<![CDATA[Variation orders frequently disrupt construction project performance, causing cost overruns, delays, and inefficiency. While prior studies have examined their causes and impacts, limited research has compared effects across project scales, particularly in developing countries. This study identifies dominant factors causing variation orders, analyzes their impacts on small-scale and medium-to-large-scale building projects in Bali, and proposes mitigation strategies. A quantitative research approach was employed using a structured questionnaire distributed to 50 construction professionals representing developers, contractors, owners, government agencies, and state-owned enterprises. Exploratory Factor Analysis with Principal Component Analysis and Varimax rotation was applied to identify the underlying factors, while descriptive analysis with a multiple-response approach was used to evaluate the impacts of each factor. The analysis extracted six principal factors explaining 71.103% of the total variance: Project Execution and Control Management, Project Planning and Documentation, Construction Changes and Resource Availability, Design Changes and Owner Requirements, External Conditions and Project Safety, and Regulatory and Implementation Disruptions. The most dominant factor was Project Execution and Control Management, accounting for 16.765% of the explained variance. Across all factors, the most significant impacts were project delays, cost overruns, and schedule disruptions. While both project scales exhibited similar impact patterns, medium-to-large-scale projects experienced greater coordination and implementation challenges, whereas small-scale projects were more vulnerable to cost escalation and rework. The study concludes that variation orders stem from interconnected managerial, technical, organizational, and external factors. Effective mitigation requires strengthening project management, planning quality, resource optimization, change management, risk mitigation, and regulatory anticipation to enhance project performance.]]>
