Effect of Project Management Practices on the Success of Business Development Support Services Project in Rusizi District, Rwanda

Abstract

The study examined the effect of project management practices on the success of the Business Development Support Services (BDSS) project in Rusizi District, Rwanda. The study was guided by Resource-Based View Theory, Theory of Change, and Goal Setting Theory. A descriptive and correlational research design was employed to achieve the study objectives. The study targeted a population of 129 respondents, comprising 87 micro-entrepreneurs and 42 BDSS providers and institutional stakeholders in Rusizi District. A census sampling approach was adopted, where all members of the population were included in the study to ensure comprehensive data collection and reduce sampling error. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 29. The regression analysis indicated that project management practices significantly predict project success, accounting for 79.8% of the variance (R2 = 0.798, p < 0.05). The findings show that Project Planning and Design has a beta coefficient (B) of 0.183 with a t-statistic of 3.268 and a significance value of 0.001. The p-value is less than 0.05, and we conclude that project planning has a significant positive effect on success. The results indicate that Project Implementation has a beta coefficient (B) of 0.525 with a t-statistic of 9.052 and a significance value of 0.000. This is the strongest predictor in the model, and p < .05. The findings reveal that Project Monitoring and Evaluation has a beta coefficient (B) of 0.270 with a t-statistic of 5.294 and a significance value of 0.000. The p-value is less than 0.05. The regression analysis confirms that all three project management practices are significant drivers of project success. It is recommended that the Business Development Fund (BDF) and local authorities prioritise the modernisation of implementation tracking systems and foster inclusive planning to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of supported micro-enterprises.