I come from a civil engineering background. The problems you cite are not engineering problems - they're management problems. In the environments I've worked in

I come from a civil engineering background. The problems you cite are not engineering problems - they're management problems. In the environments I've worked in, heads would have rolled for the over-runs/over-dues you mention. We call these NFE situations. BTW - thank you for mentioning (indirectly) that civil engineering is the world's oldest profession. ;-)