (2015). Efficacy of monitoring and evaluation function in achieving project success in Kenya: A conceptual framework. Science Journal of Business and Management, 3(3), 82-94
[4] Melese, M. (2018). The implementation of government policy and corresponding legal frame work has impact on the implementation of urban projects to ensure food security.
[5] World Bank. (2018). Active participation of key stakeholders at every stage of monitoring and evaluation process is very important undertaking for ensuring project success.
[6] Ermias (2017). Impact of external factors of donor funding, which is critical for maintaining project performance.
