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Project Managers’ Personality and Project Success: Moderating Role of External Environmental Factors

Author

Listed:
  • Amjad Hussain

    (Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan)

  • Mohsin Jamil

    (Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan)

  • Muhammad Umar Farooq

    (Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan
    Suleman Dawood School of Business, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan)

  • Muhammad Asim

    (Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan)

  • Muhammad Zeeshan Rafique

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, Pakistan)

  • Catalin I. Pruncu

    (Design, Manufacturing & Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK)

Abstract

Successful project completion is a challenging phenomenon for project managers. Various factors play an indispensable role in the success of a project. The objective of this study is to examine the role of project managers’ personalities in project success with the moderating role of external environmental factors i.e., political, economic, social. The study includes 145 project managers from 36 large-scale construction projects, from both the public and private sectors. The big five personality model was used to evaluate the personality traits of project managers and triple constraint criteria (cost, time, and quality) was used to gauge project success. Data has been collected through a well-structured questionnaire. The analysis of data indicated that personality traits like extraversion and openness are positive predictors of project success, whereas conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism did not have any direct relationship with project success. Importantly, the findings of this study concluded that external environmental factors—like political, economic, and social—moderately influence the link of specific project managers’ personality traits to project success. The role of external environmental factors as moderators has been discussed. The findings indicate the essential personality traits, as well as the role of external factors for achieving project success. The research contributions have relevance to both theory and practice and provide a deeper insight that is useful for individuals, organizations, researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Amjad Hussain & Mohsin Jamil & Muhammad Umar Farooq & Muhammad Asim & Muhammad Zeeshan Rafique & Catalin I. Pruncu, 2021. "Project Managers’ Personality and Project Success: Moderating Role of External Environmental Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:16:p:9477-:d:620215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Muhammad Irfan & Sanam Zaib Khan & Nasruddin Hassan & Mazlan Hassan & Muhammad Habib & Salma Khan & Hadi Hassan Khan, 2021. "Role of Project Planning and Project Manager Competencies on Public Sector Project Success," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Muhammad Umar Farooq & Amjad Hussain & Tariq Masood & Muhammad Salman Habib, 2021. "Supply Chain Operations Management in Pandemics: A State-of-the-Art Review Inspired by COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-33, February.
    3. Georgios N. Aretoulis & Jason B. Papathanasiou & Konstantinos Zapounidis & Aikaterini A. Seridou, 2017. "Conscientiousness personality trait defines the competent Greek project manager," International Journal of Business Performance Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(3), pages 350-380.
    4. Almlund, Mathilde & Duckworth, Angela Lee & Heckman, James & Kautz, Tim, 2011. "Personality Psychology and Economics," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 1-181, Elsevier.
    5. Thordur Vikingur Fridgeirsson & Helgi Thor Ingason & Haukur Ingi Jonasson & Hildur Jonsdottir, 2021. "An Authoritative Study on the Near Future Effect of Artificial Intelligence on Project Management Knowledge Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    6. Stefano Armenia & Rosa Maria Dangelico & Fabio Nonino & Alessandro Pompei, 2019. "Sustainable Project Management: A Conceptualization-Oriented Review and a Framework Proposal for Future Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matt Andrews, 2022. "What is public policy success, especially in development?," CID Working Papers 415, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    2. Amjad Hussain & Muhammad Umar Farooq & Muhammad Salman Habib & Tariq Masood & Catalin I. Pruncu, 2021. "COVID-19 Challenges: Can Industry 4.0 Technologies Help with Business Continuity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, October.
    3. Łukasz Kański & Jan Chadam & Grzegorz Kłosowski, 2022. "Intellectual Capital: A New Predictive Indicator for Project Management Improvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Munther Al-Nimer & Muhammad Anwar & Imad Bani Hani & Omar Hujran, 2026. "Project management team and project success: an overview," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 76(1), pages 223-286, February.

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