A Hybrid DEMATEL-Grey System for Analyzing Slow Disbursement Causes in Public Infrastructure Projects

Abstract

Project stakeholders and the local economy are negatively impacted when state budget funds are not allocated on time, which causes delays in the capital disbursement of public investments, especially in transportation infrastructure projects in Vietnam. Introducing a hybrid approach that combines the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method with Grey System Theory (GST), which is effective in handling uncertainty and inadequate data, this research examines the complex relationships between several factors that contribute to disbursement delays. The findings of this study identify eight critical factors, with slow land clearance as the most significant cause influencing these delays. Detailed results reveal that bureaucratic inefficiencies and compensation disputes during the land clearance process are primary contributors to these delays. The results provide policymakers and project managers with practical insights, emphasizing the necessity of focused interventions in land clearance procedures to speed up cash release and improve project delivery schedules. A strong framework for tackling comparable problems in various regional contexts is provided by the study's innovative methodology and empirical findings.