Journal of Management and Business Solutions 3092-7226 In Press 2027 09 01 Analysis of the Role of Experts’ Characteristics in Prioritizing the Three Categories of Delay Factors (Planning, Risk Management, and the Ripple Effect) in Industrial Projects Analysis of the Role of Experts’ Characteristics in Prioritizing the Three Categories of Delay Factors (Planning, Risk Management, and the Ripple Effect) in Industrial Projects 1 16 EN Journal Article 2026 05 03 <p>The present study aimed to analyze the relationship between experts’ demographic characteristics and their prioritization of three categories of factors influencing delay claims in industrial projects. These factors include planning, risk management, and the ripple effect, each of which is recognized as a key component of project management. Data collected from 80 industrial experts included demographic information (gender, age, educational attainment, work experience, and marital status) as well as the prioritization of 48 delay factors across the three aforementioned dimensions. Data were analyzed using the independent-samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The findings indicated a positive and statistically significant relationship between experts’ work experience and their attention to the ripple effect (r = .342, p &lt; .01), whereas the relationship between work experience and planning was not statistically significant (r = .092, p &gt; .05). A statistically significant difference was observed among educational groups in their perception of the importance of risk management (F = 3.87, p &lt; .05); similarly, a significant difference was found between educational attainment and the perception of the ripple effect (F = 3.12, p &lt; .05). No statistically significant differences were identified between male and female respondents in the prioritization of any of the three categories of factors (p &gt; .05). These findings suggest that experts’ characteristics, particularly work experience and educational attainment, may influence how the three principal categories of delay factors are prioritized. Accordingly, it is recommended that industrial project decision-making and risk assessment processes incorporate the diverse perspectives of experts with different professional and demographic characteristics in order to achieve more comprehensive coverage of delay-related factors.</p> https://www.journalmbs.com/index.php/jmbs/article/download/408/346